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A 31-year-old man has been jailed after admitting to raping a 12-year-old girl at a Southampton hotel following contact on TikTok.

Mark Greenway claimed he believed she was 19 when they met for sex in his hotel room, but the judge ruled it should have been obvious he "had been misled."

Southampton Crown Court heard Greenway met the child at the Novotel in August last year.

Prosecutor Robert Bryan said Greenway received a friend request from her at 4:02am on TikTok, leading to an agreement to meet at his room, where he was staying for road resurfacing work.

Greenway arranged a taxi for her, telling the driver she was his cousin. During messaging, he asked multiple times if she was really 19; she affirmed but mentioned being small and running away from home.

In the taxi, he messaged: "WTF, you are not 19."

She arrived at 7:08am; he met her outside, gave her a key card, and instructed her to sneak up alone. She was in his room over two hours, leaving at 9:21am.

Shortly before 9:30am, she reported the incident at the police station across the road. Police arrested Greenway at the hotel at 10am.

Mr. Bryan said Greenway should have seen she was "plainly a child."

Greenway admitted two charges of raping a girl under 13 and taking category A and B indecent photographs and videos by recording the encounter.

Judge William Mousley KC said: "You maintained your honest belief was that she was 19. That may have been your belief at the time. I am quite satisfied that it was an unreasonable belief. By the time you met her face to face, seen her appearance, and heard her language, it should have been dawning on you only too keenly that you had been misled."

Mitigating, Francesca De Costa said Greenway repeatedly asked her age, birth year, and for ID: "There is evidence to suggest it was encouraged by the complainant in this case. She made first contact. She repeatedly told him she was 19 years old. Even asked if she had any ID."

Greenway, of previously good character, made full admissions, believing she was 18-20.

Judge Mousley sentenced Greenway, of Spon Lane, Atherstone, Warwickshire, to four years in prison with one year on licence. His phone will be forfeited and destroyed, and he must sign the sex offenders' register for life.

Description

A dangerous rapist who attacked two women has been jailed for 24 years. James Barrass, 37, of Priory Grange, Blyth, Northumberland, was convicted by a jury at Newcastle Crown Court of offenses including rape, attempted sexual assault, and assault by penetration.

The judge described him as "extremely dangerous" and a public risk. Barrass must serve two-thirds of his sentence behind bars, sign the sex offenders register for life, and abide by indefinite restraining orders.

In her victim impact statement, one woman called him a "narcissist and a pathological liar" and detailed the devastation: "It's difficult for me to sum up how much of a negative impact he has had on my life.

"I was unable to sleep properly and I get night terrors and wake up soaked in sweat and I have flashbacks. My mental health has been just awful, including daily panic attacks."

She added: "He is not sorry at all. He is only sorry he was caught.

"The day the jury found him guilty and he was remanded is the first time in a long time I've slept properly. It was so nice to feel at peace.

"Now he is in prison he can't harm anyone. I feel like I've done everything I can to prevent him harming someone else. The worst thing is he has no remorse for what he has done."

Description

A serial paedophile from St Helens has been jailed today, on Thursday 18 December, after pleading guilty to child sex offences.

Melvin Miller, of no fixed address but formerly from Somerset, was sentenced to 11 years and four months in prison at Liverpool Crown Court after pleading guilty to the offences. He will also be on the sex offender register for life.

In August detectives charged 50-year-old Miller with five counts of historical Rape against a girl under 13 to which he subsequently pleaded guilty.

Detective Sergeant Emma O’Toole said:

“Miller was already serving a 16-year prison sentence in 2020 after pleading guilty to 30 offences against two girls.

“He subsequently admitted further offences in 2022 and was handed a further 15-year sentence to be served concurrently. Following a lengthy investigation Miller was charged with further offences to which he pleaded guilty and today he was given a further 11 years in prison to be served concurrently.

“I would like to praise the courage and dignity shown by his victim throughout the investigation.

“Merseyside Police is completely committed to protecting children from sexual abuse and those who seek to do them harm.

