Latest Offenders

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A County Durham paedophile "haunted” the lives of two girls after carrying out sickening abuse.

Despite his continued denials, Ian Tate was convicted of five offences against the girls, one under 16 and the other under 13, following a trial at Durham Crown Court earlier this year.

The 48-year-old defendant of Hopper Terrace, Trimdon Grange, denied the offences, of either engaging in sexual activity with a child or causing/inciting a child to engage in sexual activity.

Despite his claims that the victims were both lying, the trial jury returned unanimous guilty verdicts to all five counts.

At a sentencing hearing on Friday (July 4) the court heard impact statements read by both victims.

One said she suffered flashbacks and recalled the defendant telling her no-one would believe her if she reported his actions.

She said it made her feel physically sick just to hear his name, even if it was said in reference to someone else.

The abuse has caused her to suffer depression and anxiety and has led her to self-harm.

Tate’s other victim said he left her, “a scared little girl” feeling that she could tell no-one what had taken place.

She said it led her into substance misuse to, “take away the pain” inflicted on her by the defendant.

Dan Cordey, representing Tate, said he was limited in what he could say on the defendant’s behalf due to his continued denials.

Mr Cordey said other than two ageing motoring offences Tate had a previous clean record and, since his conviction, has experienced his first taste of custody.

He said the defendant has suffered mental health issues in recent years, exacerbated by his excess alcohol intake.

Judge Nathan Adams said despite his continued claims of innocence and lack of remorse, the offences, “clearly took place”.

He said both victims have been “haunted” by his actions.

Judge Adams imposed consecutive sentences of nine and six years, totalling 15 years, on Tate, who he classed as, “an offender of concern”.

He said Tate must serve at least half of the nine-year term behind bars and two-thirds of the six-year sentence, giving a minimum of eight-and-a-half years.

Depending on the view of the Parole Board, however, he may remain locked up for ten years and six months.

On conclusion of the sentence, the defendant will be subject of a one-year licence extension.

Judge Adams made Tate subject to lifetime registration as a sex offender.

He will also be subject of restraining orders relating to each of the victims and to the terms of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO), both for 20 years.

Tate was told he will almost certainly be prohibited from ever working with children and young people, but that would be a matter for the barring service.

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A paramedic who secretly gave a pregnant woman an abortion drug, killing their unborn child, has been jailed for 10 years and six months.

Stephen Doohan, who was a clinical team leader with the Scottish Ambulance Service (SAS), administered the drug after he found out the woman was pregnant with his baby.

The woman, who did not know Doohan was married when they were in a relationship, suffered a miscarriage after the 33-year-old crushed pills into a syringe and injected her as she lay in bed at his Edinburgh home in 2023.

Doohan pleaded guilty to assault, sexual assault and causing the woman to have an abortion at the High Court in Glasgow last month.

Judge Lord Colbeck said Doohan had put his victim, who has not been named, "through considerable pain over a number of days, and left her facing a lifetime of pain and loss".

He added: "You researched and planned what you did to your victim.

"You used resources available to you as a paramedic before manipulating the woman and executing that plan under the guise of consensual sexual activity.

"You left her in what can only be described as considerable pain and anguish over the prospect of losing her child before she did, in fact, do so.

"The offences committed by you, frankly, are almost as serious as any this court is ever asked to sentence."

The judge stated the emotional victim impact statement he had read "radiates with raw pain" suffered by the woman.

Lord Colbeck also imposed a non-harassment order for an indeterminate period of time on the 33-year-old.

Doohan previously featured in a BBC documentary series, Paramedics on Scene.

He was suspended by the ambulance service after it learned of what he had done and he is no longer employed by them.

Doohan - who was married at the time – met the woman in Spain while he was on holiday in 2021.

He did not tell her that he was married and they remained in contact.

She found out she was pregnant with his child in March 2023 and by this time he had temporarily separated from his wife.

The court heard that the woman was at his home in the Grange area of Edinburgh a couple of days after he learned of the pregnancy.

She was in bed when he did something she could not see, but she said she was not "suspicious of his actions" at that time.

The court heard how he used the syringe on her and the woman began to suffer stomach cramps the next day.

Later at his flat, he gave her diazepam for the pain.

The court heard how she ended up in a "deep sleep" and awoke to find Doohan "initiating sexual contact".

