Latest Offenders

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Jordan Gouldmartin (28/11/1994) of Ludlow Drive, Leigh, was found guilty by a jury of sexual assault of a boy under the age of 13.

Following the verdict yesterday (Thursday 8 January 2026) Gouldmartin was sentenced to five years imprisonment at Manchester Crown Square Court.

On release, Gouldmartin will be subject to a five-year licence period. The court also imposed a 10-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order and a lifetime restraining order to protect the victim.

Detective Constable Jennifer Bradley said:

“We welcome the sentence handed down at Crown Court. This outcome reflects the gravity of the offence and the importance of safeguarding vulnerable members of our community.

“I want to personally thank the young victim for their courage in coming forward and reporting this horrific incident to the police.

“Their strength has been instrumental in securing justice and ensuring protections are now in place to prevent further harm.”

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A man has been jailed after admitting rape, assault with intent to commit a sexual offence, false imprisonment and controlling and coercive behaviour.

In March 2025, Paul Devaney, aged 42, of no fixed abode, committed a catalogue of offences against the same woman which included punching her in the face and pinning her to a sofa in an address in Stockton, using his knee to restrict her breathing.

The woman was raped by Devaney and video evidence of this was found on a mobile phone.

Devaney was arrested and later charged after detectives worked diligently in their investigation.

He pleaded guilty at court to committing an offence with the intention of committing a relevant sexual offence, rape, controlling and coercive behaviour and false imprisonment.

At Teesside Crown Court today, Friday 9th January 2026, Devaney was sentenced to life imprisonment with a recommendation to serve a minimum of eight years in prison, and he was given a lifetime restraining order.

Investigating officer, Detective Constable Jess Mangham, said:

“I am satisfied with the sentence today. I would like to take this opportunity to thank the victim in this case who has shown bravery and courage despite the significant impact this incident has had on her life. Devaney will now spend a significant period behind bars, preventing him from harming others.”

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Wilson, 49, of Garth Farm Road, Winlaton, Gateshead, denied two charges of rape but was convicted by a jury after a trial.

Mr Recorder Mark Giuliani told him: "You didn't take no for an answer. You decided your desires and your needs were more important than her wishes.

"She was making it clear she wanted you to stop. You didn't.

"She was saying 'no, don't, stop' and you ignored her wishes because you wanted to satisfy your own carnal desire and didn't give a care about her wishes."

Recorder Giuliani described the victim's impact statement as "chilling," noting she felt "so dirty she couldn't even touch her own skin" to clean herself afterwards.

He added: "She describes she was subjected to a violent sexual assault by you which has left her traumatised, scared and has greatly affected her life.

"Afterwards she felt ashamed and dirty, at one point washing herself with Dettol to feel clean again."

The court heard Wilson has a record for violence.

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A man who abused multiple children has been jailed for six years.

Adam McLaughlan, 34, of Penkridge, was sentenced at Stafford Crown Court on Tuesday (6 January) after he was previously found guilty of 14 counts of sexual assault of a girl.

The abuse happened over a number of years in Staffordshire before the survivors bravely came forward and told us about what happened.

Officers from our public protection unit (PPU) worked tirelessly to support the survivors and to build the evidence needed to secure a significant number of charges against McLaughlan.

At an earlier court hearing, he denied all of the charges put to him. But, because of the strength of our investigation and the bravery of the survivors, the jury deemed him guilty on 14 counts.

As part of his sentencing, McLaughlan was also served with an indefinite Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO), placed on the Sex Offenders Register and served with a restraining order against the survivors.

Detective Constable Patrick Hipwell, from our public protection unit (PPU), said:

“I’m pleased that we’ve been able to deliver this outcome for the survivors in this case, who have each shown tremendous courage in coming forward and telling us about what happened.

“I want survivors to know that, no matter how recent or long ago offences may have taken place, we will always work relentlessly to delivery justice and to support you thoroughly throughout this process.”

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A man who raped and sexually assaulted a girl in Newcastle-under-Lyme has been jailed for more than 14 years.

Henry Saklatvala, 38, of Newcastle-under-Lyme, was sentenced to 14-years-and-three-months behind bars at Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court on Thursday (8 January) after he admitted two counts of the rape of a girl, two counts of sexual assault on a girl and one count of attempting to rape a girl.

