Latest Offenders

Description

A convicted pedophile who breached court orders to hide his criminal past from his new girlfriend has been jailed for two years and eight months.

Gary Chitticks, 41, failed to notify police of his move from Bournemouth to Wearside for the relationship and did not register a new mobile phone, as required by a 2021 order after his imprisonment for attempting to meet a decoy child for sex.

He admitted six breaches at Newcastle Crown Court.

In 2021, Chitticks was jailed for four years in Bournemouth after admitting attempting sexual communications with a child, having messaged a decoy profile and suggested meeting for sexual activity, prosecutor Ian Windridge said.

Lifelong orders mandated notifying police of his address via the sex offender register, registering internet-enabled devices, and retaining their search histories.

In July, Chitticks told Northumbria Police he was homeless and sleeping rough in Hetton-le-Hole, Sunderland.

Officers traced a linked mobile number to a woman in Houghton-le-Spring, who said they began dating in May, spent a week at a Bournemouth hotel, and he then moved in with her—changes he should have reported.

Upon his August arrest, police found an unregistered phone set to auto-delete history and a bank card under the alias Dave Chambers, Mr. Windridge said.

In mitigation, Claire Anderson said Chitticks had "allowed his heart to rule his head" to protect the budding relationship.

Judge Gavin Doig noted Chitticks had also been jailed for exposing himself since 2021, had "clearly sought to hide the truth" from the woman, and deemed the breaches "serious." He called the orders "simply non-negotiable," saying Chitticks posed "far too high a risk" to the public for leniency.

Description

Maxx Stobbs, also known as Max Hinchley, 24 from Staithes, was sentenced at York Crown Court on 19 September 2025.

After being reported to us in March 2023, an investigation began into the sexual abuse of an underage teenage girl. Stobbs was then arrested in April 2023.

Stobbs pleaded guilty on 18 July at York Crown Court to four counts of penetrative sexual activity with a girl. For these offences he has been jailed for three and a half years, and ordered to pay a surcharge of 190. Stobbs has also been ordered to sign the sex offenders register indefinitely.

The investigation has been led by Detective Constable Matthew Edwards, from our Scarborough and Ryedale Safeguarding Investigation Team.

He was able to support the victim throughout the investigation, and ensure she received professional care and support, including from an Independent Sexual Violence Advisor (ISVA).

The following are quotes from the victim's personal statement, that was read out in court by the prosecuting solicitor:

"The defendant targeted me at a time when I was young, vulnerable, just starting to discover my identity and learning to navigate the world. The defendant used my naivety and innocence against me; and I can never get these things back.

"Every day feels like a mountain to climb, as I constantly carry the weight of what the defendant did to me.

"I am working hard to rebuild my confidence and self-worth, but I will forever grieve for the girl I was, and the woman I could have been, before I met the defendant."

DC Edwards said:

"The victim in this case is to be commended for her bravery in coming forward to the police, and for her strength in re-building her life after the long-term offending by Stobbs, who is now a convicted sex offender.

"The impact of this type of offending should not be underestimated and I urge victims to come forward to police. No matter when the abuse took place, you will be listened to."

Description

Today (Friday 19 September 2025), one of the most prolific child sexual predators even seen in the North West has been jailed for 14 years following investigations by Greater Manchester Police and Lancashire Police.

Stuart Latham, 22, from Wigan has been sentenced at Preston Crown Court to 49 offences including rape, sexual activity with a child, blackmail, sexual communication with children, inciting children to engage in sexual activity, and the creation, possession and distribution of indecent images, against 41 victims between the ages of 11 and 15, spanning the whole of the UK.

In 2023, Lancashire Police received a report that Latham, who was from Greater Manchester, had raped a girl in Heysham, who was aged 12 at the time of the offences.

He had met the girl on the social media app ‘Swiper’, where he had told her he was 15, despite being an adult. The girl had told him her age over messages.

Latham was arrested on suspicion of rape and a joint investigation with Greater Manchester Police later commenced.