This time she was suspicious of what he was doing but she was also feeling the effects of the diazepam.

When Doohan left the room, the woman took the chance to look under the mattress and found star-shaped tablets and a syringe with tablets crushed inside.

After searching online, she found matching images for drugs that could induce a termination.

'Appalling case'

Doohan initially denied what he had done before sobbing and claiming he was "scared".

He said he had got the pills from a doctor but insisted they would not work as it was the wrong dose.

The court heard how Doohan and the woman went to hospital but he pleaded that he would be arrested if she "told the truth".

The next day, the woman collapsed in the shower and had to return to hospital.

This time she insisted Doohan did not come in the examination room.

It soon emerged that she had suffered a miscarriage.

The court heard Doohan bought the woman gifts including perfume and tickets for a football match to keep her quiet.

But she eventually reported him to the ambulance service, the information was passed to police and Doohan was arrested.

Prosecutor Scott McKenzie said the woman has been "significantly affected" by her ordeal.

Mark Stewart KC, defending, said Doohan was "deeply sorry" for what he had done.

The lawyer added he had issues at the time which affected his "judgement and decision making" although that did not excuse what happened.

When he was convicted, the ambulance service said: "This is an appalling case, and our thoughts are with the victim.

"We recognise the courage it must have taken for her to come forward and speak out.

"As soon as we learned of the serious allegations and charges against Doohan, we immediately took action to protect the public and liaised with Police Scotland."

'Calculated and heinous actions'

Fiona Kirkby, the procurator fiscal for high court sexual offences, said: "Stephen Doohan's calculated and heinous actions caused the loss of the victim's pregnancy, robbing her of plans she had for the future.

"He has now been held accountable for this fundamental breach of trust.

"While offences like this are thankfully rare, I hope this prosecution sends a clear message to all those who seek to inflict sexual harm towards women.

"We recognise that reporting sexual offending can be difficult but would urge anyone affected to come forward and seek support when they feel ready to do so."

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A serial sexual predator has been jailed for 28 years after he was finally brought to justice because of fresh police investigations that were launched in the wake of the "Jimmy Savile scandal inquiry".

Gavin Lancell managed to evade being held to account for his depraved actions many years earlier but the police eventually reviewed his case and investigated further after one of his victims contacted a high-profile police operation that had been set up following allegations made against Savile, a former BBC disc jockey and the presenter of TV series Jim'll Fix It.

Lancell's luck at last ran out when the sexual allegations against him were finally taken forward and were heard during a trial at Hull Crown Court.

Lancell, 53, formerly of Bransholme, Hull, denied 20 sexual offences, including rape, having sex with a girl under 13, indecent assault and indecency with a child, between 1992 and 1996, but he was convicted by a jury of all the offences.

David Godfrey, prosecuting, said that Lancell, previously known as Gavin Eckles, had a "clear sexual fascination" for two young girls and he committed sexual offences against them. One of them spoke out in 1996 but she was "not listened to" and both girls came forward in 1999 and spoke to police.

"Their accounts were recorded on video," said Mr Godfrey. "Both girls made clear allegations of sexual abuse in 1999 but, at this time, like in 1996, the allegations being made by the girls were not taken further and the defendant was not prosecuted." One of the girls made attempts in 2012 to contact the police to hold Lancell to account.

A female detective constable told the court that an Op Hydrant programme was set "on the back of the Jimmy Savile scandal inquiry" to look into allegations of historical sexual abuse. It was initially set up to review allegations against 'institutions, politicians and celebrities".

One of the victims was aware of this initiative and she again contacted the police. The case was transferred to Humberside Police for investigation. She and the other victim were again spoken to by police in 2021 and provided further video evidence.

Lancell had been interviewed by the police in 1999 and he made denials but the details had not been transcribed or stored. He was arrested and interviewed in October 2021.

"Allegations of this sort have a habit of bubbling up to the surface," said Mr Godfrey. "They never go away and, indeed, that's what happened in 2021."

Lancell told police: "I am strongly denying it. I am still in shock." He claimed that he felt "disgusted" because he had "done nothing wrong". He replied "No" when individual allegations were put to him.

"My story hasn't changed because it never happened," he claimed. "I did nothing then and I have still done nothing." He continued his denials during the trial.

Lancell, of Bramham Grove, York, will have to register as a sex offender for life. He had been on bail during the trial but this was revoked and he was remanded in custody after he was convicted by the jury.