In July last year, we started investigating Saklatvala after the survivor came forward and told someone about the offences.

We worked hard to support her and to gather all of the evidence needed to secure a number of charges against Saklatvala.

Because of the survivor’s bravery, and the strength of our investigation, Saklatvala admitted the offences at an earlier hearing and is now behind bars for a long time.

As part of his sentencing, Saklatvala was served with an indefinite Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) and given an indefinite restraining order against the survivor.

Detective Constable Mylene Bepole, from our child protection team, said: “I’m pleased that we’ve been able to deliver this outcome for the survivor in this case, who has shown immeasurable bravery in coming forward.

“No matter how recent or long ago offences may have been, we want to deliver these types of outcomes for survivors across Staffordshire. That starts with coming forward and speaking to specialist officers in confidence.”

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A man who raped and sexually assaulted a woman in Cannock has been jailed for 15 years.

Anthony Lomas, 59, of West Chadsmoor, was found guilty of two counts of rape of a woman and four counts of sexual assault of a woman and was sentenced at Derbyshire Crown Court on Monday (5 January).

In 2021, the survivor bravely came forward and told us about the abuse, resulting in Lomas’ arrest.

Officers from our rape and serious sexual offences unit (RASSO) worked tirelessly to support the survivor throughout the investigation and to build all of the evidence against Lomas.

Now, he’s been sentenced to more than a decade behind bars, has been put on the Sex Offenders Register for life and has been served with a restraining order, stopping him from contacting the survivor.

Detective Constable Jason Mactaggart, from RASSO, said:

“Lomas inflicted a campaign of abuse on the survivor in this case and has been rightfully punished for his crimes.

“We’re determined to support survivors as much as possible throughout the criminal justice process and to deliver these types of outcomes for them.”

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A man who was found to have possessed more than 900 indecent images of children and committed multiple breaches of his sexual harm prevention order has been jailed for two years and eight months.

Jay Hamilton, aged 42, of Lowther Street, Carlisle, was sentenced today (9 January) at Carlisle Crown Court for three counts of making indecent images, three breaches of a sexual harm prevention order and failing to comply with sex offender notification requirements.

Hamilton’s offending was uncovered when officers from the force’s MOSOVO (Management of Sexual Offenders and Violent Offenders) team carried out a proactive visit to ensure he was complying with the conditions of the court orders.

Officers visited Hamilton on 27 November and found several internet-enabled devices which he attempted to withhold from officers when they conducted their enquiries.

Following a review of a phone found, officers uncovered a series of online usernames Hamilton was using on social media and online dating sites – which he had not notified offender managers of and therefore failed to comply with sex offender notification requirements.

A full forensic examination of one of the phones recovered found 934 indecent images of children, with 397 of them being assessed to be Category A images – images which depict the most serious abuse of children.

Detective Constable Jess Myers, of the Cumberland MOSOVO team, said:

“Making indecent images of children is a serious offence and our team are committed to rooting out individuals like Hamilton for their abhorrent behaviour.

“When interviewed and presented with the facts, Hamilton accepted that he knew he had breached his sexual harm prevention order and failed to comply with his sex offender notification requirements.

“MOSOVO officers play a vital role in safeguarding communities by rigorously managing registered sex offenders, ensuring compliance with legal requirements, and holding individuals such as Hamilton accountable for their actions.”

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A man has been sentenced to six years in prison for the serious sexual assault of a woman in Aberdeen.

Caitano Azavedo, 40, attacked the woman in the King Street and Linksfield Road areas of the city on Sunday, 22 October, 2023.

He appeared at the High Court in Glasgow for sentencing on Friday, 9 January, 2026, after previously being found guilty at the High Court in Edinburgh on Tuesday, 2 December, 2025.

Detective Inspector Mark Lambley said:

“Azavedo is a sexual predator who now faces the consequences of his depraved actions. This was a horrifying attack on a young woman, and I hope this sentence brings her some sense of closure. 

“I would urge anyone who has been a victim of physical or sexual abuse to report it to us, regardless of when it happened. All reports are thoroughly investigated, and we have specially trained officers and partner agencies who will support you throughout."