Latham was arrested by GMP in April 2024, whilst on bail for the offences in Lancashire, following a referral made by US authorities via the National Crime Agency that a local man was having sexualised chat with children on Snapchat.

When officers arrived at his home address that very same day, Latham tried to conceal his mobile by throwing it to the back of his wardrobe. After our digital forensic experts were able to download and analyse this device, it was clear why he was keen to evade its discovery.

Despite denying all allegations in interview, his mobile revealed that he had ‘catfished’ a large number of young girls on Snapchat under the name ‘Josh’, posing as a 14-year-old boy. He would send mass messages to up to 200 girls at a time on the platform, initially asking for their help but not specifying what with, only to go onto request sexualised images and videos, sometimes offering cash and giftcards in return.

He would send them fake pictures, taken from the internet, to keep up this identity of being a teenager himself, and never paid any of the victims.

Once he had successfully lured the victims in, he would continue to demand more and more images, blackmailing them with threats to leak them or tell their parents, and exploiting their vulnerabilities if they didn’t send any. He would also send explicit videos and images of himself in response to what they had shared with him.

The chats with these children showed no care about their age or wellbeing, and were extremely explicit, graphic, and distressing in nature. He showed no remorse or accountability in any of his police interviews.

We were able to find Latham had spoken to 48 victims, bringing charges against him in 41 of those cases. Of the 41, eight of the children remain unidentified, but the rest we have been able to speak with and safeguard from further harm. That support will continue beyond today’s result.

Whilst we uncovered over 4,000 indecent images on Latham’s devices, we know that some data which had been deleted from his device before his initial arrest in Lancashire couldn’t be recovered, so the full scale of his offending could be much greater.

Detective Constable Emma Murtagh, from GMP’s Online Child Abuse Investigation Team, and who led this case, said:

“This is one of the most horrific cases I have ever had to investigate, not only due to the scale of the offending, but also due to the devastating impact and harm this this man’s behaviour and actions have had on these young girls and their families.

“We worked incredibly hard to identify as many victims as possible, listen to them, safeguard them and support them through this terrible ordeal. That has been our priority throughout and the victims living in very different locations has not been a barrier to this investigation.

“The impact has also been felt by all their parents and guardians, who understandably were very shocked and distressed to hear about what had been happening.

“This case demonstrates unfortunately the ease of which those looking to exploit children can target, manipulate and blackmail them online. 

“We encourage anyone who may find them in a situation like these young people to come forward to police. We are steadfast in our pursuit of holding child predators to account and protecting children, and will act on any information we receive.”

Detective Chief Inspector Dylan Hrynkow, of West Rape and Serious Sexual offences team said:

“This investigation was complex with cross border offending, due to excellent joint working we have been able to secure charges and  convictions for these horrendous offences.”

“This crime has understandably had a profound impact on the victim, who has shown incredible strength and bravery over a significant amount of time, throughout proceedings. I can only hope that the knowledge of Latham’s significant sentence will bring  some sense of closure in knowing he has been brought to justice.

“If you have been a victim of any sexual offending in Lancashire, I want you to know that we will listen to you, we will appropriately investigate, and we will do all we can to get you justice.”

Description

A man from Bootle has been jailed for 21 years for rape and multiple sexual offences.

Michael Senior, 32, from Bootle, was sentenced at Liverpool Crown Court today (Friday 19 September) after being found guilty of the following offences:

• Five counts of rape
• Two counts of sexual activity with a child
• Two counts of sexual assault
• Two counts of causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity

He was also convicted of making indecent images of a child, distributing indecent images of a child and possession of extreme pornography, which he had pleaded guilty to before the trial.

It follows a complex investigation into a report that a 12-year-old boy had first been subjected to a serious sexual offence in 2013. There were further reports of sexual offences against the same person across a ten-year period.

As well as a prison sentence, Senior has also been placed on the Sex Offender’s Register for life and given a 20-year restraining order.

