Latest Offenders

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A Welsh dad has been jailed after his conviction for the serious sexual abuse of a schoolgirl.

Mahmut Icer, of Bryn Street in Ruabon, appeared at Mold Crown Court on Thursday.

The 43-year-old had previously been convicted by a jury of eight counts including causing or inciting a girl under 16 to engage in sexual activity and penetrative sexual activity with a girl under 16.

In his summary of the case, Judge Rhys Rowlands said that over about 18 months beginning in 2018, Icer had groomed the girl by giving her gifts and money totalling £2,800.

He got the child to send him indecent videos and images of herself, sending images and videos of himself performing sex acts to her in return.

During the period of the offending, he had sex with the girl in Wrexham - then "repeatedly" travelled into England where he would meet her in a hotel for sex.

When the girl told him she wanted it to stop, he threatened to show others the images she'd sent to him.

Ffion Tomos, prosecuting, read a victim impact statement from the girl.

Ms Tomos read: "She describes how she hates herself for letting it happen - she felt trapped and manipulated.

"It has affected negatively on her work at school and her studies. She talks about how this defendant took her innocence and provided her with a false perception of what love is and what a relationship should be."

Ms Tomos also read from a statement provided by the girl's mother, in which she said: "She describes how [she] changed and became a different child.

"She lost a lot of weight and seemed very low in confidence.

"Her grades at school have slipped and her mother also confirm the negative effect the court process has had on her, having to relive what she'd gone through."

Simon Rogers, defending, told the court that the defendant came over from Turkey in 2001 and is the father to two children. "This period of imprisonment will be extremely difficult for this defendant, being away from his children," he said. "Perhaps more importantly it will be extremely difficult for them."

Judge Rowlands told Icer: "You were convicted by the jury of eight counts which involved the serious sexual abuse of a girl. "Having read the pre-sentence report and observed you during the trial, I see absolutely no evidence of remorse on your part, or indeed any understanding of just how wrong your behaviour was.

"Quite the opposite - in as much as you continued to blame the victim, suggesting you were misled by her.

"You cultivated her friendship and gave her both gifts and money with a view to your being able to have a sexual relationship with her.

"This was completely wrong and it went as far as you having sexual intercourse with her, this happening on more than one occasion with your repeatedly travelling and booking hotel rooms in order to do so.

"It was all sordid and I have no doubt you knew full well what you were doing was illegal.

"Your behaviour affected the victim's school work, caused her to feel depressed and lose confidence."

Judge Rowlands sentenced on the two 'lead offences' - those being the first and last time Icer had sex with the victim - to reflect his overall culpability.

He imposed a five year custodial sentence in respect of the first and a seven-and-a-half year sentence in respect of the second, to run concurrently.

That makes a total jail term of seven-and-a-half years.

No separate penalty was imposed in respect of the other six counts.

Icer must register as a sex offender indefinitely and has been made the subject of a sexual harm prevention order.

He was also made the subject of a restraining order prohibiting him from contacting the victim for five years and was placed on a barring list preventing him from working with children and vulnerable adults.

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A SEX offender found guilty of historic abuse involving five young girls in Ayr has been jailed.

Brian McCulloch was given an extended custodial sentence after being convicted by a jury in December of 11 charges of historic child sexual abuse, dating from 2005 to 2022.

The 50-year-old, previously of Catrine, had denied the allegations, with jury members hearing the abuse left one victim suffering nightmares while another told of being assaulted in Ayr’s former Odeon cinema while watching a Harry Potter film. 

The court listened to recorded police interviews with young females, with cross-examination completed during a pre-recorded commission hearing held remotely in the same court. 

One of the women gave evidence in person, stating “that’s incorrect”, "again that's incorrect" and "that's a lie" when McCulloch's denials were put to her. 

One girl told police McCulloch assaulted her on numerous occasions into her early teens, saying: "He sexually abused me, obviously I couldn't consent."

She added: "I didn't understand."

The witness claimed that McCulloch said if she told her family "they wouldn't believe you, not love you anymore and think you're dirty", adding, "so I just never told anyone".

A second teenage witness told police she had been indecently assaulted while she was of primary school age.

She said: "He would stick his hand on my bum then rub it, and just be a weirdo."

"It just didn't feel right," she added. "One time I asked 'what are you doing' and he said 'it doesn't matter'."

The jury heard a recorded interview during which the youngest complainer told police: "I didn't like him. He touched my full body and I didn't like it."

Another complainer told officers: "I remember him running his hands up and down my body, His hands were rough like sandpaper, he was a bit rough, he wasn't gentle. It was as if he was feeling me. I wish he wasn't alive."

Taking the stand in his defence McCulloch branded the accusations "rubbish".

He said: "I cannot think of one reason why the allegations have been made. The allegations have really affected my life."

He was found guilty of all charges when verdicts were returned late last year following a trial at Ayr Sheriff Court.

When he returned to court last week defence solicitor Tony Currie said: "Your lordship will remember this case well, the matter proceeded to trial and he was convicted of all charges.

"At 50-years-old he is appreciative absolutely of the position he finds himself in.

"I always find the [social work] reporting process in these cases can be difficult, on the one hand he went to trial and maintains his innocence, and he is equally accepting of the verdict of the jury. The consequence is he is a man who is prepared to accept the inevitable.

"He is a man with no previous convictions and no cases outstanding. Throughout his adult life he has been in full time employment.

"The report speaks of anger, frustration and other emotions attributed and presentation in the reporting process.

"Sadly as is all too common in these cases, as a direct consequence of the verdict then [press] reporting of the verdict he has been subject to abuse and violent threats since the last calling of the case.

"He will comply with any disposal considered in the circumstances and has been subject to [sex offender] notification requirements since the verdict."

Sheriff Desmond Leslie said: "This was a trial of some duration and you will appreciate the jury took a significant period of time to consider their verdict - the only distinction on the charges was whether the verdict was unanimous or by majority.

