Latest Offenders

Description

A physiotherapist who carried out a sex attack on an elderly client at his clinic has been jailed. Richard Hughes, 54, assaulted his pensioner patient three times as she lay face down on a treatment table in Willaston.

Chester Crown Court the victim - who had made an appointment for help with her back problems - got up from the table and challenged Hughes before fleeing the scene. She then called 999 and reported Hughes to police.

Officers attended the clinic later that day last year and arrested Hughes on suspicion of sexual assault. Now the defendant, of Crewe Road, Willaston, has been jailed for 12 months. He had already pleased guilty to three charges of sexual assault.

Following the sentencing, Detective Sergeant Rob Bushell, of Crewe CID, said: “The victim was seeking treatment for her back problems and put her trust in Hughes to help but instead, she was subject to a terrifying ordeal.

“Hughes held no regard for how his actions would impact the victim and took advantage of her while she was in a vulnerable position, all for his own perverse sexual gratification.

“I hope that the sentence handed to Hughes provides some closure to the victim, who has shown an incredible amount of bravery throughout this investigation. I’d like to take the opportunity to encourage anyone who may have also been a victim of sexual assault to please get in touch.

“We continue to do all we can to tackle any incident of violence against women and take all reports of such crimes extremely seriously and will investigate thoroughly to ensure those responsible are brought to justice.”

In addition to his 12-month prison sentence, Hughes was also handed a lifetime restraining order and ordered to sign the Sex Offenders' Register for ten years.

Description

A CONVICTED sex offender has been jailed for a second time after being caught with an unapproved Facebook account.

Joshua De Banks, who was first convicted in 2019 for swapping sexually explicit messages with a teen boy, appeared at Oxford Crown Court on Tuesday (April 16) charged with three counts of breaching a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO).

It was discovered that the 25-year-old, who was released from a two-year prison term for similar breaches in January this year, had a second unapproved Facebook account and had altered a safety app installed on his phone by police.

The defendant, who was using an approved alias on Facebook called ‘Zack Fields’ after an application to amend his SHPO was approved in 2022, said he had made a second account as he was locked out of the first.

Sentencing De Banks to 16 months imprisonment, Judge Michael Gledhill said: “You got away pretty lightly on this occasion.

“If you carry on like this you will spend the rest of your life in prison. You’ve got to get your act together.”

De Banks, formerly of Field Avenue, Oxford, was first made subject to SHPO in 2019 after asking a 15-year-old boy to engage in sex acts.

The victim was ‘so traumatised’ he later took an overdose of paracetamol.

In May 2022, he received a two-year jail term for multiple breaches of the SHPO by using library computers and using a friend’s phone to access WhatsApp and his emails.

De Banks had also acquired a smartphone, which was eventually found beneath his oven, that he had not registered with police.

In September 2022, he applied to amend the SHPO so he could use an alias – Zack Fields – which the courts and police approved.

Upon his release in January, he was handed his phone back with the safety software installed.

However, within a few weeks, De Banks’s mother reported to police the second Facebook account.

The third breach was using his phone after the software had been altered.

Defending De Banks, now of Hughendon Road, High Wycombe, barrister Henry Dickson said upon his client’s release he was in Newcastle and homeless.

He returned to ‘alcohol abuse’ before the breaches occurred.

He said: “He accepts entirely that this is his responsibility.

“Whatever the circumstances, how sad or difficult they may be, he accepts he has failed to comply with the order.”

It was added that De Banks, who has been on suicide watch in prison, does not know how the safety software was altered.

Description

A paedophile carried out years of sexual abuse against a girl which began when she was just six years old. As a result of the abuse, she tried to take her own life on two occasions.

David Devlin, 45, of Ystrad Mynach, Caerphilly, took advantage of his victim and told her not to report his sexual deviancy or he would be sent to prison. The abuse culminated with the defendant forcing the victim to perform a sex act on him and sexually assaulting her.

A sentencing hearing at Newport Crown Court on Friday heard hundreds of texts passed between Devlin and his victim, which was described by prosecutors as being "more like boyfriend and girlfriend". Judge Matthew Porter-Bryant described the texts as "grooming" behaviour, which sought to normalise his sexual behaviour in the victim's mind.

The victim first told her family and school about the sexual abuse in 2022 and Devlin was arrested. A search of his home led to a laptop being seized which was found to contain an indecent image of a child. An image of bestiality was also discovered on the defendant's phone.

Devlin, of Station Road, denied the allegations but he was found guilty of six counts of sexual assault of a child, one count of assault by penetration of a child, two counts of causing/inciting a child to engage in sexual activity, possession of an indecent image and possession of an extreme image. The court heard he was of a previous good character.

In a victim personal statement read to the court by prosecutor Joshua Scouller, the victim said: "When I first told school and family about what was happening, I closed myself off from friends, family and the outside world. I wouldn't leave my room and go outside with friends. I wouldn't do normal things like eat or drink. I would stay in my room and not want to leave. I would get up in the night with nightmares and flashbacks...

