Latest Offenders

Description

A man has been jailed for three years following a collaborative investigation by Essex Police and officers in the East Midlands.

Neil Wilkin had denied attempting to engage in sexual communications with a child and attempting to arrange or facilitate the commission of a child sex offence.

However following a three-day trial at Ipswich Crown Court in October, the jury found him guilty on both counts.

They heard that in 2022 the 55-year-old used an online chat room to discuss and plan committing child sexual offences with another user on the platform who he thought was the mother of a teenage girl.

What he didn’t know was that he was interacting with police officers from the East Midlands Special Operations Unit.

"pack of lies"

In November 2022 Essex Police officers arrested Wilkin at his home in Rose Allen Avenue, Colchester.

He was sitting with numerous electronic devices around him and these were all seized. During a forensic examination of his devices, which showed signs of evidence being deleted, conversation threads between Wilkin and the officer were recovered.

Wilkin didn’t answer questions during interview, but in a prepared statement he denied the allegations, claiming it was all “fantasy”.

On Friday 28 November Judge Kelly sentenced him to three years in prison and said Wilkin told a ‘pack of lies’ during his trial.

He was also placed on the sex offenders’ register indefinitely and is subject to 10-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO).

Essex Police investigating officer Detective Sergeant Nicola Hadfield said:

Wilkin is a sexual predator who preyed on the vulnerability of someone who he believed was under-age.

His deviant behaviour was stopped by collaborative working by police here in Essex and in the Midlands.

We will be managing him as a sexual offender upon his release, and he will be closely monitored.

Safeguarding children and keeping them safe is our priority and we will relentlessly pursue offenders and bring them before the courts.

Description

A serial sex offender has been jailed after being caught with child sex abuse images for a third time.

Benjamin Heron, 33, of Church Road, Northwich, was found with up to 200,000 indecent images during an inspection on March 25.

Chester Crown Court heard that Heron, already subject to a sexual harm prevention order from two prior convictions, lied to officers, claiming his only devices were a Nintendo Switch and two TVs. In reality, he had memory sticks, mobile phones, and a PC.

Analysis revealed he had downloaded and distributed indecent images online multiple times between December last year and January this year.

In a sample of about 600 images, around 300 were Category A—the most serious, involving child rape. He had tens of thousands in total, but police examined only enough to secure evidence.

Heron admitted three counts of downloading indecent images, six of distributing, one of possessing indecent images, and one of possessing prohibited images (non-photographic, such as anime or cartoons, per the Crown Prosecution Service).

He also admitted breaching the sexual harm prevention order at an earlier plea hearing.

On November 21, Judge Patrick Thompson sentenced him to four years and six months in prison. Heron must comply with a lifetime sexual harm prevention order and sex offenders register, and surrender his memory sticks, mobile phones, and PC.

Description

The bravery of a victim of a sexual attack in Bournemouth has helped investigators in their relentless efforts to bring perpetrators to justice.

The woman aged in her 20s was walking in the Lansdowne area after a night out in the early hours of Sunday 29 January 2023 when Alexandru Emilian Muresan, aged 32 and of Bournemouth, approached her in his car.

The defendant offered to give her a lift home before parking outside her address and sexually assaulting her in the vehicle.

The incident was reported to police and detectives from Bournemouth CID led an extensive investigation to identify the vehicle involved and, as a result, Muresan – a Romanian national who gave his self-defined ethnicity as white British – was arrested.

The victim attended The Shores Sexual Assault Referral Centre and also received support from an Independent Sexual Violence Advisor from the STARS Dorset charity, as well as a dedicated police sexual offences liaison officer (SOLO).

Further detailed enquiries were conducted to compile evidence against the defendant and he was subsequently charged with attempted rape and sexual assault by penetration.

He continued to deny the offences but after a trial at Bournemouth Crown Court, during which the victim’s evidence proved crucial, a jury found Muresan guilty of both charges.

He returned to court on Wednesday 26 November 2025 and was sentenced to eight years in prison.