“I would like to take this opportunity to stress that if you have experienced any form of sexual abuse, or know of a child being abused, please come forward and report this to police. 

“We take all such reports extremely seriously and if you can find the courage to come forward and speak to us we have specially trained officers who will treat you with sensitivity and compassion.”

08/05/2022

A CONVICTED paedophile has pleaded guilty to further sexual offences against a young girl.

Melvin Miller, 46 and originally from St Helens, was jailed in April 2020 for 17 years after pleading guilty to 35 sexual offences against two girls.

While he was in prison, one of the girls he abused told an adult about other rapes that she was subjected to by the defendant on a regular basis.

Police made further investigations and found a video on the hard drive of Millers computer that showed him raping her.

The evidence was sent to the Crown Prosecution Service and authorisation was given for Miller to be charged with further offences

Today (March 8, 2022) at Liverpool Crown Court, Miller pleaded guilty to offences of rape, attempted rape and taking indecent images of a child.

He will be sentenced at a later date.

In a statement Senior Crown Prosecutor Mairead Neeson, a specialist lawyer with CPS Mersey Cheshires Rape and Serious Sexual Offences (RASSO) unit, said: The video evidence of the abuse of this very young girl found on the hard drive of Melvins Millers computer was harrowing and revealed the level of depravity he had inflicted upon her.

This young girl could not possibly have understood what she was being forced into she was just a means to an end for Miller.

"The feelings and emotions of this young child meant nothing to him. She now has to find a way forward in her life, having suffered such trauma.

She was unable to disclose the full extent of the abuse she had suffered when Miller was prosecuted in 2020, given her tender years and the inherent difficulty that exists for very young children to voice matters of such an intimate nature.

"This often happens. It is not unusual for children to deny the abuse they have suffered or be silent as to what has happened.

"It often takes years for victims of sexual abuse to vocalise what has happened to them. She has been exceptionally brave in coming forward despite still being a very young child.

The Crown Prosecution Service works hard to support the victims of child sexual abuse and their families and help them through the criminal justice system. Time is no barrier to a prosecution.

"We will listen to victims, no matter how long ago the offending took place.

Description

A 23-year-old sex offender from Lancaster, James Dobson of no fixed address, has been jailed for five months just weeks after his release from prison on December 1.

He was convicted at Lancashire Magistrates Court on December 15 of two shop thefts in the city, using threatening behavior—including threats to assault a shopkeeper—and breaching his sex offender register notification requirements by failing to contact police.

In a Facebook post, Lancaster Area Police said:

"PC 8794 Smith from the Neighbourhood Policing Team says that we have a zero tolerance to shoplifting and abuse towards retail workers.

"We are working tirelessly through Operation Vulture to target these individuals and there unacceptable behaviour.

"PC Smith asked the courts to issue Dobson with a Criminal Behaviour Order along side his imprisonment due to Dobson’s continued risk to the community.

"The courts agreed and have issued the order valid for three years, prohibiting Dobson from entering any shop within the centre of Lancaster and not to enter any Spar, Aldi or B&M in the whole of Lancashire. This will go some way to minimise Dobson's offending behaviour once he is released from prison."

Description

A man has been jailed for 15 years for a string of sexual offences following investigations carried out by two police forces.

Stephen Plant was found guilty of three counts of rape and two counts of sexual assault on a woman earlier this year following an investigation by Northumbria Police.

The 24-year-old raped and sexual assaulted her several times, including at his house. She disclosed what had happened and reported it to the police.

A separate investigation by Durham Constabulary found that when Plant was 16, he met up with a girl in public places several times, gave her with alcohol before having her carry out sexual acts on him.

This resulted in him also admitting four counts of sexual activity with a girl aged 13 to 15.

At Newcastle Crown Court last week he was sentenced to a total of 15 years for all the offences.

Detective Constable Amy Burridge, from the Rape Investigation Team (RIT) at Northumbria Police said:

“Stephen Plant is an extremely dangerous man who has committed some of the most horrendous crimes time against multiple victims’ time and time again.