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A man who sent explicit messages to three people he wrongly believed to be underage girls has been jailed.

Phillip Smith, aged 52, asked for explicit pictures after messaging three ‘girls’ on Facebook.

Unbeknown to Smith, however, the ‘girls’ – who told him they were aged 13, 14 and 14 – were actually members of an online child safety group, which later shared its evidence with the police.

Smith, of Dennis Avenue, Beeston, was confronted by the group in Beeston (pictured above left) and asked why he was sending sexualised messages to young girls.

Nottingham Crown Court heard he was already subject to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order having committed similar sexual offences in the past.

At his sentencing on Wednesday (7 January), Smith was jailed for two-and-a-half years after admitting attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child and breaching a Sexual Harm Prevention Order.

Detective Sergeant Elizabeth Gray, of Nottinghamshire Police’s public protection team said:

“Smith committed serious sexual offences with people he believed to be only 13 or 14 years old. Thankfully this was not the case and no children were harmed by his actions.

“But he knew perfectly well that what he was doing was wrong and he has rightly been punished.

“Although online activist groups work at their own discretion, Nottinghamshire Police will continue to respond to information provided by members of the public and that will not change.”

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A rapist will be deported after serving part of his sentence in the UK. Jose Sibi, 46, appeared via video link from Holme House prison at Teesside Crown Court, where he was sentenced after admitting one charge of rape and two of attempted rape.

The offences occurred on Teesside years ago, the court heard. Prosecutor Paul Newcombe said Sibi, of no fixed abode, had previous good character.

In her victim impact statement, the woman said: "I used to enjoy reading, but I can't concentrate because bad thoughts of you enter my head. I can't sleep at night. Every day I live in fear. I am determined to come out of this as a strong person and put this behind me."

Judge Anthony Hawks noted Sibi's mitigation included a drinking problem and a guilty plea, though late. He added: "Pleas of guilty at any stage are to be encouraged."

The judge also considered that Sibi, who moved from India to the UK, would be deported.

Sibi received a total six-year sentence, lifetime placement on the sex offenders register, and a restraining order barring contact with the victim.

Judge Hawks said: "At the two thirds stage, if not before, you will be automatically deported."

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A man has been handed a 12-year prison sentence after admitting raping a woman in a Taunton park.

The attack happened between 11pm on Friday 10 and 5am on Saturday 11 October 2025, in Victoria Park.
Police issued an appeal for information on Sunday 12 October, and made an arrest the same day.

Manoj Chinthathira, 29, of Wilfred Road, Taunton, entered guilty pleas to two counts of rape at a hearing on 28 November 2025, and was remanded into custody.

Today, Thursday 8 January, he was sentenced at Taunton Crown Court, sitting at Worle, to a 12-year jail term for each offence, to run concurrently, after allowing a reduction for his guilty plea.

His Honour Judge Stephen Climie said Chinthathira would be deported after serving 50 per cent of his sentence.

Chinthathira expressed his remorse and shame, and hung his head.

Manoj Chinthathira had approached the woman – a stranger to him – in the street after noticing that she seemed upset.

Police enquiries established that he bought beer from a nearby shop and plied the woman, aged in her thirties, with alcohol, at first chatting with her in a friendly way.

Nearby security cameras captured the chilling moment he told the woman he was going to rape her, and the terrified woman repeatedly begging “please don’t”.

Officer in the case DC Amanda Johnson said:

“This is a disturbing case in which a man has targeted a vulnerable woman. Manoj Chinthathira saw a woman who was in distress. He bought alcohol and took her to a secluded bench in the park. While he at first seemed to be friendly, it seems clear his behaviour was planned and predatory. During the sustained assault she was in fear for her life.

“When confronted with his crime, he initially denied it, but the evidence was so compelling he was forced to enter a guilty plea in court. I would like to recognise the woman for resolutely supporting an investigation which has taken someone who poses a clear risk to women and girls off our streets. I must also thank the members of the public who helped the victim, and those who came forward with information after our initial appeal.”