"You fully appreciate the serious nature of these offences and what the disposal is likely to be and inevitably that will be custodial.

"You will be sentenced to a period of four years, three years in custody and one additional year in the community in an extended sentence."

The sheriff granted non-harassment orders forbidding any contact with the victims for five years.

McCulloch was told he would remain on the sex offenders register for an indefinite period before being handcuffed and led down to custody.

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A sex offender drunkenly groped a schoolgirl after 'targeting' her on the back seat of a bus, a court was told.

Gary Ashley Wynn ignored other empty seats after getting on the bus in County Durham and made his way to the rear of the vehicle where the girl was with a friend going home from school at 4.10pm on December 11.

Durham Crown Court was told the 49-year-old defendant, who has previous sexual offences on his record, deliberately sat close to the girl, between her and her friend.

Paul Cleasby, prosecuting, said Wynn engaged the girl in conversation as he drank from a can of beer, before placing his hand on the inside of her right thigh.

The incident was captured on the in-vehicle CCTV, showing the defendant leaning towards the girl with his hand moving in her direction.

Mr Cleasby said the girl, who was agitated and distressed, moved towards the front of the bus with her friend, who alerted the driver to what had happened.

The driver contacted the police, while the defendant got off the bus at the next stop, before urinating in public outside.

He was arrested and when interviewed told officers he had been drinking and could not recall touching the girl, claiming he did not think he had done so.

But, at a plea hearing at the court, last month, Wynn, 49, of no fixed address, admitted a charge of sexual assault.

A victim statement was read to the court in which the girl said she was initially angry, then unhappy when "the man" touched her.

She was worried she might have to give evidence at a trial but was relieved to be told the defendant had pleaded guilty.

But she said she had been worried about possibly seeing him in public.

It led to her initially becoming wary of men and even male teachers at school.

She has since refused to get on a bus alone.

The girl added that as time has gone on she has felt a little more assured, knowing the defendant was in custody.

She also thanked people who assisted her at the time, including her friend and the bus driver, who took immediate action.

The court was told the defendant has previous convictions for sexual assault on his record, most recently receiving a 16-month sentence in April 2023, for a similar incident involving a vulnerable female with learning difficulties, also on a bus.

He was also made subject of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) after an offence of exposure, in 2021.

Jonny Walker, for Wynn, told the court there was little mitigation he could put forward on the defendant's behalf, other than the fact he "quite properly" admitted the charge at the plea hearing, enabling the victim to be informed to offer reassurance there would not be a trial.

"He would wish, through me, to apologise.

"He's genuinely apologetic for his actions and has insight into his offending.

"He recognises what he did was extremely wrong.

"It was clearly degrading and humiliating to the victim."

Mr Walker said while in custody the defendant has taken steps to engage with the drug and alcohol services as well as the education team and others who can assist him before he regains his liberty.

"He is actively taking steps to remedy those poor decision-making incidents which have troubled him over the last few years."

Judge Advocate Tom Mitchell told Wynn: "You are 49 with 16 convictions for 26 offences, some of which are of great relevance, including several for breaching SHPOs, and one conviction for knife possession.

"I have read the assessment of the Probation Service.

"It makes difficult reading.

"This was predatory behaviour, targeting a child in public, while you were intoxicated, all aggravating features of the case.

"I agree with the author of the report that you pose a high risk of causing serious harm to the public, children and particularly lone children."

Judge Mitchell said it was fortunate that the victim received prompt assistance, including from her friend and the bus driver.

"You put her in a dreadful position by your actions that day.

"What you did was degrading and humiliating on someone who was particularly vulnerable due to her circumstances, aggravated by the fact you were drunk and by your previous convictions."

Imposing an 18-month prison sentence, the judge said there was "no question" of it being suspended, given the defendant's actions and record.

He told Wynn: "I do consider you to be a real risk and I do hope in the future that risk can be managed."

The judge extended the defendant's SHPO to ten years, while for the same period he will also be subject of notification requirements as a sex offender.

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A PROLIFIC registered child sex offender has been locked up once again for breaching the terms of his Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) just a matter of weeks after he was released from prison.

Nathan Parker, of HMP Preston, received a five-year custodial sentence in March 2020 for similar offending before being recalled for breaching his SHPO, Preston Crown Court heard.

His Honour Judge Richard Gioserano said the 31-year-old was jailed until September 23, 2024, before eventually being released.

However, within weeks, the court heard Parker had breached the terms of his SHPO and notification requirements once again.

Prosecuting the case, Kiera Shaw said the defendant told his offender manager, DC Chadwick, he was of no fixed abode and that he didn't have any mobile phone in his possession on September 25 last year.

Ms Shaw said the defendant then asked the officer if he could visit his mother’s address on Ennerdale, Dalton, between October 2 and October 6, which was agreed, as long as it wasn’t for a long-term basis.

Nevertheless, the defendant was seen living at the Dalton address permanently after a member of the public reported matters to the police on November 1, the court heard.

As a result, DC Chadwick and another officer attended the address where they witnessed Parker using a mobile phone whilst sat on the sofa.

DC Chadwick described Parker as having a ‘look of terror and panic’ on his face when he saw them.

Ms Shaw said officers obtained entry to the property and asked the defendant where the mobile phone was to which the defendant replied: ‘What phone?’

The court was told the defendant then threw a black mobile phone out of the window.

Ms Shaw said: “When officers arrested the defendant, he said ‘oh no, not again’ before collapsing on the floor and curling up into a foetal position.”

Examination of the electronic device revealed Parker had in his possession one prohibited image of a child, three category A indecent images of children and a further three category C images.

The court heard he had eight previous convictions for 29 offences.

In mitigation, Claire Larton said: “His guilty plea at the first opportunity is his best form of mitigation.

“He is someone who clearly finds it difficult to cope in the community. He is very stressed, anxious and panicky at times.

“He has struggled with accommodation and there is clearly a lack of structure there. He is now getting some support in custody and tells me prison is the best place for him at the moment.