He was sentenced in his absence after declining to come up from the cells into the courtroom.

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A man has been convicted of raping a woman at a home in Chester.

Paul Rowlands was found guilty of rape and assault by penetration following a trial at Chester Crown Court which concluded on Wednesday 2 July.

The 55-year-old of York Street, Chester, has since been remanded in custody and is set to appear at Chester Crown Court on Thursday 24 July where he will be sentenced.

During the trial, the court heard how the victim met Rowlands while she was at a friend’s house in Chester on Wednesday 3 May 2023.

Later that evening, the victim and a friend attended Rowland’s then address, on Saint Anne Street, Chester. The victim later fell asleep on the sofa.

She was woken by Rowlands who had grabbed the collar of her coat to drag her onto the floor.

He then raped and sexually assaulted her multiple times over the course of an hour. He also threatened to kill her unless she was quiet.

The victim managed to free herself from the address and eventually made her way to Chester Railway Station. There, she told two on duty officers what had happened to her.

Rowlands was later arrested on Friday 5 May 2023. During his interview, he stated he couldn’t remember any sexual activity and specifically denied having anal sex with the victim.

However, forensic enquiries later proved otherwise.

Rowlands was subsequently charged with the offences. Despite pleading not guilty, the overwhelming amount of evidence meant he was found guilty on all counts by a jury following a 7-day trial.

Following the verdict, Detective Sergeant Chester Ward said:

“Firstly, I would like to commend the victim for the courage and bravery that she has shown throughout this investigation.

“Rowlands is a sexual predator who took advantage of the victim while she was in a vulnerable and disoriented state, and what he subjected her to was nothing short of sickening.

“While the victim will never be able to forget what happened that night, I hope that the verdict reached will provide her with some reassurance and help her to move forward.”

DS Ward added:

“Nobody should have to experience what the victim has been through and if anything can come from this case, I hope that it encourages other victims of sexual offences to come forward and report them to us.

“Cheshire Constabulary takes any allegation of sexual offences extremely seriously, and any allegation will be thoroughly investigated, with the wishes and needs of the victim as our main priority."

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Following a Thames Valley Police investigation, a man has been jailed for numerous child sexual offences in Oxfordshire and Berkshire.

Roderick Bryce-Hagain, also known as Roderick Bryce-Stafford, aged 52, of Milton Road West, Edinburgh, was sentenced to 22 years in prison, with a five-year extended licence period, at Oxford Crown Court on Tuesday (1/7). The judge also deemed Bryce-Hagain a dangerous offender.

Following a three-week trial at Oxford Crown Court, which concluded on 24 April, a jury unanimously found Bryce-Hagain guilty of:

• Eleven counts of sexual assault
• Four counts of penetrative sexual activity with a child
• Three counts of rape
• Three counts of engaging in sexual activity in the presence of a child
• Three counts of causing a child to engage in non-penetrative sexual activity
• Two counts of causing a person to engage in penetrative sexual activity without consent
• Two counts of inciting a child to engage in penetrative sexual activity
• Two counts of inciting a child to engage in non-penetrative sexual activity
• One count of attempted rape
• One count of causing a child to engage in penetrative sexual activity

Bryce-Hagain sexually abused four boys in Oxfordshire and Berkshire over several years.

Bryce-Hagain was charged by postal requisition on 18 October 2023.

Investigating officer Detective Constable Nicola Fullerton, of the Child Abuse Investigation Unit, said: 

“I would like to thank the victims for the strength and courage they have shown throughout this long investigation.

“We would encourage sexual offence victims to come forward to police, no matter how long ago offences occurred.

“We will listen and do everything possible to bring offenders like Roderick Bryce-Hagain to justice.”

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A rapist who put his hand over an 18-year-old woman's mouth to silence her pleas for him to stop has been jailed for three years.

Thomas English, from Darlington, was 20 when he ignored his victim repeatedly saying "no" part-way through consensual sex, Teesside Crown Court heard.

The offending emerged when English contacted police to say someone was demanding £500 from him or he would be reported for sexual assault.

English, now 24, initially denied rape but changed his plea to guilty on the second day of his trial.

The encounter in 2022 began as consensual but English refused to stop when the woman told him to, prosecutor Rebecca Brown said.