Christine Hart, Senior Crown Advocate from the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) said: 

“The OIC and her team conducted a thorough and sensitive investigation which included obtaining audio from nearby CCTV cameras that captured the harrowing soundtrack of this incident. I echo the comments made in relation to the courage and resilience shown by the victim. The CPS are committed to working with the police to both support victims and to bring offenders committing acts of violence towards women and girls to justice.”

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A violent offender who raped and stabbed a stranger in Benfleet has been given a 19-year extended sentence after a dynamic investigation put him behind bars.

Judge Samantha Cohen, sentencing 24-year-old Kyle Pauley at Basildon Crown Court on Thursday 8 January, said the evidence gathered against him by our Serious Crime Directorate was "utterly overwhelming".

Officers responded quickly following a call to us at around 11pm on Monday 22 September last year.

We were told a woman had been approached by a man, soon identified as Pauley, in the area of Villa Road Recreation Ground.

The victim reported the man followed her, threatened her with a knife and told her to do as he said.

She was taken to a nearby field, where the rape took place.

After this horrific ordeal, she made an attempt to push Pauley away, at which point she was stabbed once to her stomach area.

Thankfully the stab wound, while serious and lasting in its impact, did not prove life-threatening.

Pauley fled the scene and the woman made it home, where the first call to the ambulance service and our officers was made.

Catching a dangerous offender

Our investigation immediately began in earnest.

Officers acted on the description given by the victim, and following an extensive search of the area arrested Pauley within an hour of the call.

Although he had discarded the knife, this was recovered by crime scene investigators following further searches.

The victim’s glasses, knocked off during the assault, were also found in the area.

It was established Pauley had recently been released from prison after serving a sentence for drug dealing.

He was wearing a GPS monitoring tag as part of the terms of his licence, which further helped to place him at the scene of the assault.

Careful analysis of CCTV footage further showed Pauley following the victim prior to the attack.

DNA evidence also tied Pauley to the offences.

Strength of case

Pauley, of Brook Road, Benfleet, was charged with two counts of rape, wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm and possession of a knife in a public place.

The strong evidence resulted in guilty pleas to each charge when he appeared at Basildon Crown Court on Friday 24 October and he faced sentenced at the same court on Thursday 8 January.

In a statement, the victim courageously shared the impact of the offending on her:

“I am lot more anxious and struggle at work with my concentration and feeling overwhelmed.

“If I am at home, I spend a lot of time in my bedroom not having to speak to my family, as I just feel upset all the time.

“It is all about that night – I can’t move forward and don’t feel normal. I don’t know if I will again.

“I will always be scared of him.”

The victim’s father said:

“I know what happened to her was horrific and it was awful and heartbreaking to see her that night and then in the hospital.

“But what is most upsetting now is seeing the continued impact and what she is doing to herself because of this.

“I want to see her move forward and not let this define her future, as she is such a lovely girl with so much to offer.

“The feeling of being unable to protect my daughter from such a vicious attack has left me emotionally and mentally exhausted which has led to physical exhaustion.

“Still, I carry on as my children need me.

“To the person sitting in the dock: I am thankful that you have spared my daughter the mental torture of a trial and I hope that whatever sentence is passed today, you think about your actions.

“I hope that you use this time to make amends with your future actions and come out of this a better human being than the one you are currently.”

Extended sentence

Pauley was deemed to be a dangerous offender and given an extended sentence, comprising 12 years imprisonment and seven years on licence upon his eventual release.

Judge Cohen praised the "highly expert and thorough CCTV analysis undertaken by the policing team".

Detective Inspector Lydia George, senior investigating officer, said:

“I would firstly like to recognise the strength, courage and bravery shown by the victim. She has remained steadfast in her account and support for the investigation, helping us build our case and take a dangerous and predatory criminal off our streets.

“She is a credit to herself and her family.

“To be faced with an incident of this level of sexual and physical violence, in circumstances where the victim is not known to the attacker – this is very rare within Essex.

“Our response required speed, sensitivity and careful preservation of forensic evidence linking Pauley to the crime. We ensured we built an irrebuttable case against the person responsible.

“Call handlers were able to get those vital first pieces of information from the victim.

“Our officers were then on the scene within minutes, ensuring Pauley was promptly arrested.

“Further searches uncovered the knife used in the attack, despite his deliberate attempt to discard it.