"I am scared of people now, I know what people are capable of. I feel I am constantly depressed and have felt like this for the last two years. I feel numb and angry to the outside world and sad when I am alone. At times I haven't felt like getting out of bed, I don't go on my phone or fall asleep, I lie there thinking about everything that's happened with Dave and cry... One day I was really struggling with it all and I decided to kill myself." The victim said she took an overdose of tablets and later told a school counsellor what she had done, and was taken to hospital. She also attempted to take her own life on a second occasion, and harmed herself with knives and lighters.

In mitigation, it was said Devlin still maintains his innocence and claimed the victim was after compensation. As a result of his convictions he has lost his job and accepts he has "let people down". Sentencing, Judge Porter-Bryant said the defendant is a "high risk of serious harm to female children" and used "grooming and manipulation" to sexually abuse his victim.

Devlin was sentenced to eight years and six months imprisonment, with an extended licence period of two years and six months, after being found to be a dangerous offender. He will serve two thirds of the custodial sentence before he will be eligible for parole. The defendant was also made subject to sex offender notification requirements, and will be made subject to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order and a restraining order at a later hearing.

Description

A grandad was deemed too drunk to be sentenced after sexually assaulting a teenage girl on a train.

Raymond Beckett was so intoxicated that he fell over on the steps outside Liverpool Crown Court as he was due to learn his fate over the vile incident. He harassed the youngster as she made her way home from Liverpool city centre, touching her inappropriately before asking her: "Don't you like being touched?"

The same court heard yesterday that the 17-year-old victim had been waiting to board a train at Central Station with a friend at around 9pm when she noticed the convicted sex offender, who she said "made her feel uncomfortable" and "smelled very strongly of alcohol". Zahra Baqri, prosecuting, described how Beckett then walked behind the girls before approaching them.

The 64-year-old first spoke to the the teen's friend, who "began looking at her phone in an effort to discourage him from communicating with them". He reacted by asking the complainant: "What is wrong with her?"

Beckett, of Sharples Crescent in Crosby, went on to touch her right arm with his hand and added "be careful" while "looking directly at her breasts". She then zipped up her coat after being "made more uncomfortable" by his actions.

At this stage, a Merseyrail worker approached him and said: "So, are you back then?"

Security staff meanwhile "advised the young girls to go to the opposite end of the platform" and enter via a carriage towards the front of the train. But the defendant boarded the service and made his way into the same carriage and sat down next to them.

Beckett then touched her to the shoulder and rubbed her thigh. He went on to grab her hand "tightly" and kiss it, only letting go when she began to have a panic attack.

But her friend told her that her dad would be picking them up from Sandhills Station in a "rouse intended to get the defendant to move away from them". Beckett continued to touch the girl's shoulder however, and she told him: "Don't touch me, I don't like people touching me."

He replied "don't you like being touched?" before his "mood changed" and he began repeating: "I don't want to speak to you. F*** off."

Beckett also called the victim's friend a "p***k" and "tried to block them from the doors" when they got up to leave the train. As they got off, he took the other girl's water bottle and "threw it all over her hands".

He was subsequently identified via CCTV footage and in an identity parade. Under interview, Beckett "denied presence" and said he "didn't use the train that day", but "could not remember what he was doing".

The pervert added that he had spent six weeks in hospital shortly before the incident after suffering a brain injury which affected his memory. He conceded having had an "alcohol dependency", but said it "does not change his behaviour and merely makes him fall over".

Beckett's criminal record shows six previous convictions for six offences. This includes an entry for indecent assault of a female under 14 in 1996.

In a statement which was read out to the court on her behalf, the complainant said: "I had to throw away the clothes I wore that day. The thought of wearing them gave me shivers and reminded me of what happened.

"I get nightmares where I imagine him touching my thigh again. In these dreams, I can't escape and I wake up crying.

"When I go to Liverpool Central, I get a sinking feeling in my stomach when the train pulls up at the station. I feel constantly on edge and look around constantly."

Beckett was due to appear before the court for sentencing on Friday last week. However, he was seen lying down on the steps outside the court on Derby Square beforehand having apparently fallen over on his way into the building.

The defendant, wearing a black suit over a white shirt and black tie, then continued to stumble around as he was helped inside by a relative and security staff. The hearing could not ultimately proceed "due to the level of the defendant's intoxication", and Beckett was remanded into custody over the weekend.

Peter White, defending, told the court on Monday: "It appears that alcohol is the root of the problem here. Mr Beckett accepts that he has been a functioning alcoholic for a number of years.

"He has a bottle of brandy most days, on top of other alcohol. It would appear that, when he is not at that level of intoxication, he is able to avoid causing trouble.

"This gentleman describes his daily life as coming into the city centre, having a drink, watching the buskers and going home. Mr Beckett has had one other custodial sentence.

"It was almost 30 years ago. I think he has had one court appearance since for non-payment of a railway fare.

"He has been an alcoholic for a number of years, and he recognises that. The first 48 hours he has had sober in a long time has been this weekend."

Beckett admitted two counts of sexual assault. Wearing a grey prison issue tracksuit in the dock, he was jailed for nine months.

Sentencing, the Honorary Recorder of Liverpool Judge Andrew Menary KC said: "You plainly were significant affected by drink as you were most days, as you were addicted to alcohol. You approached her and her friend and began to pester them.