“I’d like to thank them for their bravery and conviction throughout this entire process, and I hope following sentencing, they may be able to seek some closure and look forward with their lives.

“There is so much support available to anyone who has been a victim of sexual abuse – and the police are here to guide you through the process every step of the way.”

Detective Constable Hanna Liddle, of Durham Constabulary, added:

“I would also like to commend the bravery in coming forward and standing up to Plant.

“This outcome should hopefully show that survivors of sexual offences can be confident that they will be treated seriously and sensitively by our officers if they come forward to report what happened to them.”

Description

A former soldier from Hull has been jailed for seven years after being found guilty of raping a woman in Nuneaton.

In March 2023, Daniel Black spent the evening with the victim and went to her home where he raped and sexually assaulted her. The victim reported what had happened to us and Black, of Arkwright Park, Hull, was immediately arrested.

The 37-year-old, who was medically discharged from the Armed Forces during the investigation, denied the offences, but after further police investigation, was charged with rape and assaulting a female over 13 by penetration.

The case went to trial in September, and a jury found Black guilty of both counts.

On Friday (12 December), he appeared at Birmingham Crown Court where he was sentenced to seven years in prison for the rape and four years for the assault. The sentences will be served concurrently.

He will remain on the sex offender register indefinitely and was given an indefinite restraining order to prevent him contacting the victim.

Investigating officer, Detective Constable Heather Keogh said:

“I’m pleased that the court recognised the seriousness of these offences. Although no sentence can compare to the impact this has had on the victim, I’d like to commend them for the bravery they’ve shown throughout the investigation.

“As a force, we take all reports like this extremely seriously and will always carry out thorough investigations to try and bring offenders to justice. I hope that Black’s sentence sends a clear message to others who harm, or seek to harm, women, girls, or vulnerable people that they will be dealt with robustly.”

Description

Officers have been praised by prosecutors for their determination in rescuing a woman hidden in a property who had been abducted and sexually assaulted by a man in Glasgow in August 2023.

52-year-old Sohail Ahmed appeared at the High Court in Glasgow on Wednesday, 17 December, 2025, for sentencing after being found guilty following a trial on Monday, 3 March, 2025.

He was made subject to an order of lifelong restriction and must serve a minimum of nine years in prison.

He has also been granted non harassment orders in respect of his victims and placed on the sex offenders’ register indefinitely.

In December 2022, Ahmed took his first victim to a flat in Glasgow where he seriously sexually assaulted her and tried to prevent her from leaving.

In August 2023, Ahmed took his second victim to the flat and subjected her to the same ordeal.

Her friend became concerned for her whereabouts and contacted police.

When officers attended, Ahmed initially denied seeing the woman and was actively trying to hide her within the property, which was a chaotic scene, in a state of severe disarray, with rubbish piled high from floor to ceiling.

Detective Inspector Danny Clark, Greater Glasgow Rape Investigation Unit, said:

“Ahmed went to extreme lengths to hide his guilt and denied any knowledge of his second victim, but our officers knew something was not right and refused to give up when he claimed he was alone. They reviewed crucial CCTV footage which proved the victim had entered the property and not left.

“Officers carried out a meticulous search and thankfully found her. I commend these officers for their determination to help this woman and bring Ahmed to justice for his despicable actions. There is no doubt this was a harrowing experience for the women involved.

"I hope today's sentence brings a sense of closure to those involved.

"Anyone who has been a victim of such crimes is urged to come forward and report it to us.

“We’re committed to fully investigating and bringing those responsible in front of the courts. I want to reassure you, we have specially trained officers and partner agencies who will support you throughout.”

Description

A man has been jailed after being found guilty of sexually assaulting a child.

Adam Hardman, 39, from Norley Road in Leigh appeared at Liverpool Crown Court on 16 December to be sentenced.

Hardman was found guilty at an earlier hearing of two counts of assault by touching which had occurred in Warrington.