See below for an extract of a Victim Personal Statement read in court:

“Throughout the whole process, the investigation and the trial, Senior denied all the allegations put against him.

“This only enhanced the upset and trauma for the survivor of his appalling crimes and I sincerely hope this sentencing brings him some comfort.

“Thankfully the jury saw through Senior’s lies and found him guilty. He will now rightly spend a considerable amount of time in prison when he can reflect on his heinous actions.

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

“If you have experienced any form of sexual abuse, or know of a child being abused, please come forward and report this to police.”

Georgiana Panteli of the Crown Prosecution Service Mersey-Cheshire said:

“Over the course of a decade, Senior inflicted unimaginable trauma and it is testament to the extraordinary courage of the victim in coming forward that this abuser has been brought to justice.

“Working closely with Merseyside Police, we were able to show the jury how Senior violently threatened and intimidated his victim in an attempt to keep them silent.

“Despite Senior’s continued denial, we proved how he had lied about aspects of the case, including contradicting his own police interview when testifying in court.

“I hope today’s outcome sends a clear message that the CPS will relentlessly pursue those who sexually exploit children, and victims can be confident they will be heard, supported, and taken seriously.”

Description

Kristian John Franks, a man with a extensive criminal record dating back to his early teens, was convicted of rape on September 18, 2025, following a trial at York Crown Court.

The conviction stems from an incident in which he allegedly raped a woman within hours of meeting her for the first time. Below is an overview of his criminal background, leading up to the recent trial and its outcome.

Early Criminal History

Franks first came to police attention as a juvenile. At age 13, he was convicted of assaulting a police officer in the course of duty. During his teenage years, he committed multiple vehicle-related offenses, including dangerous driving and taking cars without the owner's consent.

By age 19, Franks had begun using drugs and committed his first burglary. Two years later, at 21, he was convicted of burgling a house.

Escalating Offenses in Adulthood

In 2016, Franks harassed a former partner, resulting in a restraining order designed to protect her. He subsequently breached this order.

In 2019, he was involved in a road rage incident where he tailgated another vehicle and, when confronted, claimed, "I can drive however I want, I don’t have insurance." He attempted to deceive authorities about the event, leading to an eight-month prison sentence for perverting the course of justice.

Even after serving this sentence, Franks continued offending, with convictions for drug driving, going equipped for theft, and failing to appear on bail.

Prior Sexual Risk Concerns

In December 2023, after being acquitted of raping Leah Bedford, Franks was subjected to a sexual risk order by York Magistrates' Court. This civil order aimed to restrict activities of individuals posing a sexual risk to the public.

By January 2025, police issued a public appeal for help locating him, suspecting he had breached the order's conditions.

The 2025 Rape Charge and Trial

In April 2025, Franks was charged with raping a woman shortly after their first meeting. He was sent on bail to York Crown Court.

Complications arose in May 2025 when Franks was arrested at Fulford Road Police Station but escaped custody. He was later apprehended and charged with escape from lawful custody. After failing to attend a subsequent court hearing, he was arrested on a warrant and remanded in custody.

On July 18, 2025, Franks admitted the escape charge.

The rape trial commenced on September 9, 2025, at York Crown Court. After deliberations, the jury found him guilty of rape on September 18, 2025.

Franks is scheduled to be sentenced for both the rape conviction and the escape from lawful custody on October 30, 2025.

Description

Nathan Ashton, 33, raped one girl twice after plying her with cannabis until she had a "whitey"—feeling sick from the drugs—leaving her vulnerable.

He similarly assaulted a second victim by giving her cannabis, then digitally penetrating and raping her. He left the room before returning to rape her again.

After arrest, Ashton forced the victims and their families through a five-day trial at Bolton Crown Court, where a jury found him guilty. He was sentenced on September 17.

Prosecutor Robert Smith told the court:

"He then proceeded to digitally penetrate and rape her."

Victim statements were read. The rape victim said she was "so scared" and felt "if I stopped him, he would have killed me."