Detective Constable Hele Leech-Wilkinson, of Bournemouth CID, said:

“The victim in this case has demonstrated exceptional strength throughout our investigation – from coming forward to report the matter to supporting our investigation and giving evidence for the trial.

“Thanks to the courage she has displayed, we were able to secure a conviction for this sexual offender and he now finds himself behind bars.

“I hope the example she has set helps other victims of sexual offences find the courage to come forward in the knowledge that they will be fully supported and we will carry out a meticulous investigation to bring offenders to justice.”

Description

A paedophile who used fake online profiles to groom and sexually assault teenage girls has been jailed for 10 years, with an additional three years on license.

Scott Kirkham, from Tameside in Greater Manchester, was caught posing as a teenage after an investigation by our Complex Safeguarding Team in Tameside in conjunction with several police forces.

Kirkham pleaded guilty to 30 offences:

• Sexual communication x6
• Cause or incite a child to engage in sexual activity x10
• Cause a child to watch a sexual act x6
• Engaging in sexual activity with a child x5
• Malicious communication x2
• Sexual assault on a female over 16

Kirkham, (7/2/2002), of Hope Street, Audenshaw, was jailed for 10 years at Manchester Minshull Street Crown Court. He will spend another three years on license, have an indefinite Sexual Harm Prevention Order and remain on the sex offenders' register. 

His offending first came to light after reports from Oxfordshire and south Wales tracked his IP address to Tameside.

He created numerous social media accounts, pretending to be teenager ‘Jake Richardson’ aged 14-16 and using a fake photo to befriend and groom nine vulnerable victims aged from 13 to 17 between March 2020 and April 2021.

He met three of his victims – sometimes with their parents present – in Cumbria and Blackpool, and also sexually assaulted one girl at his address in Tameside.

Detective Constable Angela Pavitt, from our Tameside Complex Safeguarding Team, said:

“We had a report from Oxfordshire and one from south Wales where the IP of the suspect was tracked to Tameside – as part of our investigation we tied these reports to Kirkham.

“Kirkham targeted vulnerable girls, some who were self-harming or in care, pretending to be ‘Jake Richardson’.

“The victims turned to him for help and support – often he would mock them and encourage them to self-harm.

“He met his victims on five occasions, in Manchester, Blackpool, Cumbria and Tameside, and carried out his vile abuse.”

Kirkham was arrested in April 2021 and charged with 41 offences, eventually pleading guilty to 30, and had been on remand since December 2024.

During the investigation, his electronic devices were seized and forensically examined – they included multiple email and social media accounts, and archived WhatsApp chats with teenage girls.

Some of the messages Kirkham sent contained explicit images of his body parts.

DC Pavitt said:

“We welcome the conviction and sentence of Kirkham, who is a manipulative and dangerous individual who posed a significant threat to vulnerable children in our community.

“Kirkham engaged in a sustained campaign of deceit, coercion, and abuse, using fake online identities to groom and exploit young victims.

“Thanks to the bravery and resilience of the victims, and the tireless work of the Tameside Complex Safeguarding Team, under Operation Casement, we have successfully removed a high-risk sexual predator from our streets.

“Kirkham’s actions were calculated and predatory, and his conviction reflects the seriousness of the offences committed.

“We want to extend our deepest gratitude to the victims and their families for their courage throughout the investigation and trial - their strength has been instrumental in securing justice and protecting others from further harm.

“Greater Manchester Police remains committed to safeguarding children and vulnerable individuals. We urge anyone with concerns or information about exploitation to come forward. Together, we can continue to protect our communities and hold offenders accountable.

“You will be believed and listened to, no matter how long ago the abuse occurred.”

Kirkham's actions have had a significant and detrimental affect on his victims.

Our Complex Safeguarding teams are multi-agency units comprising children’s social care and health professionals working with police officers to protect children and young people from exploitation and harm.

Detective Chief Inspector Anna Barker, GMP's Vulnerability Lead in Tameside, said:

"At the heart of the team’s mission is a commitment to safeguarding through prevention, education, and enforcement.