He was sentenced to four years in prison, ordered to sign the sex offenders register and handed a Sexual Harm Prevention Order.

DC Caroline Wharmby said:

“Hardman took advantage of his situation to sexually assault a child betraying the trust of the child and the family.

“I’d like to commend the victim for showing such bravery in coming forward to report the two incidents and bringing this man to justice for his despicable actions.”

Description

A man has been jailed for 12 years after raping a woman in Wirral.

Sean Duffin, 46, of no fixed abode, appeared at Liverpool Crown Court today (Wednesday 17 December) after being found guilty of rape, sexual assault and non-fatal strangulation.

The offences occurred at an address in Wirral against a woman in July 2023.

As well as a prison sentence, Duffin was also handed a lifetime restraining order and placed on the Sex Offender Register for life.

Detective Sergeant Rebecca Robinson said:

“Duffin continually denied what he did and put his victim through the trauma of having to relive the experience by way of a trial.

“While no sentence will repair the damage Duffin inflicted on his victim, I hope this conviction has secured some justice for her. I would like to praise the courage and dignity shown by the victim throughout the investigation.

“I hope this sentencing shows and reassures the public how seriously the courts take these offences and how Merseyside Police is completely committed to protecting anyone from violence and sexual abuse.

“Anyone who has been a victim of a sexual offence, is concerned for the safety of someone they know or suspects someone to be engaging in this criminal activity, should come forward and speak to us. 

“We have a team of dedicated staff who will expertly and compassionately deal with your reports, and we will do everything we can to bring offenders to justice.

“We urge anyone who is a victim of any form sexual abuse to please report this to police, as we have specially trained officers who will treat you with sensitivity and compassion.

“We take all such reports extremely seriously, and in addition, work with partner organisations such as Victim care Support Service and RASA who are there to support victims of this crime.”

Description

A 78-year-old pensioner has been jailed for 18 years after being convicted of raping and sexually abusing a boy in the 1990s.

Raymond Rackley, of Pennine Road, Slough, was found guilty of three counts of rape, one count of attempted rape, four counts of indecent assault, and two counts of inciting a boy to commit an act of gross indecency.

He was interviewed by police in March 2023 and December 2024, and sentenced at Reading Crown Court last Wednesday.

Det Con Teranjeet Finn of Thames Valley Police commended the victim for reporting Rackley and speaking out.

"I hope that Raymond Rackley's sentence gives him a sense of justice for what he did to the victim as a child," she said.

"Thames Valley Police takes sexual offences against children very seriously, whether this is a recent offence or something which has happened many years ago.

"I encourage anyone with information about sexual offences and victims of sexual offences to contact the police."

Description

The courage of three young girls has been praised for helping jail the man who sexually abused them.

Child sex offender Paul Davis was responsible for sexually assaulting each of the girls on multiple occasions.

The predator abused each of his victims at different locations across Nottinghamshire, between 2017 and 2020.

Despite the harrowing nature of what Davis had done, each of the girls found the strength to tell someone what had happened.

Their brave decision to come forward and to then speak to the police, ensured Davis, now aged 78, was tracked down and arrested soon after.

He would go on to be charged with eight counts of sexual assault of a girl and two counts of inciting a girl to engage in sexual activity.

Not content with what he’d already done, Davis decided to inflict more pain and distress on the victims and their families by denying all ten charges.

That meant they were forced to relive the details of his actions during a week-long trial at Nottingham Crown Court this October.

A jury would go on to see through Davis’ lies, however, and instead found him guilty of each of the offences he’d been tried on.

Davis, now of HMP Nottingham, was then sentenced to 14 years in prison when he reappeared before Nottingham Crown Court last Friday (12 December).

Detective Constable Lisa Torrance, of Nottinghamshire Police, said:

“Before anything else, I firstly want to thank and pay tribute to the three young victims in this case.

“I can’t even comprehend how hard it must’ve been for them to share what had happened to them, but they showcased immense bravery in deciding to do so.