"In your drunken mind, this all seemed perfectly innocent - but she must have been terrified. She must have feared that she going to be the victim of a much more serious incident.

"You have a limited record of recently previous convictions. Your life is chaotic because of your problems and challenges with drink."

Beckett was also handed a five-year sexual harm prevention order. He will be required to sign the sex offenders' register for 10 years.

Description

A sex offender called a "danger to women" kidnapped his former partner at knifepoint and threatened to "shiv" her and her brother if she tried to escape.

Connor Owen, 30, entered into a relationship with Toni Roberts in April last year and in the early weeks everything seemed prosperous. However, Owen, who has significant mental health issues including schizophrenia, stopped taking his medication in late May despite both the Probation Service and his then partner urging him to continue his dosage.

Liverpool Crown Court heard today, Monday, April 15 that Ms Roberts, who has two children - aged seven and nine - from a previous relationship, decided the pair did not have a future together. However, Arthur Gibson, prosecuting, told the court Owen - a registered sex offender who previously had a relationship with a 14-year-old girl - was not prepared to accept it.

The court heard in early October 2023 he invited her around to his grandparents' home where he lived and grabbed her by the neck and forced a sobbing Ms Roberts into the garden by knifepoint. Ms Roberts only managed to escape the house and back to her own home via taxi when Owen's nan realised something was up.

Owen continued to bombard Ms Roberts with texts and calls which she continued to respond to in a hope of keeping the peace. However, matters came to a head on October 25 last year when Ms Roberts went to the cinema with her two children. She was dropped off at the cinema and then picked up and taken home by her brother Anthony Dennis.

Mr Gibson told the court that the two were outside the front of her house chatting and having a vape when a taxi pulled up. Ms Roberts recalled her brother saying "get back in the taxi lad" before the defendant emerged. She ran back into the house and locked the door while Mr Dennis spoke to the "irate" Owen.

Mr Dennis decided the best way to cool off the defendant was for his sister to speak to him to which she agreed. However, Mr Gibson said "this turned out to be a terrible mistake", with the defendant pulling out a knife, holding it to her back and forcing her to walk down the road away from her house.

Owen told the terrified mum-of-two to "shut up or I will shiv you". He added "by the time the police get here you will be dead". Mr Dennis called the police and followed after the pair in his car. After pulling up alongside the defendant and his sister, Ms Roberts managed to dive into the back seat of the car.

The defendant then ran around towards the open driver's window with the knife, but Mr Dennis managed to pull away, knocking Owen to the ground with his wing mirror. The brother and sister fled back to her house where they locked the door. The defendant ran back to the house and started kicking the front door. Perplexed neighbours came out to see the commotion, including one man who attempted to stop Owen from kicking the door.

He was forced to back off after Owen said "f*** off or stab you". Ms Roberts, Mr Dennis and her terrified children hunkered down inside the house until Owen fled the scene. He was arrested at his grandparents' address at around 9.15pm and told the police he would cooperate.

The knife was recovered and Owen was taken to Belle Vale custody suite where he answered no comment to police questions. Due to his previous sexual offences convictions - where he received a sentence of nine years plus four on extended licence - Owen was returned to prison. However, Mr Gibson said he continued to terrorise his former partner by sending her a letter on November 17 last year while he was behind bars.

In a victim impact statement read to the court by Mr Gibson, Ms Roberts said: "My life and my kids' lives could have been taken away in a blink of an eye...my life will never be the same." She added: "I have been looking over my shoulder in case he has come back to get us.

"I am scared of every Delta taxi that I see. I have had nightmares since, I can't sleep properly, relax or eat a meal. My family could have been three members down. My children say 'is the bad man coming back?' I am scared of the future and know he is capable of the worst."

The court heard Owen has a history of violence, including previous convictions for section 47 assault and assaulting a police officer. He also received a custodial sentence in February 2012 for possession of crack cocaine and heroin with intent to supply. However, he received a significant prison sentence on February 2014 for sexual assault and rape of a teenager. He received a further consecutive sentence while in prison in April 2017 for possession of a mobile phone.

Appearing before the court on November 24 last year, Owen entered guilty pleas to threatening with a weapon in a private place; assault occasioning actual bodily harm; kidnap; and two counts of threatening with an article with blade/point in a public place. In mitigation, Sarah Holt, defending, said: "Nothing I am about to say is intended to justify or diminish his acts.

"He apologises to Ms Roberts, regrets his behaviour and fully recognises how frightening this would have been for her." She added there was minimal physical harm, but accepted the "considerable" emotional and psychological harm that the victim would have experienced.

She added it was her submission that the kidnapping was at the lower end of the kidnapping cases that could be heard at crown court. Ms Holt told the court her client had a "damaged childhood which has impacted his adult life" and his best mitigation was his guilty pleas at the earliest opportunity.

In his sentencing remarks, His Honour Judge David Aubrey KC said in his view the offending must be viewed against a background of an abusive relationship after Ms Roberts made the decision to leave for the welfare of herself and her children. He told Owen that the "perceived rejection simmered in your mind and you were unable to accept the relationship was over".