Instead, he placed his hand over her mouth and began getting rougher and more "forceful" before she was finally able to push him away, the court heard.

'Worried sick'

Several weeks later he received a message from a third party demanding he pay £500 or be reported to police, Ms Brown said.

English contacted police to report the message but officers also asked about the alleged sexual assault, which led them to interview the victim.

Messages were also found on English's phone in which he claimed he had "got lost in the moment" and did not hear the woman, to which she replied that was nonsense and she had told him to stop four times.

English also said he had been "worried sick" ever since and, when he looked in the mirror, all he could see was a rapist because that was what he had done to the woman, the court heard.

There was also a message in which English said he "felt awful" and "couldn't have been more apologetic".

'Rape is rape'

In a statement read to the court, the woman said the rape had "tainted" her view of intimacy forever and her later teenage years had been ruined by English.

She said she found peace knowing he could not hurt her or any other woman again.

In mitigation, the court heard it was "consensual sex gone too far" and English, of Bushel Hill Drive, was "bitterly ashamed" for his "vile" actions.

Judge Stephen Ashurst said English "selfishly ignored" the woman's wishes and "rape is rape".

He said English was an "intelligent young man" but was "relatively immature and naïve about certain emotional matters".

The judge also said the remorse English had expressed showed he had appeared to have learned from his "serious error".

English must also sign the sex offender register for life.

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A care worker engaged in sexual activity with a vulnerable man she was supposed to be looking after.

Megan Neilson, 28, was appointed to support the 29-year-old who suffers from cerebral palsy as well as epilepsy and also has a learning disability.

The pair quickly struck up a close bond which led to them both declaring that they loved each other.

Neilson repeatedly kissed and cuddled him during trips to a bowling alley and at Strathclyde Park while she later performed a sex act on him as they sat in a car parked at the Falkirk Wheel.

Their improper relationship came to light after the pair turned up hand-in-hand at his dad's house and told him they were together.

Neilson told the sickened father she would resign from her role as a support worker but police were called in.

When officers arrived at her home, Neilson asked: "Is this about the inappropriate relationship?"

Neilson, of Airdrie, Lanarkshire, denied any wrongdoing between June and August 2022 and went on trial at Hamilton Sheriff Court.

But jurors took an hour to convict her of engaging in sexual activity with the man while being a person who provided care services to him.

Jurors were shown a police interview with the man where he told them how he believed he was in a relationship with Neilson and described sexual acts between them.

He said: "She said if anybody found out about us she would lose her job, her daughter and her college course.

"I felt awkward because this had never happened to me before."

When asked how he felt about telling his parents and the police about Neilson, he replied: "I feel as if I made her a promise and broke it."

His dad told the court he had been 'suspicious' of the pair before they told him they were together.

He said: "They said 'we've something to tell you, we are in a relationship' and it took a while for it to sink in what was being said.

"I questioned Megan that it would be so wrong because she was one of his carers and she said 'I'm going to leave anyway so it will be fine'.

"I was in shock but then realised my suspicion was confirmed that there was something going on and I had this sickly feeling because it was a major breach of trust by the support worker working with him.

"He is still not the same wee laddie."

The court was also shown messages sent from Neilson to the man.

One said: "I love you. If it means losing everything, that's fine."

She then told him: "Delete this mind."

Neilson denied any sexual contact between the pair but said she resigned from her support role after developing an 'emotional relationship' with him.

The mum-of-two added: "I'm not sure why he has said this, it was maybe because he couldn't be with me but I can't get my head round it.

"I feel terrible, it has affected me really really badly and it has given me a lot of anxiety but there was nothing sexual between me and him."

Depute fiscal Lewis Devoy told jurors Neilson had committed a 'gross breach of trust' and said the man had 'no reason' to lie.

Lewis Kennedy, defence advocate, told the jury: "Her position is really straightforward and that is she was only involved in an emotional relationship with the complainer and that it was never sexual."

Sheriff Linda Nicolson deferred sentence on the first offender until next month for reports and continued her bail.

She added: "You have been found guilty by the jury of this charge which is obviously very serious."

Neilson, who is now unemployed, was placed on the sex offenders' register.

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A man who groomed and sexually assaulted a teenage girl at a shop in Stockport has been jailed today (4 July 2025).

Daniel Hashmi was found guilty of six offences, including attempted rape, against the same girl after a trial at Manchester Minshull Street Crown Court.