“He is working in custody and is involved in letter writing for other prisoners on his wing.

“He wishes to explore the possibility of being diagnosed with autism in order to support him in the future.”

Judge Gioserano imposed a 32-month prison sentence for the six offences.

Before determining the length of jail term, he told the defendant: “Nothing that has been done with you so far has put a stop to this.

“Many will think I should step away from the guidelines and impose a sentence that is longer than the last time, but that is not the way sentencing operates.

“There will come a time when the judge does not feel the need to apply the sentencing guidelines.”

Parker is still subject to an indefinite SHPO and notification requirements.

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A convicted Maidstone sex offender has been jailed for multiple breaches of an order designed to curb his behaviour.

Owen Payne had previously received a suspended prison sentence for attempting to incite a child to engage in sexual activity and was also made subject of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) that required him to notify police of any internet-enabled devices he had access to.

In September 2024 during a routine check of his home in Cornwallis Avenue, patrols seized three mobile phones, a tablet, a gaming device and a computer. None of the devices nor any of Payne’s 16 online aliases had been reported to police under the terms of his SHPO.

Further searches of the address led to the seizure of nine bladed weapons including knives and swords.

Payne, 24, was subsequently charged with breaching a SHPO, failing to comply with notification requirements and multiple counts of possessing an illegal weapon in a private place. He pleaded guilty to all offences and was sentenced to two years and eight months’ imprisonment at Maidstone Crown Court on Tuesday 4 February 2025.

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Connor Behan has been convicted of a string of sexual offences following a seven-day trial at Chester Crown Court. 

On Wednesday 18 December, Behan was found guilty by unanimous verdict of counts of multiple rapes of a girl under 13, multiple sexual assaults by touching of a child under 13, and engaging in sexual activity in the presence of a child on multiple occasions.

He was found not guilty of an additional count of sexual assault by touching of a child under 13.

The 33-year-old of Heath Avenue, Newcastle-Under-Lyme, has since been remanded in custody and is set to be sentenced on Friday 31 January.

Cheshire Police launched an investigation into the abuse in October 2022, following a disclosure made by the victim to a teacher at her school.

The jury heard how Behan had sexually assaulted the victim on multiple occasions, starting in May 2019, when the victim was just seven years old.

As part of the investigation, a seminal detection dog was deployed which found traces of Behan’s semen on a blanket owned by the victim.

Behan was immediately arrested and subsequently charged.

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A Dundee man has admitted taking photos under women’s clothing on a train journey in Fife, at a plush Edinburgh hotel and at an insurance broker in the capital.

David Bathgate, 42, targeted one of his three victims while on a ScotRail train between Inverkeithing and Kirkcaldy on January 19 2023.

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A 'dangerous' sex attacker made a chilling threat as he grabbed a 'petrified' woman around the neck. Ben Cotterill pounced as his victim made her way home alone and told her: "I could f****** rape you right now."

The woman was walking from Stoke-on-Trent railway station at 10.15pm when she saw Cotterill standing in the middle of the road. He shouted at the woman before running towards her, Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court heard.

Prosecutor Barry White said: "He wrapped his arm around her neck and pressed himself against her back and bum. She said, 'Get off me', several times. He said, 'I could f****** rape you right now'. She was terrified and continued to scream."

Mr White continued: "He held on to her for a minute, rubbing his crotch against her backside. He pushed her into a fence with force. She continued to say, 'Get off me'.

A delivery driver came to the terrified woman's aid and pushed Cotterill away and the woman ran home, StokeonTrentLive reports. Mr White continued: "The driver said, 'What are you doing? Do not be touching girls'. The defendant replied, 'I can touch who I want'."

Cotterill, of The Moat, Weston Coyney, denied assault when he was arrested but later pleaded guilty to sexual assault. He also admitted two charges of theft from a shop after he stole a hot tub from B&Q, Meir Park, and a bottle of vodka from Bargain Booze, in Trentham, on October 15, 2024.

In a victim impact statement, the woman said the ordeal had left her shocked and extremely shaken and in need of counselling. She said her mental health had suffered and she feared she would never be the same person again.

The court heard Cotterill had been diagnosed with psychosis and suffered from depression and anxiety. Rashad Mohammed, mitigating, told the court: "It was an isolated one-off incident which is unlikely to be repeated. This was an unpleasant incident.

"His memory at the time was extremely poor. He was behaving irrationally. The reason for that was because of the substance he had consumed. He had taken drugs at the time. It was opportunistic. He asks me to express his regret and remorse. He has not taken drugs for a number of months. That is something he is proud of. It has blighted most of his life."

Cotterill - who had four previous sexual offences on his lengthy criminal record of 66 convictions and 149 offences - was jailed for 32 months and placed on the Sex Offenders' Register for 10 years.

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A 26-year-old registered sex offender has been sent back to prison after he breached his Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO).

Myles James Winfarrah, previously of Northampton, was convicted in 2019 of sexual assault against a woman.

He was placed on the Sex Offenders’ Register as a result and issued with a SHPO, meaning that he had to abide by some very strict conditions when he was released from prison.

However, in March 2024 he breached his requirements when he had sex with someone without notifying the police of their name, address and telephone number within seven days of the event.

He was also found to be developing a relationship with the same woman without notifying the police of her details as well as failing to notify police of an address where he had stayed for a period of 12 hours or more where a child resided.

Then, in September, he again breached his requirements by failing to have registered at a police station within three days of leaving prison.

He was arrested and subsequently charged with two counts of breaching his SHPO and two counts of breaching his notifications requirements.

After pleading guilty to the offences at Northampton Crown Court in November, he returned to the same court in December where he was sentenced to one year and two months in prison.

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A depraved serial sex offender who repeatedly defied court orders designed to protect the public and brazenly failed to learn his lesson from his many previous prison sentences has been jailed again.

Seedy pervert Robert Wynn seemed to be "addicted" to sick sexual images involving animals and he persisted in going to great lengths to try to outfox the police and continue to look at the vile pictures, Hull Crown Court heard.