He arrived at her house due to "jealousy and possessiveness", said Judge Aubrey, and Mr Dennis' attempts to calm the defendant by asking his sister to speak with him was like "a red rag to a bull". He said Ms Roberts' victim impact statement showed she and her children were "traumatised, shaking and crying" by the experience. He added the statement speaks of her "anxiety, stress and alarm" about living in constant fear.

Judge Aubrey told Owen that he recognised he suffered from anxiety, unstable personality disorder and schizophrenia and accepted a doctor's recommendation that he was "labouring under the symptoms of his illnesses". He said if Owen had continued to take his medication "it may be a small part of your culpability would have been reduced". However, he added Owen was "determined not to take his medication", despite medical advice and pleas from Ms Roberts.

The judge said: "You are a possessive and jealous man. In 2014 you were found to be dangerous to women, You remain to be dangerous to women and are a significant risk to members of the public." Owen, of Ermine Crescent, Everton, was sentenced to six years, eight months and an extended licence of four years, four months.

Owen, who wore a grey Berghaus top and sported black hair and beard, also received an indefinite restraining order not to contact Ms Roberts in any way.

Description

A fish restaurant manager sent a series of "disgusting and repugnant" pictures and videos to a fake 12-year-old girl after they exchanged intimate and explicit messages on social media platforms Kick and Snapchat.

Mark Collinson used the false name "Fandango" and he jokingly admitted to the decoy girl that he was a "bad man" for talking to her and that he "could get in loads of trouble" for it. He asked her to keep quiet about their X-rated conversations because it was "our secret" and he later sent her a message with a Valentine's Day heart on it, Hull Crown Court heard.

Collinson, 41, of North Cave, admitted attempting to cause a child to watch sexual activity during communication between January 25 and February 22, 2022.

Annabelle Coakley, prosecuting, said that Collinson used the false name "Fandango" and he sent a message on the Kick social media site to an undercover decoy, who was posing as a 12-year-old girl. She accepted Collinson's invitation to chat and he also added her on Snapchat.

They began communicating and Collinson sent a number of explicit images of himself, including committing a sex act. "The communication from the defendant was sexual in nature," said Miss Coakley.

The fake girl told Collinson that she was aged 12 and he laughingly replied: "12?!!" before making references to watching pornography and asked her explicit questions. On a couple of occasions, he asked the girl if she was still in school.

He sent a revealing video of himself and asked her if he should "lose" the boxer shorts that he was wearing. He sent a video of himself committing a sex act. "You need a spanking," he said.

Collinson sent intimate images of himself and he told the decoy girl that she was as "cute as f***". He told her: "I'm a bad man for talking to you lol. Could get in loads of trouble. It's our secret."

Collinson sent a further explicit video of himself, filmed while he was watching pornography. He later sent further images of himself and explicit messages. He asked her a picture and asked her what underwear she had on.

On February 14, 2022, Collinson sent her an image of a heart and the message "Happy Valentine's Day". The conversations continued until February 22, 2022. He was arrested on May 7 of that year at his home.

He claimed during police interview that he believed that the decoy was an adult and that he had done nothing wrong. He had no previous convictions.

Ben Hammersley, mitigating, said that Collinson had shown regret and shame and he had difficulty expressing what had happened. He pleaded guilty, acted out of character and struggled to accept what he had done.

"There has been no police involvement in the two-and-a-half years since then," said Mr Hammersley. "He is quite rightly disgusted by his behaviour.

"There is no other word for it. It's disgusting and repugnant." Collinson had worked all his life and he was a restaurant manager in Hull.

Recorder Paul Reid told Collinson: "For some time, you have an unnatural and unlawful sexual interest in children. Kick is well known to be used by children as a social media platform.

"The decoy was posing as a 12-year-old. You invited her to chat and you did so over a period of about a month. This was both on Kick and Snapchat. You went on in the conversation to talk about pornography and sex."

Collinson was given a 14-month suspended prison sentence, 100 hours' unpaid work and 30 days' rehabilitation. He was given a 10-year sexual harm prevention order and he must register as a sex offender for 10 years. He was ordered to pay £425 costs.

Description

A former Shetland primary school teacher has been jailed for 30 months after molesting six of his pupils in their classroom more than a decade ago.

Stephen Tait was also added to the sex offenders register for life following a trial that convicted the 41-year-old of six charges of lewd, indecent and libidinous behaviour.

Today, Sheriff Ian Wallace described his offending at Bell’s Brae Primary School in Lerwick as “ongoing, planned behaviour against children”.

He told the serial sex offender: “It was made more serious in that it was committed by you, a teacher, against young children who were in your care.

“It was a serious breach of trust and the seriousness of it and the potential harm caused would have been obvious to you.

“The evidence against you was clear and compelling and the jury returned a unanimous verdict of guilty.”

‘Actions like yours also harm the teaching profession’

Sheriff Wallace found Tait’s victims, who gave evidence against him, “to be admirably robust” and who have managed to “continue with their lives”.

“Their responses to your offending during evidence was measures,” he said, adding: “Nevertheless, your actions will continue to have an impact on them.”

Sheriff Wallace continued: “Actions like yours also harm the teaching profession and offending like yours impacts those who work in that profession, children who attend school and parents who send their children to school.