"Police officers embedded within the team attend daily multi-agency meetings to support with decision making, engage directly with children and families, and lead investigations into exploitation offences. 

"This integrated model ensures that children receive holistic support while perpetrators are identified, disrupted, and prosecuted."

Description

A South Cumbrian sex offender who moved to Carlisle is back behind bars after failing to notify police about an online account he created on an adult dating website.

Peter Raymond Davies, 47, formerly of Cobden Street, Dalton-in-Furness, admitted breaching his sex offender registration terms at Carlisle's Rickergate court.

He was placed on the register in July last year after convictions for attempting to incite a female child to engage in sexual activity and attempting sexual communication with a child.

When confronted by police about the account, Davies claimed he thought the site was merely a social media platform.

A probation officer informed District Judge Philip Holden that Davies has been recalled to prison to serve the remainder of his 20-month jail term, with release not due until November next year.

The judge imposed a two-week jail sentence but noted that law prevents it from running consecutively to the recall term, so Davies serves no additional time.

He warned that future breaches would lead to escalating prison terms: “You will be going to prison for longer and longer if you continue to breach these orders.”

In March last year, police were alerted by an online child abuse activist group, leading to an investigation that revealed Davies communicating sexually with someone he believed was a 14-year-old girl.

Davies admitted the offenses in police interviews, receiving a two-year-and-four-month jail sentence and a 10-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order.

Temporary Detective Sergeant Stewart Glendinning said at the time: “Peter Davies engaged in online conversations with a person he believed to be a 14-year-old girl.

"Despite the decoy profile informing Davies of her age, he continued to engage in sexually explicit conversation. Fortunately, there was no actual 14-year-old girl but that does not dilute the seriousness of his offending."

Description

A sex offender who failed to declare an address change and bank account details to police has received a suspended prison sentence.

Ricky Bennett, 36, is subject to notification requirements as a registered sex offender and must report personal details and changes to police.

But he neglected to inform them of his move to supported accommodation with vulnerable residents and of opening a new bank account, preventing monitoring, Workington Magistrates’ Court heard.

Prosecutor Pamela Fee said Bennett was convicted of a sex offence in Australia and deported to England last year.

She noted he must notify new bank accounts within three days but failed to do so on August 4 last year.

The court heard Bennett was invited to the police station, given a copy of the requirements, and signed to confirm understanding.

After the undeclared account surfaced, Bennett told police he thought they would obtain the details and said they “should have checked.”

A second breach occurred when he moved from Standings Rise, Whitehaven, to supported accommodation at Peter Street.

Police conducted an unannounced visit to Standings Rise on September 13 but got no answer. Bennett later admitted living at Peter Street since June 19.

Ms. Fee said he went unmonitored for three months with “no reasonable excuse,” despite being a five-minute walk from Whitehaven Police Station.

The court also heard Bennett committed theft at Superdrug in Whitehaven on October 16, taking Palmer’s body lotion, Loreal eye products, fragrance items, hair wax, and Loreal face wash worth £75. He was identified by his offender manager via CCTV.

Ms. Fee summarized it as Bennett’s third set of breaches; he was “well aware” of requirements, yet police were unaware of his location for three months amid vulnerable people.

Bennett, of Peter Street, Whitehaven, admitted two charges of failing to comply with Sex Offenders’ Register notifications and one count of shop theft.

Defender John Cooper said Bennett had no prior trouble before the Australian matter last year, had served in the British Army, and suffers PTSD.

On notifications, Mr. Cooper said: “They are quite lengthy forms when you have to register. Every email address, every login for every website you use.

“He thought he had given them the bank details. He hasn’t.

“The more serious allegation is the fact he’s moved address. It’s the Peter Street hostel – it’s accommodation set up in Whitehaven, monitored with CCTV. It’s also got staff working there.

“Police usually have a good idea who is moving in and out the address. I’m quite surprised he was in the Peter Street hostel for that amount of time without police being aware.

“It could be because he has been convicted in Australia, it hasn’t flagged up. Having been made aware of his past, they have allowed him to stay there and he remains there until this day.”