Wynn, 38, of Brecon Avenue, east Hull, admitted three offences of breaching a sexual harm prevention order and two offences of possessing extreme images of bestiality.

Blaise Morris, prosecuting, said that a five-year sexual harm prevention order was made by Hull magistrates in November 2022. Wynn was later released from prison. A spot check monitoring visit was made on January 1, 2023 at the bail hostel where he lived and an unregistered phone was found.

Its internet history had been deleted between December 27 and 28, 2022 but 13 extreme images were found. Wynn's phone was examined on March 28 last year and eight extreme images were found.

On April 14 last year, police were unable to make contact with Wynn and his father said that he did not know where he was. The next day, it was discovered that Wynn had failed to charge the battery of his electronic tag and it had stopped sending signals. This was a breach of the sexual harm prevention order.

Wynn had convictions for 15 previous offences, including five of possessing indecent or extreme images. He had been jailed for two years in November 2011 for making indecent images of children and possessing extreme images offences.

Wynn breached a sexual harm prevention order and was jailed in 2014. He had been jailed for four months in 2016 for possessing indecent images of children and he was jailed in 2017 for 16 months at Hull Crown Court for possessing indecent images of children and breaching a sexual harm prevention order.

He was jailed at the same court in May 2018 for two years and four months for breaching a sexual harm prevention order and breaching his notification requirements as a sex offender. Wynn was jailed for two years and eight months in 2021 for offences including failing to comply with his notification requirements as a sex offender.

Ben Hammersley, mitigating, said that Wynn had an unenviable record for sexual offences. "He would like to apologise for his actions," said Mr Hammersley.

"He is deeply, deeply sorry for his persistent breaching of his notification requirements. He has been doing well. There has been no further offending.

"He realises that there are issues that need to be seriously addressed if he is to be prevented from offending in the future. He has not been in work for a long period."

Judge Mark Bury said: "He appears to be addicted to images of bestiality and he persists in looking at them."

He told Wynn: "You are not learning your lessons. Sexual harm prevention orders are there for a purpose. They are to try to prevent you from looking at images which are prohibited.

"You seem to be addicted, or certainly were, to those types of images. You went to quite a number of lengths to disguise that.

"The time has come when you have to be punished and deterred because, at the moment, you are just not learning lessons. Time and again, you take no notice of court orders, which are meant to protect society at large, and the reason you don't is that you have your own sexual gratification at the forefront of your thoughts."

Wynn, who had been on bail, was jailed for three years.

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A CONVICTED child sex offender has been charged with breaching the terms of his Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) and failing to comply with his notification requirements.

Louis Killip was jailed for 18 months in August 2023 after he attempted to incite a child to engage in sexual activity and attempted to engage a child in sexual communication between November 16 and December 3 2020.

On that occasion, the 52-year-old was also made the subject of a SHPO and notification requirements after he used Snapchat to solicit images and send pictures of his penis to who he believed to be a 14-year-old girl.

The defendant, of Vernon Street, Barrow, has now been charged with four counts of failing to comply with the notification requirements of the sex offenders register, one count of breaching his SHPO and a further count of making one indecent photograph of a child.

Court charges indicate Killip failed to notify police of a number of alias’s and names used on Facebook, Google Instagram and TikTok on January 23 this year.

He is also said to have failed to produce an internet enabled mobile device upon request to the police on January 21.

The Crown Prosecution Service further allege Killip made one indecent photograph of a child on November 11 2024.

Killip offered no indication of plea to the offences at South Cumbria Magistrates’ Court on January 25.

Magistrates sent the case to Preston Crown Court where he will next appear for a plea and trial preparation hearing on February 26.

They remanded the defendant back into custody ahead of the hearing due to his previous record and character, as well as deeming he would be likely to offend.

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A detective who sexually assaulted a police officer and staff member has been brought to justice for his abhorrent behaviour towards his colleagues after they bravely came forward and supported prosecutions.

Detective Sergeant Richard Mills, aged 42, of Rochdale was sentenced to 18 months in prison at Liverpool Crown Court today (Friday 7th February 2025). Mills has also been placed on the sex offender registry for ten years.

This comes after he was found guilty of two counts of sexual assault in December last year by a jury verdict and released on bail pending today’s hearing.

The convictions involved two incidents of forceful sexual touching in 2016 and 2020 while Mills was based in GMP’s Oldham district and in our Crime Coordination Unit at Nexus House.

Now criminal proceedings have concluded, gross misconduct proceedings will take place.

Detective Superintendent David Jones, within our Professional Standards Directorate, said: “DS Mill gravely abused his position of trust and authority within the force when he assaulted his female colleagues for his own perverse gratification.

“It was through their brave disclosure that we built a strong prosecution case.

“Cowardly, Mills denied any wrongdoing. Notwithstanding he has been held accountable for the harm he caused after the victims endured a two-week trial and testified in front of a jury.

“Their tenacity and strength shown throughout our investigation and legal proceedings is commendable and should be recognised as the driving force behind reaching today's outcome, whereby Mills is starting a jail term as a convicted sex offender.

“He is unfit to serve the public and has been barred from policing. We will now be writing to the Deputy Mayor of GM to appeal for Mills to lose his right to a police pension.

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Fife’s notorious “urban hunter” subjected children to sickening rape ordeals over a four-year period.

Brandon Robb, 28, preyed on two little girls and a young boy at locations in Leslie between May 2011 and May 2015.

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Two men have today, Thursday 6 February, been jailed for raping a woman in Liverpool city centre.

The charges relate to an incident in the early hours of 20 April 2024 in which a woman was raped inside a property.

The woman reported the matter and within a matter of hours officers were able to identify the offence location and arrest both men.

Whilst on bail, the mobile phones of the suspects were downloaded and intimate videos of the woman were found on the devices of both men, which appear to have been made without her knowledge.

Both men denied the allegations but following a trial in January, Shuaib Iboko-Akoh, 24, formerly of Harrington Street, Liverpool and Evaristus Ozumizi Akerele, 25, from Luton, were both found guilty of rape and voyeurism.