“Due to the strength of the evidence presented, Pauley was left with no choice but to admit to the horrific crimes he had committed.

“This was a sexually motivated assault on a lone woman, committed by a violent offender who has today, deservedly, been given a lengthy custodial sentence.

“We take all incidents involving violence against women and girls in Essex extremely seriously and it’s vital victims feel confident in coming forward to us.”

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A Wrexham man who indecently assaulted two teenage girls has been jailed.

David Peers, 71, of Llay New Road, Llay, admitted nine offences of indecent assault and two counts of gross indecency with a child.

The historic sex offences happened in the 1980s.

The victims, who cannot be named as a result of lifelong anonymity were teenagers when they met Peers.

He would engage in sexual activities with the girls in their school uniforms and take intimate images of them.

At Mold Crown Court today, Thursday, 8 January, Peers was jailed for a total of eight years and four months.

He was also made to register as a sex offender for life, and an indefinite restraining order was put in place to protect both victims.

Investigating officer, Detective Constable Lisa Reid said:

“I commend both victim in this case for their courage in reporting Peers to police and in providing detailed accounts of the abuse they suffered, which has been vital in securing this conviction.

“Both victims continue to suffer the impact of his offending in their adult lives.

“I hope this case will encourage others who have been subject to sexual abuse to come forward, and be reassured their evidence will be heard, whilst serving as a reminder to any offenders of these despicable crimes that they will face the consequences of their actions - no matter how and when sexual abuse occurred.

"Tackling violence against women and girls remains a foremost priority for North Wales Police.”

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Philip Duffield, a 25-year-old from Grosvenor Road, Solihull, has been jailed for 12 years as a 'sexual predator' for raping two young women in a Holiday Inn hotel and assaulting a third after spiking her drink.

He was sentenced at Birmingham Crown Court on Wednesday, January 7, and must serve two-thirds (eight years) before release consideration, plus a three-year extended licence as a 'dangerous offender,' per Judge Heidi Kubik KC.

She told him: "You remain unrepentant with a total lack of insight into the impact of your actions on the women concerned and a total lack of insight into your own wrong-doing."

Duffield claimed consensual contact with his three 2024 victims, but a jury convicted him of two rapes and one assault by penetration.

In April, he met an 18-year-old and 20-year-old at a Wetherspoon's in Shrewsbury, then raped them at the hotel while they were semi-conscious and 'extremely intoxicated.' One reported him, leading to arrest and bail.

In December, he attacked another woman in Birmingham after Glamorous nightclub, spiking her drink at his home.

Duffield had no prior crimes, was a university graduate in a 'good job earning a significant amount of money,' and his barrister called him 'sexually immature.'

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A Just Eat delivery driver was caught performing a sex act while customers awaited their McDonald's order in Bellshill, Lanarkshire. Muhammad Sajawal, 31, of Motherwell, was spotted by three women in October 2024, leading them to report the incident to police.

The women saw Sajawal holding a mobile phone and masturbating. A 16-year-old witness testified: "I could see the driver and my bag of food right next to him and could see him on FaceTime to someone and could see his hand on his privates. It made me feel quite sick to my stomach."

Sajawal, who moved from Pakistan to Scotland to study and had worked for Just Eat for six months, claimed he was on a video call with family and fiddling with a vape. He said: "I was unaware that the girls were watching me. During the time I was there to deliver the food I was on a call with my father. The vape was in my hand and it is a habit that I play with my vape so I keep moving it in my hand. They must have misunderstood this movement."

Depute fiscal Daniel Toner noted: "All three Crown witnesses gave their evidence in a straightforward, credible and reliable manner and did not seek to embellish the incident although they were clearly distressed by it."

Defense lawyer Laura Kiernan said: "His position is that he was playing with his vape and this has been a misunderstanding."

At Hamilton Sheriff Court, Sheriff Shirley McKenna convicted Sajawal of public indecency, telling him: "The evidence from one of the girls was clear that your hand was between your legs and you were touching yourself. She explained that it made her feel sick to her stomach."

Sentencing was deferred until later this month, with bail continued and Sajawal placed on the sex offenders' register.

A Just Eat spokesperson said: "This driver has been removed from our network."