Mr. Cooper added Bennett stole due to lacking money, calling it “a stupid thing to do” amid investigations for graver offences.

Magistrates imposed a nine-month custodial sentence, suspended for 24 months. Bennett must complete 20 rehabilitation activity days and pay a £40 fine, £75 compensation to Superdrug, and £187 victim surcharge.

Description

A man has been jailed for 30 years after physically and psychologically abusing a woman which led to her being raped and stabbed.

Gurwinder Singh, aged 36 has been sentenced after years of controlling behaviour and assault against a woman.

He began his campaign of abuse by verbally insulting and degrading her, then he began to physically assault and stalk her.

On 6 May last year he attempted to murder the woman after stabbing her several times.

He forced his way into her address with a knife and threatened to kill her. She was then stabbed multiple times to her arm, chest and stomach.

Singh then proceeded to undress and rape her and repeatedly threatened to kill her.

We arrested Singh shortly after on suspicion of a number of offences including attempted murder and rape.

Singh from Walsall was found guilty following a trial earlier this year and appeared at Stafford Crown Court this week for sentencing.

The court was told it was only a matter of millimetres that Singh didn’t kill her.

Detective Sergeant Chloe Collins who led the investigation said:

“Singh’s 30 year sentence shows the severity of his violent behaviour that lasted several years.

“This culminated in May last year when the woman nearly died. She told officers who arrived at the address that if they hadn’t have responded when they did, she would’ve been dead.

"I want to acknowledge the incredible courage and resilience shown by the victim throughout this investigation. Her strength has been instrumental to this case.

“Singh is a very dangerous and controlling man and is rightly behind bars for a long period of time.

"Our commitment to supporting victims of domestic abuse and sexual offences remains unwavering. We will continue to work tirelessly to ensure they receive the protection, care, and justice they deserve.

"I also want to recognise the dedication and professionalism of our specialist teams—both internal and external—including our forensic departments, digital forensic unit, the Crown Prosecution Service, and partner support agencies. Their expertise and collaboration have been vital in securing this outcome."

Description

A paedophile has been jailed after sexually assaulting young girls in Burnley.

Sick Vincent Walker abused his young victims over a year long period leaving them traumatised and fearful.

The sexual predator was arrested after two of his victims told their parents what he had been doing to them.

After his arrest and charge in March this year further victims came forward to report similar abuse.

Walker, 72, of Rawson Street, Burnley, pleaded guilty to a total of 23 sexual offences, including engaging in non-penetrative sexual activity with a girl aged 13-15, assault by touching, cause a child under 13 to watch / look at an image of sexual activity, engaging in sexual activity in presence of a child under 13 and breach of a sexual harm prevention order.

The five female victims were aged from just eight to 13 years old when Walker abused them.

At Preston Crown Court he was today (Friday, November 28th) jailed for 11 and a half years with a two-and-a half years extended licence.

Walker was classed as a dangerous offender and will also be on the sex offenders register indefinitely and has an indefinite Sexual Harm Prevention Order.

Det Con Amber Forshaw, of our child protection team, said:

First and foremost I want to praise these girls for having the courage to some forward and talk about what Walker did to them, it cannot have been easy, and I am full of admiration for them. I hope that this sentence gives them and their families some sense that justice has been done and that they can now try and move on and rebuild their lives.

Walker is clearly a dangerous sexual predator with a depraved sexual interest in young girls, and I am pleased that his conviction and sentence mean he will now be behind bars for a significant time and that people will be protected from him.

If others have suffered similar abuse, I would urge them to come forward and talk to us, safe in the knowledge that we will investigate professionally and sensitively and will look to put offenders before the courts and to provide justice for victims.

Description

A man has been given a prison sentence of more than 20 years for raping and sexually assaulting a girl.

Mark Williams, 45, (pictured) committed the offences in Preston when the girl was in her early teens.

The victim disclosed to work colleagues what had been happening to her, and a colleague reported it to the police.