The first victim added: "I feel like he is always there, I feel like someone is watching me, following me, it makes me scared." She "keeps getting flashbacks" in dreams "a lot" and has spoken to a doctor.

Ashton, of Westhoughton, has 41 convictions for 108 offences, mostly dishonesty and court order breaches, plus battery, common assault, and harassment. He has no prior sexual convictions; his last offence was in 2016.

The jury convicted him of seven counts: two rapes, three assaults by penetration, and two sexual assaults.

Defense counsel Anna Chestnutt noted:

"He is still only 33, notwithstanding his lengthy previous convictions. His last offending was almost a decade ago and he has no convictions for sexual offending." She said he changed his life in 2016 after drug misuse issues.

Judge Abigail Hudson highlighted the victims' vulnerability and how Ashton used cannabis to "assist the offending." Citing his poor compliance with court orders, she deemed him a "dangerous offender," adding: "A sentence with an extended license condition is necessary to protect the public from further offending."

She imposed 16 years' imprisonment with a two-year extended license. Ashton appeared visibly distressed.

Judge Hudson also issued indefinite restraining orders against the victims and a sexual harm prevention order.

She commended the young victims for their courage in testifying "in front of complete strangers," noting: "Both alluded to the fact that they were concerned whether they would be believed. They gave their evidence in front of the jury and were believed, and I hope that gives them some comfort." She hoped they become "productive young ladies."

Description

A man who took a 15-year-old girl to his home after meeting her in a town centre has been jailed for 11 years for rape and causing a child to engage in sexual activity. 

Rasseika Duncan (04/11/1984), of no fixed abode, was sentenced at Manchester Crown Square Court yesterday (Thursday 18 September) after previously being found guilty in June this year.

The court heard how on Saturday 1 October 2022, Duncan was in Hyde when he stopped a girl who was walking through the area, at around 8pm.

After a brief conversation, Duncan convinced the girl to go back to his address in the Stalybridge area. On the way, he bought a quantity of cannabis.

Once back at the address, he locked the door of the room, forcing himself on her and continuing his assault despite the girl attempting to stop him.

As a friend of the girl had previously reported seeing her with Duncan and raised her concerns, her phone was traced, with officers turning up to the address and arresting him later that evening.

Following a comprehensive investigation by GMP’s Tameside Child Sexual Exploitation team, Duncan was charged with the offences.

In addition to his sentencing, he has received an indefinite sexual harm prevention order (SHPO) and restraining order.

Detective Sergeant Michelle Davies, from GMP’s Tameside district, said:

“Duncan exploited a vulnerable young girl and took advantage of her, in what was a terrifying situation.

“I would like to thank the victim in this case for the immense bravery and courage she has shown throughout both the investigation and the trial.

“I hope today’s sentencing can provide some comfort to her, as she continues to rebuild her life following this awful ordeal.”

Description

The Met is working closely with partners to identify further victim-survivors after an investigation led to a man being jailed for rape and reckless transmission of a sexually transmitted disease.

Jonathan Carl, 42, (29.4.1983) of Station Road, Hornchurch was jailed for 17 years at Snaresbrook Crown Court on Friday, 29 August and handed a 15-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order. He had been found guilty of one count of rape and pleaded guilty to one count of grievous bodily harm on Wednesday, 11 June.

Now detectives are appealing for help in identifying many more potential victims of rape and reckless transmission.

Detective Chief Inspector Sarah Bishop, who led the investigation for the Metropolitan Police, said:

“Our investigation uncovered the scale of Carl’s offending and ensured he was brought to justice. But we remain extremely concerned about the wellbeing of those who have not yet been identified. We believe as many as 318 men may be a victim, and might need to come forward for testing and support.

“You may have met Carl through an online dating platform, or visited his home address in Hornchurch, which is distinctively located above a fish and chip shop.

“Your health and wellbeing are our absolute priority. We are working closely with NHS partners and charities to ensure anyone affected can access confidential testing, advice, and support. Please be assured you are not alone – we are here to help.”