Today at Liverpool Crown Court they were both jailed for a total of seven years. They were also both ordered to sign the sex offenders register for life.

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A paedophile who made more than 1,700 indecent images of children has been jailed for 10 years.

Robert Norman, 41, was arrested by officers at his home in Drybread Road, Whittlesey, in January last year after police received information he had downloaded indecent images of children.

The officers seized two Samsung mobile phones and a hard drive, which were found to contain 1,716 indecent images.

The phones contained evidence Norman had been speaking sexually to whom he thought was a ten-year-old girl and passing her details to other potential sex offenders.

Norman had also breached a Sexual Harm Prevention Order - handed to him in 2015 following a conviction for indecent images of children - numerous times.

He had not informed officers about one of the Samsung mobile phones capable of accessing the internet, which was hidden under a pillowcase, and handed the other phone over. 

Norman also used the internet to speak with the girl and deleted the web history from all devices which was also a further breach of his Sexual Harm Prevention Order.

In addition, he failed to inform officers of new online usernames - a breach of his Sex Offender Register Notification Requirements.

On Friday (January 31), at Cambridge Crown Court, Norman was jailed, having pleaded guilty to three counts of making indecent images of children, three counts of breaching a Sexual Harm Prevention Order, one count each of breaching notification requirements and attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child.

DC Claire Cummings said: “Noman is a very dangerous prolific offender; he is a complete danger to children as well as the wider community and he has complete disregard for the law by continuously breaching his Sexual Harm Prevention Order.

“I am pleased with the sentence which Norman received, this sends out a clear message that we will look to protect children and the vulnerable from harm.” 

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Colin Gregory aka Anthony Luckwill

A notorious paedophile from Nottingham offered to pay a young teen in California thousands of dollars to "recruit" young boys to pose naked for his sexual gratification. 

Nottingham Crown Court heard how Nottinghamshire Police called in the FBI to help investigate "manipulative and deceitful” Anthony Luckwill, who has been previously jailed in Wales, Ireland and Scotland over the past 20 years but is now living in Sherwood under the new name of Colin Gregory.

Examination of his electronic devices found sick abuse videos, some of which he shared with like-minded perverts and one called “14-year-old and 12-year-old by the pool”.

Handing him a 10-year jail sentence, Judge Michael Auty KC said: “You offered to pay a 15-year-old who lives with his mother in California, the princely sum of $1,000 to appear in a video with you for up to three hours to satisfy your insatiable appetite for teenage boys. This is all set among a backdrop of your truly horrific previous convictions. You pose a high risk to teenage boys and I fear it is virtually certain you will continue to offend in this way.

“There is no doubt you present a serious ongoing danger. You will forever remain an immense danger to those you lust (after). You are a manipulative and deceitful individual when the need arises.”

At the start of the sentencing hearing, prosecutor Stephen Kemp outlined some of the 16 convictions for 60 offences Gregory has on his criminal record. He said they included prison sentences and suspended sentences since 2004 in South Wales, Dublin, Scotland, Guernsey and Nottingham.

The prosecutor said the defendant's address in Pelham Road was visited by the police on September 21, 2023, and his devices were seized and analysed. Mr Kemp said it revealed that, among other deviant behaviour, he was communicating with the teenager in Los Angeles.

He said: “They entered an agreement whereby the defendant would pay him to recruit a number of boys for a photo shoot with him agreeing to pay for footage of up to 100 boys posing either naked or in their underwear. He then incited the boy to have a video chat with him for up to three hours with sexual activity and offered to pay him $1,000 just for that. The FBI became involved who offered information that the boy was 15 years old and lived with his mother in California.”

Gregory pleaded guilty to charges including possession of indecent images of children, breaching a sexual harm prevention order. conspiracy to produce indecent images and inciting a child to engage in sexual communication.

Kevin Waddingham, mitigating, said his client has “largely led an isolated life” and has “very little in the way of a family network”. He said: “He would ask the court to be as lenient as possible. He has a positive outlook about his future and he would ask not to have that crushed.”

The whole sentence is 18 years, made up of 10 years of custody and an eight-year extended licence. It means Gregory will not be eligible to apply for parole until halfway through the custodial element.

He will also remain on the sex offender register for life and has a lifetime sexual harm prevention order.

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A man has been jailed for the rape and attempted rape of two women in Warrington.

Mariyan Grudev, formerly of Thelwall Lane, Latchford, Warrington, was sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 14 years at Liverpool Crown Court on Thursday 6 February after previously pleading guilty to one count of attempted rape.

The 39-year-old was also found guilty of one count of rape after a trial in July 2024.

On Saturday 29 July 2023, at around 3.10am, a woman was walking along Winwick Road when a man, who was unknown to the woman, began following her.

He then grabbed her from behind and attempted to drag her into bushes. Thankfully, the woman escaped unharmed and sought help from a passing taxi driver.

A media appeal was subsequently issued by Cheshire Police using a CCTV image of the suspect. He was later confirmed to be Grudev, who was arrested on Sunday 30 July 2023 and later charged with attempted rape on Tuesday 1 August 2023.

Following these charges, he was investigated as a suspect in a previous similar incident in Warrington. This occurred on Sunday 22 December 2019, when a woman who had been on a night out in Warrington town centre was walking back to her address at around 2.20am, and described being approached by a man.

The victim was not able to recall the exact events following this interaction but she was in pain and believed she had been raped.

Forensic swabs taken from the victim did not come back with any results or DNA matches at the time. In 2023, following Grudev’s arrest, his DNA was tested against DNA from the 2019 incident, which provided a match. He was subsequently charged with rape in November 2023.

On top of his custodial sentence, Grudev will also need to sign the Sex Offender Register.

Description

A Kirklees sex offender who sexually abused a child more than three decades ago has been jailed for 20 years. 