Lancashire Police’s Child Protection team launched an investigation and Williams was arrested.

He claimed that he had consensual sex with the girl when she was 16.

When Williams was arrested, thousands of indecent images - at least 2,500 of which were of the highest category of seriousness - were found on his phone.

Williams was not in the dock at Preston Crown Court to hear the sentence imposed on him today (28th November), with him refusing to appear on a live link from prison where he was on remand.

In his absence, he was given a 20-year sentence for the rape offences, comprising 18 years in prison and an extended two-year licence period.

For the indecent images’ charges, a consecutive one-year sentence was imposed, taking the overall sentence and extended licence period to 21 years.

The judge deemed him a dangerous offender and Williams will have to serve two thirds of the sentence before being eligible to apply for parole.

A sexual harm prevention order was imposed on Williams and a restraining order put in place to protect the victim.

Williams, of no fixed address, had pleaded guilty earlier this year to charges of rape, causing a female to engage in sexual activity, assault by touching, assault by penetration, and possession of indecent images.

However, he had initially denied the charges and a trial commenced, Williams only changing his plea to guilty after the victim had given her evidence to the court.

Det Sgt Aria Mahoney of the Child Protection team, said:

“Williams committed disgusting sexual offences against a young girl, and I welcome the lengthy prison sentence imposed on him.

“His offending was abhorrent, and Williams’ manipulative behaviour continued during the court process when he ran a trial before changing his plea – but only once the victim and another witness had given evidence.

“I urge anyone who has been a victim of sexual crime to report it to police. We will thoroughly investigate the offences, support you and strive to bring offenders to justice.”

Description

A judge has praised a passer-by for thwarting a potential rapist during a street assault in Monkwearmouth, Sunderland.

Ian Hudson, 42, of no fixed address, was sentenced to nine years in prison on November 13 at Newcastle Crown Court for eight offenses, including attempted rape, sexual assault, non-fatal strangulation, and assaulting officers, Northumbria Police reported. He will be on the Sex Offenders' Register for life and subject to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order.

The attack occurred on December 30 last year. Hamzah Albar, a 23-year-old Saudi Arabian student, was heading to shops when he saw Hudson assaulting the woman. After his phone battery died during a police call, Albar confronted Hudson, chased him away, grabbed and held him down despite being punched in the face, and flagged down motorists to alert authorities.

In June, Hudson was convicted of two counts of assault occasioning actual bodily harm, common assault, non-fatal strangulation, sexual assault, and attempted rape. He had pleaded guilty to exposure and assaulting a PC.

The victim's court statement read: "I didn't know there was evil out there like him but now I have seen evil, and it terrifies me." She added: "That night I honestly believe he would've killed me if the witness hadn't come along."

Judge Recorder David M Gordon commended Albar: "I wish to formally commend Mr Hamzah Albar for his extraordinary courage and public-spiritedness. Mr Albar intervened without hesitation to prevent the rape of the complainant who was in clear and immediate danger. In doing so, he not only placed himself at personal risk, but was in fact assaulted by the defendant as he restrained him until the police arrived."

In a police-shared video, Albar said: "He knew what he had done was despicable and he was trying to run away from the consequences as urgently as he could. Ultimately, I was not going to let that happen."

Albar later met the victim, who said she had resisted for minutes but was about to surrender when he intervened.

Detective Constable Hayley McIntosh stated: "The offences which Ian Hudson inflicted on his victim were truly horrific."

Description

A Chester-le-Street man who groomed and sexually abused a teenager has been jailed for 13 years.

Jonathan Paton was 31 when he met the girl online after telling her he was 20 years old, and that his name was ‘Jonny’.

He quickly struck up a conversation with her on Snapchat and then arranged to meet her in summer 2020.

Paton, now 36, encouraged the girl to go to his house where he had sex with her. He then continued to have sex with the teenager for several months, and even said she should have his baby once she turned 16.

The girl bravely reached out to police to report she had been raped after several incidents where she told Paton ‘No’ but he continued to have sex with her.