Police launched an investigation in January 2024 after an allegations of rape were reported by two men, the offences took place in August 2023 and October 2022.

Detectives acted swiftly and arrested Carl on 25, January 2024 to prevent any further offending. Carl was identified through digital download examinations and co-location data from the victim and suspects phones.

Carl was charged with rape and GBH on 4, February 2024 in relation to the allegations made in January 2024.

The investigation involved in-depth digital analysis of Carl’s mobile phone, police analysed phone calls, social media messages and cell site information. These combined revealed that Carl had used multiple dating apps, including Grindr and SCRUFF, to meet men.

Detectives believe Carl had sexual contact with up to 400 men over four years.

So far, 82 men have been identified and spoken to, they were advised by the NHS after being informed of Carl’s health status.

However, detectives believe there are hundreds more who may still be unaware.

Two victims have bravely came forward to help with our appeal, to share a few words to show the impact Carl had on them:

Victim one: 

“[I felt] powerless, I felt like there was nothing I could do. It made me feel like I didn't matter, it made me feel less than human. The main reason I came forward to police, is because I wanted to stop this from happening to anyone else.”

Victim two:

“It has damaged me from having any sort of romantic relationship in the future, due to people's overall thoughts on HIV. It makes me fry my brain as I overthink about what I could have done differently. I still struggle with this guilty feeling.”

It is an offence to intentionally or recklessly transmit a sexually transmitted infection under the offences against a persons act, it amounts to grievous bodily harm.

Anyone who may have had contact with Jonathan Carl is urged to contact detectives directly on 0207175273, you can also email, [email protected].

To contact police, you can dial 101 or via our online reporting system and state reference CAD2972/19Sept25.

Description

A young father has been jailed after being convicted of raping a woman at a party.

Swansea Crown Court heard that Joel Evans raped the victim following a party at a rural address in Ceredigion on October 30, 2022.

Prosecutor Tom Scapens said she was in a "vulnerable position" as the property was "in a rural area" and the people there "were relatively unknown to her."

"She was frozen, scared to move," he said.

Mr Scapens added that Evans, then 20, was under the influence of alcohol and drugs during the offence.

Evans, of the B4337 at Talsarn, denied rape but was found guilty after a July trial. Now 23, he had eight previous convictions for 13 offences, none sexual.

In her victim statement, read by Mr Scapens, she said: "I’m still, even now, fearful of leaving the house by myself. Not just through fear of him, but fear of it happening again.

"Any male interaction now puts me on edge. I have lost trust in men.

"I was frightened people would not believe me."

She added that reliving the incident in court negatively impacted her mental health.

Defense barrister James Hartson said: "I do not intend to diminish the offence’s impact or its seriousness."

Despite the verdict, Evans "continues to maintain his innocence," Mr Hartson noted. He highlighted Evans' recent fatherhood, with little contact since remand: "He will clearly feel the difficulty of the separation from that child."

Mr Hartson added: "This is the defendant’s first custodial sentence."

Judge Catherine Richards criticized character references implying the allegations were "malicious," telling Evans: "The jury were sure this woman did not come to court to tell malicious lies about you."

Evans was sentenced to five-and-a-half years' imprisonment, serving up to two-thirds in custody. He must register as a sex offender for life, and the victim received a 10-year restraining order.

Description

A man from Carlisle was been jailed at Carlisle Crown Court on Tuesday 16 September.

Brian Light, 36, of Trafalgar Street, Carlisle was sentenced to nine years.

He was found guilty of two offences including rape following a weeklong trial.

He also pleaded guilty to actual bodily harm and criminal damage.  

Detective Constable Gabrielle Nicholson from Cumberland CID said:

“Following the courage and strength in the victim in this case reporting the matter to the Police and a after a trial earlier in July, today justice has been brought against Light. 

“If you are a victim of sexual offences, don’t suffer in silence.

“As with this case we will investigate and bring offenders to justice, so please tell someone and report this to police so that we can investigate.

“Support is also available throughout any investigation and is tailored to an individual’s circumstances and we work closely with trusted partner agencies.” 