“In complete contrast to this, Paul Davis demonstrated the coward he is by denying everything, which ensured the people he’d hurt then had to sit through a week-long trial.

“Despite the further distress this would’ve no doubt caused, the girls and their families courageously managed to remain dignified throughout the entirety of the court proceedings.

“We were pleased to see the jury saw through Davis’ lies and that his disgusting and disgraceful behaviour has now resulted in a lengthy prison sentence.

“Our hope is this will provide the victims and their families with some small degree of comfort and closure going forward.”

Description

A rapist already jailed for nine years will face another seven years behind bars after he pleaded guilty to an additional sexual offence.

Chase Brocklesby, formerly of the Boston area, was imprisoned earlier this year when he was sentenced for rape at Lincoln Crown Court on 31 March.

He had denied that offence but was ultimately found guilty of the crime. He was also sentenced for common assault, criminal damage and dangerous driving at the same time.

However, a subsequent charge of rape relating to a different victim was put to the 28-year-old behind bars and on Friday, 5 December, he was given an additional sentence after pleasding guilty in October.

It relates to an incident in Boston last year.

He was handed a further seven-year sentence which will run consecutively.

Brocklesby was also given a restraining order and a sexual harm prevention order – which forces him to declare a new relationship.

Detective Katherine Brennan has paid tribute to the victims in both cases, she said:

“Brocklesby carried out horrendous crimes and was rightly jailed for his actions, as someone as dangerous as him should not be on our streets.

“In this circumstance, this latest victim felt safe to come forward as they knew that the suspect was remanded in prison. If it hadn’t been for the bravery of the victim in the first case, this victim may have never taken that  step.

“I’d like to pay tribute to the strength of these victims, as reporting a crime can be difficult – but thanks to their bravery, Brocklesby has now been handed significant jail time.

“Thanks to their actions, he will remain behind bars for a considerably long time. I am grateful for the work of the ‘Management of Sexual Offenders and Violent Offenders’ team who have taken proactive steps to ensure this dangerous individual is not given the opportunity to offend again when his sentence ends.”

Description

A 26-year-old man who sexually assaulted a woman in Gloucester earlier this year has been jailed for two years. 

Abdulla Ali was sentenced at Gloucester Crown Court on Thursday (11 December).

The court was told that on 28 July this year Ali approached a woman, whom he did not know, when she was walking home at around 11pm after a night out.

Ali was seen on CCTV going up to the woman, who was unsteady on her feet, and he then led her away from her intended path home.

She collapsed out of view from CCTV, however Ali could be seen crouching over her. The court was told he left for a short time, returned, and then hauled her up and led her away a second time.

Prosecuting barrister Simon Burns said: "The defendant has taken advantage of a particularly vulnerable female, ejaculated onto her trousers and admitted in his pre-sentence report to touching her private parts."

Ali was later seen alone on CCTV heading in the direction of his home address on Cecil Road, Gloucester.

The victim woke up at home the next morning, and was unaware of what Ali had subjected her to.

She spoke to police a few days later on 31 July, and she was advised to go to a Sexual Assault Referral Centre (SARC), which she did immediately.

Forensic analysis identified stains on the victim's clothing as semen, however there was no match on the database to the DNA profile.

Following an investigation by Gloucestershire Police’s Rape and Serious Sexual Offences team, detectives pieced together CCTV evidence from that night and Ali was arrested.

His DNA was compared to the DNA profile found on the victim's clothing, and it was found to be a match.

During police interviews, Ali denied sexually assaulting the woman and said his intention was to help her. When he was spoken to about his DNA on her clothing, Ali said he became aroused and involuntarily ejaculated. 

He was charged with attempted rape and on 8 October this year (2025) he instead pleaded guilty to sexual assault, with the facts including that he led the victim away against her will and that he deliberately masturbated over her. 

In a statement written by the victim, which was read to the court, she said:

"I feel overwhelmed with fear and anxiety and now constantly think 'what if' as I plan the day ahead. I feel as if my freedom has been taken away and this has caused me undue stress and worry, and I do not know how to manage this. 