After the victim came forward, Paton tried to erase all previous contact with the girl by deleting messages and removing her off Snapchat.

He was arrested and, while in interview, denied the offences of rape and denied having any sexual contact with the victim.

However, downloaded text messages from his phone proved the allegations.

Paton was charged with rape of a child and four counts of sexual activity with a child as well as grooming.

He was found guilty following a trial and appeared at Newcastle Crown Court on Wednesday (November 26) where he was sentenced to 13 years in prison.

He was also placed on the sex offenders register for life and handed an indefinite restraining order, as well as sexual harm prevention order (SHPO).

Detective Constable Liam Padget, from Durham Constabulary’s Online Child Abuse Investigation Team, said:

“Paton continuously told us how he had met the victim but nothing sexual had ever happened. He also claimed he did not know how old the victim was however this was overturned when officers uncovered his messages back and forth with her.

“Paton knew that the victim was a child and was therefore vulnerable, but he continued to sexually abuse her for his own gratification. He knew exactly what he was doing.

“We are constantly working with specialist officers to monitor, expose, and jail similar sexual abusers like Paton.”

Description

A "dangerous" child rapist from Hertfordshire has been jailed for 16 years.

Kieran Logan, 48, was sentenced at St Albans Crown Court on November 27, after pleading guilty to multiple offenses in September.

He was arrested in May 2024 when a victim came forward, revealing crimes dating back to 2003. In August, police seized his devices, uncovering two more victims and thousands of indecent images of children.

Logan was convicted of:

• Three counts of making indecent images of children (Categories A, B, and C)
• One count of sexual activity with a child
• One count of sexual assault of a child
• Three counts of sexual assault by penetration
• Two counts of rape of a child
• One count of sexual assault by penetration

Detective Constable Debbie West, of the Joint Child Protection Investigation Team (JCPIT), said: Firstly, I would like to commend the victims and their families for their support during this investigation, I want to commend them all for their incredible bravery in the face of an extremely difficult time.

Kieran Logan is a dangerous offender and has had lasting effects on his victims, but I do hope that seeing him sentenced will go some way in helping them to move on from his abhorrent crimes.

Logan preyed on young girls and used his position as an older man to hold power over them. Hes a sexual predator who will now remain behind bars for years to come, and his sentence reflects the severity of his crimes and the harm he has caused."

She added: We know it can be incredibly challenging to come forward to report incidents of sexual assault. We take reports of sexual offences very seriously and we will do everything we can to ensure that victims feel like their voices are heard and that offenders are brought to justice.

Logan, of Rushden Road in Buntingford, received 16 years in prison with a six-year extended licence period. He faces a lifelong Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) with strict conditions, lifelong placement on the Sex Offenders' Register, and restraining orders to protect his victims.

Description

A man has been jailed for life and a second man has been jailed for 15 years for offences including rape in Portsmouth and Southampton.

Bruno Sala, 39, who is of Portuguese nationality and previously of Middle Park Way in Havant, appeared at Portsmouth Crown Court today (Friday 28 November) where he was sentenced to life imprisonment, with a minimum term of 20 years, for six counts of rape, one count of assault and two counts of encouraging or assisting the commission of an offence.

The offences took place in Portsmouth and Southampton between 2019 and 2021, and were committed against three women in their 40s.

An investigation by Operation Amberstone teams found that Sala had met the women online and had begun relationships with them. During the relationships however, he had begun to abuse and rape them, often using violence to control them or utilizing drugs as part of the offending. In some cases, Sala subjected the women to repeated rapes and abuse.

On one occasion, when one of the woman refused consensual sex, Sala told her that he was her boss before forcing himself on her.

He also arranged situations for a second man, Edson Domingos, to rape one of the women.

Sala told the woman on one occasion that his friend hadnt raped her, as he had given him his permission.

Domingos, 41, who is of UK and Angolan nationality and formally resided on Elm Grove in Southsea, also appeared at the same court today, where he was sentenced to 15 years imprisonment, plus 3 years on licence due to dangerousness, for two counts of rape.