Yusuf Kayat (54) of Dewsbury was sentenced at Leeds Crown Court today ( Wednesday February 5th) for serious sexual offending against a child in the Dewsbury and Mirfield areas between 1989 and 1992.    

Jurors today found the 54-year-old guilty of 17 offences including unlawful sexual intercourse with a girl under 13 and indecent assault on a girl under 14, at a trial which began at Leeds Crown Court in late January.  

He was also found guilty of aiding and abetting indecent assault on a girl under 16.   

Leeds Crown Court heard the victim was just 10 years old when the offences started in locations such as cars and derelict buildings.   

Investigations into Kayat’s offending began in 2021 when the victim was identified and spoken with.   

DCI Oliver Coates of Kirklees District Police, said:

“We welcome the sentencing of Yusuf Kayat for multiple serious sexual offences against a victim who was only 10 years old when he began to abuse her.   
“Kayat groomed and then committed some extremely serious sexual offences against the victim for a number of years.    
“ I want to praise her courage for supporting the police investigation into this man’s appalling offences against her, and then working with us and our partners in the CPS to bring him before a jury.   
“Thanks to her bravery, this man has now been made to pay for what he did to her and will be in prison for a number of years to come.”  
He added: “This case again demonstrates that the passage of time need not be a barrier to justice for victims and for the police and CPS to bring those responsible of such offending before the courts.   
“We continue to urge any victims of sexual abuse in Kirklees who may not have made reports to the police, for whatever reason, to contact us.   
“Specially trained officers will listen, investigate, and do what they can with partners to support you.”
 

Julia McSorley, Specialist Prosecutor for the CPS’s Organised Child Sexual Abuse Unit, said:

“Yusuf Kayat used a young vulnerable child for his own sexual gratification and passed her around to others to do the same.
“Not only has he burdened the victim with the traumatic and lasting effects of his offending but by denying what he did to her, he has also forced the victim to relive the awful events she experienced during the trial. The prosecution team, in collaboration with West Yorkshire Police, was able to build a strong case to present to the jury, who found Kayat guilty.  
“My thoughts are with the victim of these appalling crimes. The Crown Prosecution Service would like to thank her for the incredible courage she showed in giving evidence, which was instrumental in bringing the offender to justice. 
“The CPS remains dedicated to pursuing justice for victims of child sexual abuse and will continue to work tirelessly with law enforcement partners to hold sex offenders accountable - no matter how much time has passed since they committed their crimes.

Description

A Watford man has been put behind bars after failing to comply with the requirements of being on the sex offenders' register.

Francis Keeley, of no fixed abode, was sentenced to 56 days' prison after he appeared at Hatfield Magistrates' Court on Monday (February 3).

Court papers state that the 51-year-old showed a "flagrant disregard for court orders", meaning that "only a custodial sentence" could be justified.

On January 21, Keeley left his address and failed to register a new address or no fixed abode status within three days, therefore breaching his requirement to register with police under the Sexual Offences Act 2003.

Keeley's guilty plea was taken into account when sentenced.

The force had appealed for help to trace him last week, describing him as being on recall to prison.

Description

Software used by the police to monitor convicted sex offenders led to the discovery that a man living near Snodland was accessing thousands of illegal images of children.

Richard Faulkner was the subject of a sexual harm prevention order (SHPO), which prohibited him using any device capable of accessing the internet unless it had been installed with a web monitoring program.

The SHPO had been made by the courts in January 2024, following previous convictions related to Faulkner and the access of indecent images.

Several months later, on 26 August, an alert was raised in connection to a computer Faulkner had registered with Kent Police. This showed he had again been accessing illegal material.

He was arrested days later, and searches were carried out at his home near High Street, Wouldham.

The computer was seized, along with several other devices not previously made available to police for inspection and which was another SHPO requirement.

Lies exposed

During an initial police interview Faulkner denied any wrongdoing, claiming he no longer had any sexual interest in children. He insisted he had no knowledge of how illegal images would be on his computer.

His lies were exposed when the device was later forensically examined, along with another hard drive.

Hundreds of thousands of illegal images were detected. These included more than 160 photos and videos in the most serious category, showing children suffering appalling abuse. 

Faulkner, 70, pleaded guilty at Maidstone Crown Court to multiple counts relating to making indecent images of children, and for breaching the SHPO.

He also admitted failing to comply with sex offender notification requirements, having not registered a number of bank and credit cards with police.

On Tuesday 4 February 2025, Faulkner was sentenced to three years’ imprisonment. This included the activation of a previous suspended sentence.

Manipulate

Sergeant Steph Kirkin said:

‘Faulkner had been the subject of strict measures designed to reduce the risk of him reoffending.'He attempted to manipulate the monitoring software placed on his computer, in attempts to disguise the fact he was frequently seeking access to disturbing and harmful images, many of which include the horrific abuse of children.‘Sexual harm prevention orders are passed by the courts to help protect children and as this case shows, we will do everything we can to ensure those who ignore them face the consequences of their actions.’

Description

A man was found with sick images of children and videos of upskirting. Mark Harrison of Sheil Road, Kensington, was jailed for making, taking and possessing indecent photographs of children.

Harrison was arrested after officers, in response to intelligence, executed a warrant at his home in March 2022 and seized a number of digital devices for forensic examination.

The 63-year-old pleaded guilty to six charges relating to the images, which were of category A, B and C seriousness, a further five charges of recording images under clothing without consent (upskirting) and one charge of possessing extreme pornographic images.

He was jailed for two years when he appeared at Liverpool Crown Court on Monday, February 3. Detective Chief Inspector Phil Atkinson said: “We have a duty to protect our communities from harm and to deter individuals from committing these types of horrific offences and we will continue to seek to identify and convict those who engage in this behaviour.

“I hope this sentencing encourages anyone who has been a victim of any sexual offence to please contact us. We have a specialist team ready to treat you with respect, care and compassion and make sure that reports are properly and thoroughly investigated.

Description

A CREEP caught sharing hundreds of child abuse images claiming he 'loved lil teens' has been allowed back into the community after a sheriff spared him a prison term.