“I’m satisfied that a custodial sentence is appropriate.”

Sheriff Wallace sentenced Tait, of St Albans Road, Lytham, St Annes, to 30 months imprisonment and placed him on the sex offenders register for life.

Description

A convicted terrorist who made a chemical weapon has appeared back in court for failing to comply with a notification order, drugs offences and possessing "disturbing" child abuse images.

Ian Davison - who also goes by Ian Deleney - was caged for 44 months after pleading guilty to the following offences in 2023:

• Five counts of failing to comply with requirements under his 10-year Part 4 Notification order, contrary to the Counter Terrorism Act 2008
• Produce a Class B drug (Cannabis), contrary to the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971
• Possess with intent to supply a Class B drug (Cannabis), contrary to the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971

As part of a separate investigation led by Cleveland Police, the 55-year-old was also convicted of three counts of indecent images of children, contrary to the Protection of Children Act 1978, and one count of possession of prohibited images of a child, contrary to the Coroners and Justice Act 2009. The Longhirst, Middlesbrough defendant is now a registered sex offender and will be subject to a 10-Year Sexual Harm Prevention Order.

In May 2010, Davison was sentenced to 10 years imprisonment for producing a chemical weapon, preparing acts of terrorism, three counts of possessing material useful to commit acts of terror and one count of possessing a prohibited weapon. When arrested in 2009, searches at his home address found he had manufactured Ricin, which was found in a jar in his kitchen.

Detective Constable Dave Medd from the Paedophile Online Investigation Team (POLIT) at Cleveland Police said: “This was one of the worst cases I have dealt with due to the disturbing nature of the images. The victims in these images suffer horrendous ordeals, and as a force we’re committed to doing everything possible to bring those who access such images to justice.”

Head of Counter Terrorism Policing North East, Detective Chief Superintendent James Dunkerley said: “Those subject to notification orders are strictly monitored, and breaches of any kind are taken extremely seriously and will be prosecuted. We continue to work tirelessly alongside our partners to identify any further offending and ensure that individuals are brought to justice.”

Description

A sex offender was warned he is a "marked man" after breaching a court order aimed at controlling his deviant behaviour on Valentine's Day.

Paul Carmon was made subject to a community order for an attempted child sex offence in 2018. As a result of that he was made subject to sex offender registration with one of the requirements being he was not to use pseudonyms.

But on February 14 this year, he used the names Paul Nook and Paul Smith while talking online to what appeared to be a 12-year-old girl but was actually a decoy profile being run by a law enforcement officer. The conversation took place on Chat Avenue and Snapchat.

Carmon, 43, of Wynyard Drive, Bedlington, Northumberland, pleaded guilty to failing to comply with notification requirements by using the aliases but there was no suggestion he had communicated sexually with the profile. Recorder Tony Hawks, at Newcastle Crown Court, said: "He is doing his best to get locked up."

The judge sentenced him to six months suspended for two years with rehabilitation and he must sign the sex offenders register for seven years. Recorder Hawks told him: "You have a serious problem. Unless you address it, it's going to end up with you going to prison, do you understand?

"I've read a report about you that says you did well on your community order but the fundamental purpose of that order was to stop you trying to communicate with underage girls. You have done it again.

"You are a marked man Mr Carmon, do you understand that? You are not going to get away with doing it so you are going to have to sit down with the professionals and work out some strategy to stop doing this, unless you want to go to prison.

"I'm not going to tell you how to live your life but the next time this happens it's bound to be immediate custody."

Vic Laffey, defending, said: "He is an intelligent man and has acted a bit recklessly."

Description

A man has been sentenced to almost four years in jail after CAIT detectives were able to link him to the sexual assault of a young girl in Harlow.

Officers were alerted to an incident on Wednesday 15 June 2022 at Oakwood Pond.

During the incident, a teenage girl was approached by a man shortly before 4.20pm and sexually assaulted her.

Thankfully, she was able to get away and seek help.

We then launched an investigation into the incident and used the description given to us by the victim in order to locate Luis Palma.

His distinctive clothing, a blue t-shirt, blue denim shorts and Vans-style trainers, allowed us to identify him using CCTV. His description and images of him were then circulated amongst officers who were patrolling across Harlow.

On Friday 17 June, officers passed a man who was holding a Nike bag which appeared to be similar to one being carried by the man in the CCTV footage. He was then followed and paused to look back at officers before walking into two waiting officers ahead of him.

He was then arrested and during a search of his home, each of the distinctive items of clothing were all found.

As the investigation progressed, officers also uncovered sexually explicit messages on Instagram between Palma and a 14-year-old girl. Throughout the messages, the girl had made it clear that she was aged 14 but Palma pursued the conversation.

Palma, 31, of Fold Croft, Harlow, was subsequently charged with sexual assault and sexually communicating with a 14-year-old girl between April 2022 and June 2022.

Palma appeared at Chelmsford Crown Court in February and admitted both charges.

He was sentenced at the same court on Wednesday 10 April to 44 months in jail. He will remain on the sex offender’s register for life and will be deported at the end of his sentence.

Officers were also successful in applying for a sexual harm prevention order and he has been banned from entering Harlow indefinitely.