Description

A man from Liverpool has been jailed for several child sex offences with teenagers aged 13 to 15.

Keith Simpson, 67 years, of Hartington Road, Toxteth was convicted today (Wednesday 17 September) of three counts of attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child, one count of attempting to cause a child aged 13 to 15 to watch/look at an image of a sexual act, one count of attempting to cause/incite a girl aged 13 to 15 to engage in sexual activity and possession of indecent images of children.

Simpson was jailed to a total of 4 years imprisonment and also given an indefinite Sexual Harm Prevention Order.

Officer in case William Wilson, said: “I know that people hearing the details of Simpson’s crimes will feel complete revulsion at the way he attempted to exploit who he believed to be vulnerable children. Simpson is a sexual predator that used anonymous chat sites in an attempt to target female children as his prey, to achieve sexual gratification.

“His crimes are quite simply despicable. Simpson had no regard for the impact his behaviour would have on victims and subjected them to a number of offences.”

Chief Inspector Alan McKeon added: “Merseyside Police is completely committed to protecting children from sexual abuse and stopping those who seek to do them harm – including those who share images of that abuse.

“Sex offending has a huge and devastating impact on victims and their families, and that harm can last a lifetime’’

“Our Sex Offender Management Unit is dedicated to preventing sexual offences and protecting the public from registered sex offenders. This should send a very clear message to the public that we will do everything in our power and use all tools at our disposal to target offenders and bring them to justice.

“Merseyside Police has invested in digital risk management software to reduce the risk posed by sex offenders living in the community, but also to ensure that robust proactive arrests can be made quickly should any illegal activity be identified.

“If you have experienced any form of sexual abuse, know of a child being abused or know of an adult involved in storing or sharing images of abuse 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.”

Description

A paedophile from Hereford who raped an underage girl he befriended on social media has today (Thursday 18 September) been sentenced to four years and three months.

Scott Chapman, 24, of Barklie Mead, Hereford, was convicted at Worcester Crown Court of one count of rape of a girl aged 13 to 15, four counts of sexual assault by penetration of a female aged 13 to 15 years, engaging in sexual communication with a child and making an indecent photograph / pseudo-photograph of a child.

Chapman was further served a Sexual Harm Prevention Order to last for ten years, which means he is prohibited from unsupervised contact with a female under the age of 16, prohibited from conducting in paid or voluntary work which would involve contact with a female below the age of 16, and he must inform police of his address and details.

Chapman added his victim on Snapchat and Instagram in 2020 when he was 19 years old, before meeting her and engaging in sexual activity with her even though he knew she was only 14 at the time.

He went on to rape and sexually assault his victim which was later reported to police, leading to his arrest in April 2022.

Evidence of these crimes and other sexual offences were uncovered by the investigation, and though he denied his intimate relationship with her, an examination of his phone proved otherwise.

Chapman continued to deny any sexual relations with his victim but ultimately pled guilty at court, which was reflected in his sentencing by the judge, alongside it being his first offence.

Detective Inspector Ben Pearson of Hereford CID said:

“We are pleased to get this custodial sentence for Chapman who preyed on an underage girl he met on social media before raping and sexually assaulting her.

“We hope today’s verdict shows we will always pursue sexual predators like him and bring them before the courts to face justice and that it will encourage other victims of rape and sexual assault to come forward.

“We will always listen to you, take your concerns seriously and protect you from offenders like Chapman.”

Description

A rapist taunted his vulnerable victim by saying nothing would happen if she reported the attack, telling her: "Nothing will get done. I'm going to deny it."

Newport Crown Court heard the woman suffered daily nightmares after the assault by Karl Searle, becoming so severe she feared going to sleep and felt her attacker was "haunting" her.

The offence occurred in the Cwmbran area in May last year, when Searle grabbed the woman, forced her to masturbate him, then "overpowered" her and raped her before smoking one of her cigarettes.