Mark Webster was placed on a further sexual harm prevention order - restricting his use of social media sites - when he returned to the dock last week.

The 32-year-old admitted to taking, permitting to be taken or making indecent images between April 20 and July 15, 2023.

The sex offender also admitted to a second charge of distributing or showing indecent images from April 20 to July 20, 2023 from his home in Merrick Drive, Dalmellington.

Webster claimed he was "going to sue" our Ayrshire Weekly Press reporter claiming we had "no right to be in" his hearing when he pleaded guilty on December 4 at Ayr Sheriff Court.

Not guilty pleas to further allegations, including that he had possession of extreme pornography depicting females with dogs, were accepted by prosecutors.

A procurator fiscal depute told a previous hearing: "The accused was found in possession of 759 indecent still and moving images from category A to C.

"There was also evidence on his mobile phone of file sharing, suggesting he was involved in distributing child sexual exploitation and abuse material.

"On May 22, 2023 information was received by Police Scotland giving reasonable cause to believe that the accused had possession of indecent material of children. A search warrant was granted and officers from Police Scotland attended his home address on July 20."

Police seized a Samsung mobile phone from Webster's bedroom and informed him that it would be examined.

The fiscal depute added: "An interim examination was carried out on July 21 which confirmed indecent material. On the same date, he returned to his home address and was arrested and conveyed to Kilmarnock police office.

"He made no comment during interview and replied 'nope' to caution and charge. He was released on an undertaking to appear in court."

The court heard that 340 inaccessible category A still images were discovered on Webster's device - the worst level of abuse.

Various chat threads were recovered on one application, Telegram, containing messages from the user requesting details from others to trade in indecent content.

Various acronyms were found that associated him with child sexual exploitation and abuse material.

The fiscal depute said: "Further chats on Snapchat were found and several associated the accused with child abuse material and sending media files. The content of some files is unknown having expired.

"The accused stated he liked young girls and at one point said he 'loved lil teens'."

When he returned to court with his face covered by his jacket for sentencing on January 28, defence solicitor Derek Pettigrew said: "In terms of the report, I can't stress enough his anxiety that he may be going into prison."

Addressing the dock, Sheriff Mhairi MacTaggart said: "Can you take that down from your face please?"

Mr Pettigrew continued: "Clearly some intervention is required moving forward.

"I can see no benefit to a period of incarceration but there is benefit in my lady placing him on an order. He appreciates he will need to be monitored in the community.

"Because of this offence remaining in the Dalmellington area will not be an option for him, so he will have to be somewhere else and monitoring will be necessary."

Sheriff MacTaggart said: "Mr Webster, it's a stark choice for me whether to send you to custody or the community. I have to say on balance I have to consider public protection, and consider getting you assistance to address offending in this way in the hope to prevent offending further.

"The reality is that's not something likely to be achieved by sending you to prison for the amount of time I could send you to prison. You should be in no doubt my primary concern is protecting the community, so there will be very stringent monitoring of you and I'm sentencing you to the maximum period."

He was placed on a community payback order under supervision for three years - and ordered to take part in the Moving Forward Making Changes programme which aims to address sex offenders' behaviour.

He will remain on the sex offenders register for three years.

He was also placed on a strict sexual harm prevention order restricting his internet and social media use for five years.

Description

A Fife paedophile is back behind bars after he flouted a 99-year internet ban by trying to arrange the sexual abuse of a pre-pubescent child.

Dangerous predator Jon Walker exchanged horrific messages with a depraved mother online, despite being banned from using social media until the 22nd century.

Description

Five different young women and an underage girl were pestered over a four-year period by a Nairn sex offender.

Codey Masson, who had a previous conviction for a similar type of sex offence that he committed during the same time period of August 2015 to August 2019, appeared at Inverness Sheriff Court.

Description

A serial sex offender has been found guilty of creeping into a woman’s home and staring at her from the foot of her bed.

Robert Basterfield was convicted of entering a neighbour’s property and watching her while she slept.

Description

A man from Amesbury has been jailed for raping a woman in her own home.

Ben Churcher, 22, of Muggleton Road, Amesbury, was given a 28 month sentence on January 31 at Salisbury Crown Court.

He will be on the sex offenders register for 10 years and a restraining order prohibits him from contacting the victim for five years.

Churcher raped his victim in 2020 and she lived in silence for a year before reporting the incident to the police in 2021.

During this year, the victim thought about suicide and felt as though she couldn't talk to anyone about what had happened.

In a statement read to the court, Churcher's victim said: "I felt dirty in my own skin and couldn't handle feeling so alone anymore.

"My family suffered too - they worry about me and my future. They worry about leaving me at home."

Churcher was found guilty following a trial which concluded on November 27, 2024. This trial left his victim unable to sleep, focus and work as it brought all the trauma he caused her back.

The victim said: "I have spent years in fear that Ben would come after me due to his threats.

"I repeatedly had his friends and family call me a liar and I felt like I couldn't step outside my house most days.

"Ben spent so long telling me that no-one would ever believe me but I finally feel I now have closure and people know the truth."

Detective Constable Deborah Laycock said: "I'd like to thank the victim in this case for showing an enormous amount of bravery and fortitude throughout the process of bringing Churcher to justice.

“Anyone who has been a victim of a sexual offence is urged to report it to us. We will help you and continue to put perpetrators before the courts."

Description

A high-risk sex offender who groomed and sexually assaulted a 12-year-old girl has been jailed as part of a 17 year extended sentence.

Paul Bryant, 43, bought sex toys to abuse the youngster and encouraged her to go on the contraceptive pill as part of calculating and manipulative behaviour.

Kings Lynn Crown Court was told his behaviour was part of a plan to coerce the girl into sexual activity over a number of weeks.

Marc Brown, prosecuting, said it was clear and obvious grooming and that it had included additional degradation of the girl who he had nicknamed tiny p****.