Description

An evil sex abuser made his child victim so fearful she even dreaded her beloved dad tucking her into bed at night. William Stuart James, now 86, first attacked his victim when she was under 10 years old and ignored her pleas begging him to stop.

James, of Waun y Felin, Penclawdd, Swansea, repeatedly assaulted his victim during a period of time in the 1970s. His abuse included digital penetration, kissing and touching parts of her body until she felt pain. He also forced her to touch his penis.

A second campaign of abuse happened in the 1980s when the victim was a young teenager. By this point, James' actions escalated to rape. He also forced her to touch his body and masturbate him.

After evading justice for more than four decades while his victim lived, silenced by fear, James was found guilty on March 22 at Cardiff Crown Court following a trial. He faced eight counts of indecent assault and one of rape before being sentenced to 14 years in prison.

In a powerful victim impact statement read out to the court, his victim - who has automatic lifelong anonymity - described how James' actions permeated every part of her life and even made her fear the people she loved.

Now in her 50s, she told the court: "You put me in impossible situations where I had to endure things that made me feel broken, dirty and deeply distressed. From the first incident I felt terrified of you and increasingly of all men, even my precious dad as he tucked me into bed. You robbed me of growing into a person who trusts men and can eventually have a normal sexual relationship.

"I cannot do certain intimate things and have anxiety in the middle of them and at times even kissing puts me straight back into the past. Because of what you did I struggled to breastfeed my precious babies and having simple things like a bath cause me anxiety as I want to cover up as quick as possible."

She explained how she had always struggled with understanding her identity as a direct result of James' actions and resented parts of her own body. "[I] have always felt immense guilt and thought something was wrong with my body and it always felt dirty. I grew up believing my body was ugly and deformed," she said.

Despite being a "naturally happy" person, she described how James' actions caused her intense anxiety and fear throughout her life. She tried to speak out about what happened, but said the fear would stop her in her tracks. She added: "Your insistence of me promising never to tell anyone caused me immense pressure and silent worry. I felt forced to act in a certain way in front of everyone and not show anything was wrong. I carried the heaviest burden whilst you lived your successful life.

"My life has been far from successful, after what you did to me, my ability to learn was ruined as I couldnt ask for help or explain myself at all as I was full of nerves. I never caught up or felt I achieved in education. I was robbed of my confidence and voice and have always struggled to say what my needs are and ask for help

"Even my school reports said I was a nervous and anxious child. I felt totally alone at school and growing up was made worse after Id gone through puberty and another dreadful time where Id endured repeats and escalations of sexual abuse by you.

"I felt manipulated and whilst you insisted everything was ok and just as it should be, my inability to understand what was happening to me made me feel worthless. The things you whispered in my ears play over and over again when I least expect them, and flashbacks of the incidents have plagued my mind til this day. I have struggled to regulate my feelings and often turned to alcohol and struggled with eating problems

"I find it hard to express myself at times and often feel insecure and misunderstood. Naturally I am a happy, friendly person, but the silent pain that I as a young child began to carry has overshadowed all of my life to this day. For many years it felt like a little person inside was crying out please help me but I could never speak that out."

Addressing James, she said: "Can you for one minute think about what it was like for me to be forced to do sexual stuff with you and then walk out of those rooms and immediately act as if everything was okay. The immensity of anxiety to try to hide what had just happened in those rooms was deeply distressing. Equally, the desperation to tell someone was soul destroying as I knew I couldnt."

She asked him if he had "any idea how gut wrenching my cries were" for her mummy and daddy to take her away from him. "No-one heard and no-one helped me or comforted me. You were solely responsible for all of that."

She thanked friends and family for supporting her and giving her the courage to report James' crimes to the police in 2021. She said: "I have tried throughout the years to talk about what happened and to get help but Ive found this difficult. It is through friends and family that I've had the strength to talk to the police now. I have felt guilt over this as I never wanted to hurt anyone, but I decided that this deep pain must come to an end and speaking the truth out loud will help me finally start to heal."

Concluding her statement, she told the court how James had said "sorry" twice during phone calls, but never showed "any remorse or acknowledgement of the pain he made [her] endure".

She added: "You have always spoken with convincing words and it has been said many times what a good man you are. You convinced everyone around you to believe it. But now, finally, the truth of your total lack of morality, self-discipline and real love is evident for all who are here to see. Everything in your life has always come down to you having your own way and your sexual appetite being gratified. The boundaries that stop normal people crossing, you cross with ease."

Description

A man has been jailed after kidnapping and attempting to rape a woman in a van in North London. Tyrone Allert, 37, has been described by police as a 'violent predator'.

The Met was called at around 11.40am on Sunday (July 24) to reports of a man standing at the back of a white van in Marsh Lane, Haringey, with his jeans pulled down and sounds of a woman from inside the van shouting ‘help me’. Another call to police reported that the same vehicle, driven by Allert, had collided with six vehicles at Warwick Road, N11, and had been driven at a man who narrowly escaped injury.

Multiple police units were notified and an ANPR tracker was placed on the vehicle. The victim was then located at an East London hospital. She had suffered multiple injuries consistent with beating, police found. Thankfully, they weren't life-threatening.