The victim reported the assault, leading to Searle's arrest and interview. Released on bail, he went missing until located in Merseyside in October and taken to Newport police station for further questioning.

He provided a prepared statement denying rape but admitting consensual sexual activity.

In her impact statement read to the court, the victim described nightly nightmares making her "scared" of sleep and feeling "haunted" by the defendant. She cried "happy and sad tears" upon learning he pleaded guilty, avoiding a trial.

Karl Searle, 48, of Clos Y Fran, Llantarnam, Cwmbran, had pleaded guilty to one count of rape before sentencing.

The court heard of his prior convictions: sexual intercourse with a child under 16 at Southwark Crown Court in 2001; exposure at Gwent Magistrates' Court in 2024, where, unhappy with police treatment, he exposed his buttocks to a female officer and "pulled his cheeks apart to expose his anus"; plus offences involving violence, drugs, dishonesty, and failing to comply with sex offender register requirements.

Defence barrister Martha Smith-Higgins noted little mitigation given the offence's seriousness but highlighted Searle's remand since October last year and completion of courses. The judge reviewed his mental health conditions, including mood disorder, paranoid personality disorder, and bipolar disorder, noting a "pattern of risk escalation."

With a 15% discount for his guilty plea, Searle received an extended sentence of eight years and nine months: six years and nine months in custody followed by a two-year licence period. He must serve two-thirds in custody and register as a sex offender for life.

Description

A registered sex offender has been sent back to prison, after robust management of his Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) by our Sex Offender Management Unit (SOMU), with support from partner agencies, who identified breaches amounting to criminal offences.

This man had been previously convicted for sexual offences against children and upon release from prison had been subject to monitoring under a SHPO. This regular monitoring is to prevent and deter further offending, and deal with any breaches swiftly should they occur.

Earlier this year, SOMU conducted a home visit after concerns that a previously convicted sex offender was in breach of his SHPO. This information led to a productive visit to his address, where officers were able to obtain enough information and evidence to suggest he was breaching his prevention order.

In July 2025, Ian Beeby (71) from Bolton was arrested during a home compliance visit by SOMU, following concerns from the National Probation Service that he had engaged in conversation with male children who were filming themselves for a YouTube channel in Manchester City Centre.

Following enquiries by SOMU, officers were able to spot Beeby in a video posted by the children’s family and he was subsequently charged with breaching his sexual harm prevention order for communication with a child.

Beeby’s SHPO was in place following a conviction for offences against young boys, and he is now back in prison for three years after appearing at Bolton Crown Court today, 18 September.

Detective Superintendent Jen Tattersall, who leads our SOMU team, said:

“This case demonstrates the work being done by our Sex Offender Management Unit to ensure vulnerable people are being protected and offenders are being brought to justice.

“The progression of this unit has seen offender managers receiving live-time updates on changes to address or associations subjects have to children, which has improved effectiveness of the unit, expedited the arrests of offenders such as Beeby, and reduced risk to our communities.

“Child protection is our utmost priority, and I hope the action taken in this case serves as a warning to others who think they can get away with breaching their restrictions that you can’t.”

As part of ongoing improvements in the way SOMU manage and deal with offenders, the team have made 370 arrests in the last year, compared to 349 arrests the previous year, and conducted over 8000 positive compliance visits. With an 81% solved outcome rate over the last year, increasing from the previous 68%, it means that more children are being protected and safeguarded, and more offenders are going through the justice system.

The SOMU is a consistently growing team and is additionally boosted by the Sex Offender Crime Investigation Team (SOCIT). SOCIT is focused solely on investigating suspected offences by registered sex offenders in Greater Manchester. They have made a significant impact since their formation in 2022, with a 94% solved crime rate this year, an increase from the previous year at 88%. This remains the highest in the force.

Description

A prolific offender who physically and sexually assaulted several women, threatened another with a firearm and engaged in sexual communications with a child has been jailed.

Lewis Gleave appeared at Chester Crown Court on Friday 5 September, where he was jailed for a total of four years plus a further 3 years on prison licence, in relation to three separate investigations.