Hashmi (14/10/1980), of Audley Road, Levenshulme, Manchester, was sentenced to ten years in prison.

He will additionally have to sign the sex offender’s register for life, as well as being given a restraining order and lifelong sexual harm protection order.

He was arrested in December 2024 after the sister of a friend reported her suspicions to the police.

It was established that the offences had taken place in Hashmi’s business premises on Wellington Road South, Stockport, between November and December last year.

Hashimi had bought vodka and vapes for his victim, on one occasion blocking the door in a back room to the shop with a sofa to prevent her leaving before sexually assaulting her.

He denied the offences but was found guilty of three counts of sexual assault on a female, two counts of attempted rape, and assault by penetration after a trial.

Detective Constable Ben Swapp, of Stockport’s Complex Safeguarding Team, said:

“The girl and her family have shown enormous courage, and we will continue to support them.

"Aspire social workers and Independent Sexual Violence Advisors (ISVAs) are working with the victim to help in rebuilding her life.

"GMP's Stockport Complex Safeguarding Team is a multi-agency team focused on protecting vulnerable children and young people from exploitation and harm.

"This team, which includes police officers, social workers, and other professionals, works to identify, assess, and respond to safeguarding concerns, particularly those related to child exploitation.

"We are absolutely committed to removing offenders like Hashimi from the streets, as the danger he poses to society, and particularly to children, is significant.

“Hopefully today’s sentence and our investigation will give victims the confidence to report these types of crimes and trust us to investigate them thoroughly to bring the perpetrators to justice.”

The victim made the following statement in court: "I thought I could trust him. He is an adult and they are meant to be protectors, but after this I will never trust anyone again.

"This has affected me more than anyone will ever know - I feel betrayed and completely let down.

"He has taken away the most important things that I will never get back - I feel used and that's the worst thing."

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A 24-year-old man has been jailed for life following a significant Met Police investigation into an attempted rape and rape of a child.

Navroop Singh, 24, (09/10/00) of Mellow Lane East, UB4 was sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 14 years for five charges, including rape, on Friday, 4 July at Isleworth Crown Court.

Singh was convicted of the attempted rape of a woman in Southall Park, Ealing on Sunday, 13 October 2024, and possession of an imitation firearm with intent to commit an indictable offence, on Thursday, 8 May at Isleworth Crown Court following a four-day trial.

Singh had previously pleaded guilty to a further three offences –

• Possession of an imitation firearm with intent to commit an indictable offence
• Rape a girl under 13
• Assault a girl under 13 by penetration

These charges relate to the rape of a child at Hayes End Park, Hillingdon on Wednesday, 23 October 2024.

An investigation was launched by police and detectives who tracked down Singh, using forensics, CCTV and witness accounts to build a file of evidence against him.

Acting Chief Superintendent Sean Lynch, who leads policing in West Area, said:

"I would like to commend the strength of the victim-survivors and their families and thank them for their unwavering bravery in reporting these awful incidents to us.

“Today’s conviction is testament to the officers’ thorough investigation, which has identified a violent sexual offender and undoubtedly prevented further harm.

“We are continuing to prioritise tackling violence against women and girls with our increased specialist teams. I hope that the community will find reassurance in our action to put this predator behind bars.”

Officers launched an investigation following reports of an attempted rape of a woman in her 20s on 13 October 2024.

Police were alerted by the victim, who, by chance, was met with two off duty officers near to the gates of the park who accompanied her to the nearest police station.

Singh had been sitting on a bench in the park during the early hours of 13 October 2024, where he waited for a potential victim to walk past. He was carrying an imitation firearm, which he had ordered and assembled, and used to threaten the victim while he attempted to rape her.

On the days following the report, officers trawled through hours of CCTV footage to try and identify an offender.

With the investigation was ongoing, a child was raped at a different park on 23 October 2024. Officers immediately made a link between the offences.

Using the increased resources which were made available, officers secured additional forensic evidence. Officers were able to trace the offender to within a few doors of his home address where they delivered leaflets to appeal for witnesses and carried out increased patrols of the area.

As a result of the officers efforts, they were able to trace the offender to within a few doors of his home address.

Singh was arrested on Sunday, 27 October.

Each of the victims have been supported by specialist officers throughout the investigation and court process.

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A sex offender was arrested by police after he attempted to meet and abuse a six-year-old girl.