Allert was arrested at his home address that same day on suspicion of kidnap and assault, and taken into custody on July 26. He was charged with attempted GBH with intent, assault ABH, attempted rape, rape, kidnap, racially aggravated harassment, assault of an emergency worker, possession of an offensive weapon (a knife) and dangerous driving.

The court heard how on July 24, 2022, the 28-year-old female victim had been drinking with friends and at some point had been picked up by Allert, who, seeing that she was intoxicated, had given her more alcohol and driven around with her in the back of his van. He then repeatedly pulled over trying to have sex with the victim, attempting to 'beat her into submission'.

When he was taken into custody Allert racially abused an officer before eventually assaulting him and causing injuries that required hospital treatment. The officer has since made a full recovery, the Met says.

Victim 'clearly heard to say that she didn’t want to have sex'

Allert claimed that the victim had consented to getting into the van and to having sex with him. But, when his mobile phone was examined, officers found clips of himself verbally abusing and assaulting the victim.

The victim in the footage was clearly heard to say that she didn’t want to have sex and at one point she said ‘this is rape’. The footage also showed her attempting to escape from the van, but Allert continually pushed her back inside.

Allert appeared at Snaresbrook Crown Court on Tuesday (April 9) where he was sentenced to 12 years in prison. This would be followed by five years on extended licence for the false imprisonment and attempted rape of a woman.

He was previously convicted at the same court following trial on November 14, 2023, where he had pleaded guilty to assault (ABH), racially aggravated harassment, assault on an emergency worker, possession of an offensive weapon and dangerous driving.

Detective Constable Iain McDonald, investigating, said: “The victim-survivor in this case has been incredibly brave. Realising the danger she was in she fought tirelessly to escape Tyrone Allert who is a violent predator.”

He added: “We are dedicated to protecting women and girls, eradicating sexual violence caused largely at the hands of predatory men such as Allert, and to supporting those who are impacted by sexual assault and/or rape. The effects of sexual offences can be long lasting, but I sincerely hope that the victim can move forward with her life leaving Allert and his despicable actions behind her.”

Description

A "sneaky" sexual "predator" set up a hidden camera to film women inside a toilet cubicle.

The "obnoxious" and "distasteful" filming was discovered when a woman discovered to her horror and shock that there was a camera hidden inside a bin. Thomas Day, 25, of Grafton Street, Hull, admitted voyeurism involving three women and other offences of making indecent images of children.

"It caused her to panic," said Miss Stuart-Lofthouse. Police were alerted and CCTV showed that it was Day who had put the camera there.

Day was arrested. Two other women who had been filmed were also identified. There were also images of "upskirting" of one of them. During police interview, he made no comment to questions.

The woman who discovered the camera later said that she regarded Day as a "predator" because of what he had done and what he could potentially do to others. "What he did to me really hurt and has changed the way I view things and people," she said.

"My sleep has been affected and I wake up. I dream of cameras being on my walls. I should not have been made to experience this. Anyone should feel safe using the toilet and should not have to look out for cameras."

Another of the women said that she felt "violated" by what happened and it had left her "anxious and paranoid" about possible cameras in public buildings. She felt "uncomfortable" and "very angry" about what Day had done and it had affected her day-to-day behaviour.

"I am now constantly looking out for cameras, regardless of where I am," she said. She felt as if she was being watched in toilets "despite this being unlikely".

The third woman said that the filming made her feel "so angry and anxious" and it made her "shake from the inside" because she felt that her private space had been invaded. She was shocked and found the behaviour disgusting and hurtful," said Miss Stuart-Lofthouse.

Day's electronic devices were searched and 935 images of children in the most serious Category A were found, as well as 987 in Category B and 12,789 in Category C. There were 471 prohibited images of children and three extreme pornography images. The images had been downloaded over a number of years.

Nigel Clive, mitigating, said of the voyeurism: "This is reprehensible, sneaky behaviour. This offending is indicative of a man with extremely damaged thought processes. The defendant would wish to apologise to the victims of his offending."

Day had "poor emotional regulation" of his sexual needs and he had been very open about his motivation for his "terrible" behaviour. "He knows what he has done and it's worthy of prison," said Mr Clive.

It was a "sexually predatory course of conduct" and Day's sexual preoccupation showed "distorted thinking" over the "distasteful" offences. "There has been no offending since," added Mr Clive. Day had no previous convictions.

Recorder Paul Reid told Day: "You have led a solitary existence, which you have misspent over a number of years." Of the women who were secretly filmed, the recorder said: "What they are left with is a feeling of complete insecurity because nobody expects this sort of thing to happen to them in a private place and, rightly, they don't expect this because they are entitled to assume that a private place like this is private and they are not going to be looked at like this by anyone.

"They have been very badly affected by this. You didn't at any stage attempt to minimise what you did." Day had later "given thought" to his "obnoxious activity" and had sought help. The images of children that were found were "appalling".

Day was given a 22-month suspended prison sentence, 100 hours' unpaid work, a 90-day sex offenders' treatment programme and 20 days' rehabilitation. He was ordered to pay 750 compensation 250 to each woman and he was given a 10-year sexual harm prevention order. He will have to register as a sex offender for 10 years.