DC Nick Sandford-Smith from the Operation Amberstone East team said:

What has been very clear from the testaments of the women who have suffered at the hands of these men, and from our subsequent investigations, is that they are two very dangerous individuals.

Sala, who is currently already serving a 28-year jail sentence for a previous rape conviction, created situations in which he would meet a woman through a dating app and gain their trust, before revealing his true personality and subjecting them to truly horrific physical and sexual abuse.

He viewed these women as his possessions and felt that he could do with them whatever he so pleased, including offering them to other men for sex without their consent.

Sala enabled Domingos to help him continue this abhorrent abuse, carrying out despicable crimes against another human being.

The details of their actions are truly sickening and some of the most abhorrent behaviour I have ever come across.

I cannot commend the women who have stood up to these two men enough. The strength and resilience shown by all in both reporting to us, and in seeing this through the courts, is incredible.

These men have been brought to justice today because of the immeasurable bravery of these women, and whilst no sentence will ever truly be enough, I hope that seeing them put behind bars will be a step in the right direction towards rebuilding their lives.

Description

A depraved pervert who left his victim "broken" through repeated rapes and sexual assaults has been jailed for over 20 years.

Stuart Cox, 63, escalated his abuse over years by using pharmaceutical stimulants to sustain it. He remained impassive at Teesside Crown Court as the victim's impact statement revealed her devastation.

The victim, who cannot be named, wrote: Since the time of the crimes, I have been isolated keeping myself to myself. I didnt want to talk or open up because it has been a really long battle for justice.

I would often wonder how much longer before I would get my peace and justice.

She added: Im never going to forget it. What happened to me is going to stick to me like glue.

I have never been the same emotionally. I feel broken, defective and this is due to what happened to me I am just shattered and never picked up all the pieces.

Prosecutor Paul Cleasby said Cox, of Sandport Walk, Stockton, was convicted of 14 offences, including multiple rapes, attempted rapes, sexual assaults, and assaults by penetration.

Mitigating, Andrew Turton noted Cox's medical issues and productive use of remand time, adding: He is expecting a significant period in custody.

Judge Timothy Stead imposed 21 years' custody plus a one-year extended licence, stating: The victim will never forget these matters. It is quite apparent that her life in every aspect has been badly affected.

She refers to herself as broken and she has a fear that she will not be regarded as good enough for an ordinary relationship in the future.

I fear that she will bear the marks and anguish of this offending for the rest of her life I hope it is not so but I fear it is a near inevitability that it will be.

Cox received an indefinite sexual harm prevention order, indefinite restraining order, and lifelong registration on the sex offenders register.

Description

A man has been jailed for 33 years after carrying out horrific sexual and physical abuse.

68-year-old Stephen Poulton, of Ellis Gardens in Hemlington, Middlesbrough, was convicted of 28 offences following a trial at Teesside Crown Court.

The horrendous sexual and physical violence was some of the most harrowing that officers from the Child Abuse and Vulnerable Adults Team had heard during their careers.  

At Teesside Crown Court today, Friday 28th November, Stephen Poulton was sentenced to 33 years in prison.

Detective Inspector Joanne Lamb, from the Child Abuse and Vulnerable Adults (CAVA) Team, said:

“Today’s sentencing marks an important step towards justice in this case. We want to first recognise the extraordinary courage shown by the victims. Coming forward to speak about deeply painful experiences is never easy and their strength has been essential in bringing the truth to light.

“We hope this outcome provides some measure of comfort for the victims, and we thank them for their bravery, resilience and trust throughout this process. Their actions have not only helped secure accountability for these horrendous offences, but may also protect others from harm.

“Whilst all forms of abuse are difficult to comprehend, this is a particularly harrowing case, and despite the officers working on it being experienced, they were visibly impacted by the details and levels of abuse perpetrated by Poulton.

“We also want to remind anyone who has experienced or is currently experiencing abuse that support is available. You are not alone. We encourage you to speak out. No one should ever suffer in silence, and today’s sentencing demonstrates that when victims come forward, their voices are heard.”