Michael Clarey, 59, went online specifically to try to find a child to abuse on 6 February and used a false name to cover his tracks.

He admitted to being a paedophile who had previously abused children and began exchanging messages with someone who sent him a photo of a six-year-old girl, taken at random from a blog post.

Clarey believed he was talking to the girl’s parent – although police believe it was an online activist group.

He asked if he could sexually abuse the girl and said he would take her for a meal and shopping first in Cambridge or Norwich.

However, here the conversation ended, and it was not discovered until police officers paid Clarey an unannounced visit on 25 February.

Clarey was living under restrictions placed on him by a sexual harm prevention order (SHPO) imposed by a court in 2021, but officers discovered he had flouted this by hiding devices, including one behind a TV. It was this device which contained the incriminating messages.

Clarey, of New Close Road, Little Thetford, near Ely, appeared at Peterborough Crown Court on Friday, 27 June, and was jailed for five years and three months after admitting attempting to arrange / facilitate commission of a child sex offence.

He must serve a further five years extended sentence upon release under the management of the Probation Service. Any breaches could result in him being recalled to prison.

Clarey also admitted five counts of making indecent photographs/pseudo photographs of a child, possessing a prohibited image of a child and 14 breaches of a sexual harm prevention order (SHPO), for which he received no separate penalty.

DC Andrew McKeane said: “Clarey was never going to meet the girl whose photo was sent to him online but the intent to commit despicable sexual offences was clear.

“The girl in the photos, which were taken some years ago, had no link to anyone involved and is a victim in this case. We have spoken to her parents in Berkshire and they were understandably shocked and upset.

“Clarey has a complete disregard for the law and is a danger to children. He was aware what his SHPO restricted him from doing, but he chose to ignore it.”

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A Sidcup sex offender with over 200 previous convictions has been jailed for drunken comments to a woman outside Tesco.

Stephen Lumb, 66, began offending in 1976 and was placed on the sex offenders register for life in 2009 after a serious sexual assault. 

He has since been in and out of prison repeatedly for offences including masturbating at a bus stop in 2021. 

In 2022 he was given a sexual harm prevention order (SHPO) banning him from having any unsupervised contact with any woman or female child  other than contact which is not reasonably avoidable in daily life. 

But on Tuesday, July 1, when Lumb was drunk outside Tesco on Station Road, Sidcup, he approached and spoke to a woman. 

At Bexley Magistrates' Court on Thursday, July 3, Lumb pleaded guilty to breaching the SHPO and being drunk and disorderly in public. 

He was sentenced to eight months in prison. 

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A man has been jailed for violent and sexual offences committed in the Ross-Shire area.

Owen Lonie, 25, was found guilty of the offences including rape at the High Court in Inverness on Monday, 23 May, 2025. He was sentenced at the High Court in Edinburgh on Monday, 30 June, to seven years in prison, with a further five years on license.

The offences were committed against two women between 2018 and 2022.

Detective Constable Fraser Duncan said: "Lonie is an abusive individual who subjected his victims to horrific offending. He will now face the consequences of his actions.

"We recognise how difficult these enquiries can be for victims and would like to thank them in coming forward and assisting in bringing Lonie to justice.

"We remain committed to investigating all reports of sexual crime and domestic abuse and would encourage anyone affected to report it. Every report is taken seriously and will be fully investigated, with support from our specially trained officers and partner agencies."

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A rapist who was convicted of controlling and coercive behaviour against a woman has been jailed.

Albert Dawidziuk's victim walked into one of our front enquiry offices in September last year and told police he had abused her physically and mentally over several years. When officers arranged a further meeting with her in the following days, she disclosed the abuse had also been sexual.

She told detectives from Signal - the force's specialist rape and serious sexual investigation unit - that 36-year-old Dawidziuk had gained access to her email and social media accounts and would regularly question her about her contact with work colleagues.

She said he also isolated her from her friends and demanded she send him pictures to prove where she was and who she was with.

When the report was made Dawidziuk - a Polish national - was overseas. However, he was arrested by colleagues from Kent Police when he arrived at Dover days later.

Dawidziuk, now of HMP Leicester, was found guilty of two counts of rape, one count of assault by penetration, one count of sexual assault and one count of engaging in controlling/coercive behaviour on 20 June following a trial at Leicester Crown Court.