"I have no recollection of what happened to me, but I question the morality of this man if he saw me potentially needing help, and instead took advantage of my situation, and the fact that I was a female of small build, alone and intoxicated.

"I wonder if this man has a mother, a sister or a daughter, and if he does, how he would feel if they were violated? Would he want justice for them or would he just show indifference?

"I don't feel indifference and I do want justice. I want him to know that he has ruined my faith in humanity and made me afraid for my future and what my future now looks like. I don't want to be defined by this incident, but I know that for the foreseeable future that the detrimental impact will be difficult for me to overcome.

"I want this man to see himself in my shoes. I want him to know how he has made me feel, I want him to understand the affect his actions have had on me and how I am struggling to understand why he chose to assault me. I want him to show remorse for the decisions he made and the actions he took on the night that cannot be undone."

After he was sentenced, Ali apologised to the victim.

The court was told Ali was an asylum seeker from Egypt with no previous convictions.  

His Honour Judge Rupert Lowe sentenced him to two years in custody. Ali will also be on the Sex Offenders' Register for 10 years and the court was told he would be recommended for deportation.

Investigating officer Detective Constable Simone Bowley said:

"Without this woman coming forward and speaking to police about her concerns from that evening, we would never have been aware of what this dangerous man had done.

"In police interview Ali claimed he was helping her, but what he did to her was sexual assault. She was in no position to be able to consent to anything.

"I commend the woman’s bravery in coming forward, working with us and making sure Ali is held responsible for his abhorrent actions."

Description

A London rapist has been convicted of raping and sexually assaulting a woman in the Pembrokeshire seaside town of Tenby.

Nicholas Mitchell, then 55, appeared at Swansea Crown Court charged with two counts of rape and one of sexual assault by penetration following the May 1, 2021 attack.

He denied the charges but was found guilty on November 11 after a trial.

Judge Huw Rees sentenced Mitchell, now 60, of Park Avenue in West Wickham, Bromley, to eight-and-a-half years in prison.

He must register as a sex offender indefinitely.

Description

A man has been jailed for more than seven years after admitting multiple counts of rape and sexual assault.

George Brusby, of no fixed abode, appeared at Chester Crown Court on Friday 12 December.

The 28-year-old was sentenced to seven-and-a-half years after pleading guilty to five counts of rape, one count of assault by penetration, one count of causing a female aged 13 or over to engage in non-penetrative sexual activity and one count of sexual assault.

On 3 March 2023, police received reports of non-recent sexual abuse which occurred when the female victim and Brusby were both children in the Warrington area.

This report was made after seeing a video of Brusby’s arrest which was posted online by a paedophile hunter group who used a decoy to catch him sending sexual communications to a whom he believed was a child.

Following seeing this, the victim told police Brusby had sexually abused her between the ages of 11 and 14, when Brusby was aged between 12 and 16.

Brusby would rape the victim and sexually assault her, also inciting her to engage in sexual activity. She stated she never consented to any of it, but Brusby would use force to rape or assault her.

Brusby was arrested and interviewed about these allegations and tried to claim that any sexual activity they engaged in was consensual. However, despite his denials, he was charged with the offences and ultimately pleaded guilty at court.

On top of his custodial sentence, Brusby must sign the Sex Offender Register and is subject to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order and a restraining order to protect the victim. 

Detective Constable Byng said:

“Even though Brusby was a child himself at the time of the offences, he knew what he was doing was wrong and tried to claim that it was consensual. But thankfully he didn’t put the victim through the stress of a trial and pleaded guilty at court.

“I hope the conclusion of this case will provide the victim with some closure after carrying this on her shoulders for a large portion of her childhood and into adulthood.

“Brusby’s sentence is thanks to her bravery in talking to police about what happened to her, and I also hope that her courage will help others in coming forward and reporting any incidents of sexual abuse, no matter how long ago the offences took place.”