There was a significant degree of pre-planning formulated at least six weeks before the offences that constituted a clear plan for sex, he added.

Bryant, who lived in south Norfolk at the time of the offences, had denied the charges but was found guilty of assault by penetration of a child under 13 and two counts of making indecent images of children following a trial.

The search history of his phone, seized when he was arrested in March 2024, showed he had trawled for films of young girls using terms including petite sweetie and child model parties.

In a statement read in court the south Norfolk girl said she suffered flashbacks and a sense of feeling sick and disgusted.

She said she had tried to distract herself while he was abusing her by imaging hard maths sums.

Her mother added that his actions had a significant impact and she had lost her childhood innocence.

Sentencing Bryant, from Haddenham, near Ely, to an extended sentence made up of 11 years in prison and a further six years on licence, Judge Andrew Shaw told him: There is no doubt in my mind this was calculating and manipulative.

I do not recognise any mitigating features. There is simply no remorse here.

Imposing a lifetime sexual harm prevention order, he said he continued to pose a high risk to children.

Investigating officer, DC Donna Read said: I would like to commend the bravery of our victim who came forward and enabled police to secure justice against Bryant.

I hope that this lengthy sentence provides some comfort to them and allows them to begin rebuilding their lives, with him behind bars for the foreseeable future.

Description

A man who groomed and raped or sexually assaulted 11 children has been brought to justice after detectives in Salford uncovered his offending spanning over two decades from 2002 to 2023.

Carl Jones (aged 57) of Little Hulton has been sentenced to life in prison with a minimum term of 25 and a half years.

He sentenced at Minshull Street Crown Court for 47 offences, which include multiple counts of rape of a child under the age of 13, oral rape of a child under the age of 13, sexual assault of a child under and over the age of 13, engaging in sexual activity in the presence of a child, causing a child to engage in sexual activity, and indecent assault.

Jones pleaded guilty to all charges on 9th September 2024 and was placed on the on the sex offender’s registry indefinitely.

Description

A "depraved predator" who exposed himself, chased and sexually assaulted students and schoolgirls in broad daylight in a city-centre underpass has been jailed.

Police said Robert Emmerson, a previously convicted sex offender, targeted women and girls as young as 13 in Manchester between 2023 and 2024.

The 40-year-old, from Wythenshawe, was convicted at Manchester Crown Court of five sexual assaults and on seven counts of indecent exposure.

Speaking after Emmerson was jailed for four years and six months, Detective Constable Tamsyn Muller said his victims "held a genuine belief that this man was going to go on to rape them or kill them".

'Long-term psychological impact'

The court heard Emmerson targeted students heading through an underpass on Cambridge Street, under the Mancunian Way.

He was also convicted of assaulting two girls, aged 13 and 16, in the Baguley and Wythenshawe areas of the city.

Det Con Muller said Emmerson "picked [his victims] up in a bear hug-style grip before taking them to the ground and groping them over their clothing".

She said he "targeted lone women and was so brazen that he attacked them in the daytime, not caring if people passing by could hear or see him committing his crimes".

The detective said Emmerson's crimes had left a long-term psychological impact on the women and girls.

She said they "still feel like they can't relax in public, and always have to look over their shoulder".

'No regard for women'

CCTV footage showed Emmerson arriving in Manchester city centre after catching a bus from Wythenshawe.

After attacking his victims, he was seen walking round before jumping on a bus back to Wythenshawe.

Following Emmerson's arrest, an identity parade was organised, where five of his victims recognised him as their attacker.

When officers then searched his home they discovered the coat he had worn during the attacks.

They also found his details on the police database, reading that he had been arrested in 2015.

Det Con Muller said Emmerson chose to wear a t-shirt reading "nope, not today" when she was interviewing him.

"He tried to stare me out while I was asking questions and answered no comment," she added.

She described Emmerson as "a dangerous sexual predator who had no regard for women".

Description

A CARLISLE man who stalked and sexually assaulted a woman he hardly knew greeted her with the words “Hello Sexy,” a court heard.

The defence lawyer representing 46-year-old John Mooney at the city’s Rickergate court suggested the defendant's worrying behaviour may have been linked to the breakup of his marriage.

Mooney admitted sexual assault and stalking, as well as failing to surrender to the court on three occasions.

The trouble began in June last year after Mooney moved to a new area of Carlisle, prosecutor George Shelley.

“He then undertook a persistent course of conduct – personal advances towards the victim,” said the prosecutor, who described how the stalking behaviour continued for a month or so.

Mooney first introduced himself to the woman, who is in her thirties. “As the weeks went by, he began talking about his personal situation, which made [the woman] feel uncomfortable,” said the prosecutor. 

Mooney began asking the woman to go drinking with him and, despite her repeatedly refusing, he kept asking her. He also began asking her questions about her personal life.

“She made it clear that she didn’t wish to discuss this with Mr Mooney,” continued Mr Shelley. “She told him it was none of his business and that she wanted him to stop asking such personal questions.”

It was during this encounter that the defendant put his arm around the woman and touched her inappropriately.

The woman immediately moved away and asked him what he thought he was doing. He later sent her a letter apologising, attempting to explain his behaviour. 

The following day, he appeared outside her home, but she remained inside, hiding. Even after these events, when Mooney saw the woman, he would greet her with: “Hello Sexy.”

Mooney, now of Margaret Creighton Gardens, Carlisle, had no previous convictions, the court heard.

Sean Harkin, defending, told magistrates: “It appears to have been an isolated incident at a time when the defendant had broken up with his wife; and he was going through a bit of tough period.

“That doesn’t excuse his behaviour but it provides some context.  He wants to apologise to the victim.” Mr Harkin added that Mooney posed a low risk of reoffending.   

Concluding there was a realistic prospect of rehabilitation, magistrates imposed a 16-week jail term but suspended it for a year.

The sentence includes a restraining order banning any contact with the victim and Mooney was told his name will be on the Sex Offender Register for seven years.

He must pay £85 costs and a £154 victim surcharge.