On Wednesday (2 July), at the same court, he was sentenced to a total of 12 years' imprisonment. He is also subject to an indefinite restraining order prohibiting any contact with the victim.

Detective Constable Adam Battley, the investigating officer, said: "The victim in this case must be commended for her bravery in coming forward and telling us what Dawidziuk had done.

"We take reports of rape, sexual assault and controlling coercive behaviour extremely seriously We strive to ensure that the perpetrators of such crimes are brought to justice. The accounts and evidence she was able to provide were key to achieving this outcome.

"I hope the fact Dawidziuk is now serving times behind bars will provide a degree of closure and allow her to move on with her life."

Description

A dad-of-three falsely claimed to be a reverend while attempting to groom two schoolgirls online. Kevin Marshall, 45, of Hursley Road in Fazakerley, posted Facebook pictures of himself in a priest's collar and Moncler coat, befriended the teens via social media, booked hotel stays, and arranged meetups for coffee or drives.

Unbeknownst to him, he was ensnared in a paedophile hunter sting by Saving Children's Futures UK, using decoy profiles of 15-year-old girls on Facebook and WhatsApp. He made repeated attempts to meet one and specific arrangements with the other. Marshall was confronted at home by the group around 9:30pm on April 28, 2025, leading to his arrest. He told police, "honestly, I've done nothing wrong" and described matters as "both 'nasty and dangerous'."

With the first decoy, he asked when she turned 16, called her "hot," sent photos of motorcycles, cars, and his shoulder X-ray after a biking accident. He proposed a hotel stay, offered to travel to Glasgow to collect her, sent train times, booked a room for April 25, 2025, asked "what type of drunk she was," and said he would "make her comfortable on her first experience with a man."

For the second decoy, contacted in January 2025, he claimed "he had been a reverend but quit when his mother died," suggested "meeting up for coffee, a walk or a drive as friends, for a chat," called her "stunning and beautiful," admitted "naughty thoughts," offered to "pick her up in his Volvo" and "put a smile on her face." He also commented on family court as "pricks who think they know better" and arranged a Crosby coffee meet.

Marshall has 20 prior convictions for 51 offenses, including a five-year blackmail sentence in 2015. Defense lawyer Matthew O'Neill said: "He puts it down to the loss of his mother in January this year, which resulted in him misusing cocaine to the extent where he found himself communicating with what he believed to be 15-year-old girls online. He is disgusted in his behaviour and embarrassed, given the nature of his offending and the fact that he has three young children. Mr Marshall has spent the best part of two months in custody. He tells me that he is using his time constructively and reflecting on his actions to ensure that, when he is released from custody, he does not appear before the courts again."

At Liverpool Crown Court, Marshall pleaded guilty to two counts of attempted sexual communications with a child and two charges of arranging or facilitating a child sex offense. Appearing in a grey t-shirt, he wiped away tears during the hearing and was jailed for three years.

Judge Simon Medland KC said: "There were two supposed children involved under pseudonyms. They were both girls who were 15, or so you thought, yet you were prepared to go to considerable lengths to arrange sexual encounters in the most graphic ways. Under an imaginative disguise, you sought to groom them in a prolonged way. Children are entitled to their childhood. They are not there to be sexualised or seen as sexual objects by dirty minded, paedophile inclined adults. Yet that is what you were doing."

Marshall received a lifelong sexual harm prevention order and must sign the sex offenders' register indefinitely.

Description

A former aviation company director has been jailed for sexual offences against three children in Winchester.

Matthew Myatt, 57, abused two of the girls at Popham Airfield, where Myatt’s company was based, and engaged in sexual communication online with a third girl.

The abuse took place between 2016 and 2022, during which Myatt also coerced one of the girls into sending indecent images of herself to him in exchange for money.

The offences were reported to police in April 2022.

Following a police investigation, Myatt was charged with a number of offences, and pleaded guilty to the following:

• Sexual activity with a child
• Causing or inciting child prostitution or pornography
• Possession of indecent images of a child
• Sexual communication with a child
• Sexual assault

Appearing at Winchester Crown Court on 27 June, Myatt, of Cripstead Lane in Winchester, was jailed for four years and ordered to sign on the Sex Offenders’ Register indefinitely

He was also handed a restraining order, and a Sexual Harm Prevention Order with a number of prohibitions relating to his access to the internet and contact with children.