Description

A Blairgowrie man who induced a 14-year-old schoolgirl to perform a sex act on him has been sentenced.

Jamie Stewart, 31, admitted a campaign of sexual misconduct towards the girl, starting almost seven years ago.

He admitted sending explicit photos and videos to the girl.

Only after she gave evidence to a jury did he accept he engaged in physical sexual activity with her as well.

His victim cannot be named for legal reasons.

At Perth Sheriff Court, Stewart was told his offending was “terrible” by a sentencing sheriff.

Abuse

Stewart, of Heather Drive in Blairgowrie, admitted communicating indecently with the girl between October 2017 and December 2018, while she was 14 and 15 years old.

Through text and social media messages, Stewart engaged in sexualised conversation.

He sent her sexual photographs and videos of himself and asked that she send him sexual images and clips.

Stewart admitted this was for sexual gratification, or to humiliate, alarm or distress his victim.

After the girl had given evidence before a jury, he also admitted an amended charge of engaging in sexual activity with her in February 2018, when she was 15.

At a property in Blairgowrie, he kissed her on the lips, touched her breasts and buttocks, induced her to perform a sex act on him and performed a sex act on her.

He also placed a sex toy on the girl’s private parts.

At the time of the sexual contact, Stewart was aged 25.

‘Remorse’

Defence solicitor Steve Lafferty said his “high-functioning autistic” client is employed and a first offender.

“He’s always effectively accepted charge one (indecent communication).

“It’s a situation where he had described a degree of remorse.

“It’s a significant offence he’s committed.

“The report reflects a man who would comply fully with community-based disposals.

“He tells me he was initially resistant to this young woman being in his property.

“That’s not the case on the second occasion.

“It’s his fault, he accepts that.”

Finely balanced position

Sheriff Jennifer Bain KC imposed a direct alternative to imprisonment on Stewart.

She said: “This is a terrible offence where you, 10 years senior to the child, met her though a position of trust.

“I note that you feel regret and you verbalise some appreciation of the impact on the victim.

“You are assessed as medium risk.

“I note that you don’t meet the criteria for specialist intervention and this is a first offence.

“I note that you have certain mental health difficulties, in particular autism.

“This case is finely balanced.”

The sheriff imposed 300 hours of unpaid work, to be completed in a year as a direct alternative to prison.

Stewart was told his discount for pleading guilty was that he was not being jailed.

She placed Stewart under supervision for two years and on the Sex Offenders Register for as long.

The sheriff also imposed strict conduct requirements relating to child contact, contact with the victim, social media use and declaration of friendships and relationships.

Description

A paedophile found in possession of cocaine tried to hide a mobile phone from police who attended his address in Crawley.

Jonathan Price downloaded multiple indecent images onto his phones.

He was initially arrested, and strict bail conditions were imposed so digital forensic work could be completed. But while on bail he continued to download and distribute sexual images of children.

The 35-year-old also downloaded extreme pornographic images. When officers went to arrest him again for new offences, he tried to hide a mobile phone and resisted arrest.

At interview he claimed that the phones belonged to friends, despite evidence which showed his direct use of the devices.

Police were able to also show how he had attempted to engage in sexual communication with children online.

Price, formerly a motor mechanic of an address in the Tilgate area of Crawley, eventually pleaded guilty to all 16 offences and at Lewes Crown Court on March 28 he was sentenced to four and half years in prison.

The court was told how Price was first arrested in December 2022, and found to be in possession of indecent images of children, extreme pornography, and cocaine.

While on bail for those offences, officers received further information that he was continuing to view and distribute paedophilic images of children.

So Price was arrested again in August 2023 and remanded to prison pending court proceedings.

Investigating officer Detective Constable Sophie Alderson said: “Price was initially arrested and strict bail conditions were imposed while digital forensic work was undertaken.

"But he continued to possess and download appalling images of child sexual abuse. When officers arrested him on the second occasion, he was found intoxicated on cocaine and he fought to prevent officers from seizing his new mobile phone.

"In his interviews, he concocted bizarre claims about the devices that he was clearly using. He blamed fictitious acquaintances and claimed he was being threatened to hold onto devices for other paedophiles.

"Our evidence showed he had downloaded indecent images and also showed his personal use of the phones, which included having his personal contacts saved as well as having access to his own personal accounts.

"Possession of and downloading indecent images causes huge harm to those shown in the images and downloading them continues the appalling trade in these indecent images. This case shows we are determined to prevent these offences and to stop offenders from causing further harm to children.”

In total, Price was convicted of six counts of distributing indecent images of a children of all categories, two counts of possession of extreme pornographic images depicting sex with animals, three counts of making indecent images of children, three counts of attempting to communicate with children under the age of 16 for sexual gratification, and two counts of possession of cocaine.

The Sexual Harm Prevention Order forbids Price from owning electronic devices, mobile phones and computer devices without police permission. He is not allowed to have a social media account except in his own name and with prior police permission, and he is not allowed to use social media apps which use live streaming. Any computer equipment must have monitoring software installed and passwords and usernames must be given to the police before he can access them.

The order also requires him to inform parents and guardians of children before he is allowed to be in contact with them. He is now also a registered sex offender.