The sentencing comes after the 21-year-old pleaded guilty to three counts of assault by beating, two counts of sexual assault, possession of an imitation firearm with intent, possession of an imitation firearm whilst committing a schedule one offence and inflicting actual bodily harm.

Gleave was also found guilty of two counts of sexual assault and engaging in sexual communication with a child at an earlier hearing.

The first incident occurred on Monday 12 August 2024, when Gleave had been out at Sandbach Park with four others, when he began making inappropriate and sexualised comments towards a 17-year-old girl who was with them.

His behaviour toward the girl further escalated when he tried to hug her without her consent and went on to slap her bottom.

The girl, and a 19-year-old man who was amongst the group, called out his behaviour, to which Gleave kicked the man to the floor and began punching him, accusing him of making up that he had inappropriately touched the girl.

Later that week, on Friday 17 August, the same group were in the park again, when Gleave was described as coming out of nowhere and approaching the group. He, again, slapped the bottom of the same girl he had touched earlier in the week. He also grabbed her head whilst she was sat on a bench and pushed it toward his crotch against her consent.

Gleave targeted the same 19-year-old man as he did previously, kicking him to the floor and demanding he fight him.

The man refused and Gleave left the area. He was arrested a short time later after he was reported to Cheshire Police.

A few weeks later, on Sunday 1 September, Gleave had been speaking to a 13-year-old girl via Snapchat and FaceTime. Whilst talking to the girl, Gleave began asking her questions of a sexual nature, telling her about sexual acts. Some of the conversation was overheard by a nearby adult.

When interviewed by police about this, he admitted to speaking to the girl as he had known her when he was younger, but denied the conversation being sexual.

On the evening of Friday 27 September, whilst still under investigation for the other offences, Gleave approached a 27-year-old near to the Victoria Centre in Crewe and demanded to know if they had been threatening a friend of his.

During this exchange, the victim noticed that Gleave had what appeared to be a gun in a holster under the hi-vis jacket he was wearing and even made stated that he was “carrying”, a reference to being armed with a gun. It was, in fact, a BB gun.

Enquiries in the area revealed that this exchange had been captured on CCTV footage, with an officer identifying Gleave from a tattoo on his neck.

Three days later, Cheshire Police were contacted by a worker at a supported accommodation centre for young people in Crewe, who reported that Gleave had entered the property and physically and sexually assaulted a 17-year-old girl and an 18-year-old woman.

Gleave had dragged one of them across their room and strangled the other, with this only stopping when the boyfriend of one of the victims arrived at the address.

Following these disclosures, Gleave was arrested the same day and interviewed at Middlewich Custody by officers.

He denied any wrongdoing for all of the aforementioned offences until he went to court, eventually entering guilty pleas relating to the three counts of assault by beating, two of the sexual assaults, causing actual bodily harm and being in possession of an imitation firearm.

On top of his custodial sentence, Gleave has been handed a Sexual Harm Prevention Order, five restraining orders and will have to sign the sex offenders register.

Following his sentencing, Detective Constable Lydia Thompson, of the Protecting Vulnerable People Unit, said:

“Lewis Gleave is a prolific and dangerous offender, who continued to offend despite being under investigation for numerous serious offences, without any care or thought for the impact this would have on his victims.

“Gleave has shown himself to be a risk to society, targeting a number of vulnerable people during his near three-month rampage, in which he failed to take no for an answer and attacked those who stood up to him.

“I am glad to see that the courts found Gleave guilty of the offences he refused to hold any accountability for, and I hope that the multiple victims his behaviour has affected can breathe a sigh of relief and begin to move on with their lives.

“I would like to take this opportunity to thank the victims in this case, all of whom have been affected by Gleave’s abhorrent actions in different ways, it was their bravery in disclosing what had happened to them that proved so vital in securing this conviction.

“They can rest assured in the knowledge that even when he does face release, he will be continually monitored by specialist officers to ensure he causes no harm or distress to them again.”