August 2013

XBox child sex pervert jailed for eight years

AN internet paedophile who used video games consoles to groom young boys has been jailed for eight years.

Tristan Jackson, 23, lured his young victims through XBox Live, Facebook and Skype, disguising his depraved sexual motives as an interest in gaming.

Jackson, of Irene Avenue, Grangetown, Sunderland, committed a string of sexual offences against a total of six young boys, the youngest of whom was only 12.

The pervert initially told one of his victims he was 13, met another while playing Warhammer in Sunderland and another at a fencing competition.

All of the boys were under the age of 16 when they were pursued by Jackson during a three-year period from March 2009 until 2012.

Newcastle Crown Court heard that Jackson engaged three of the children in “serious sexual activity” and obtained indecent photographs of the other three for his own sexual gratification.

One child said he had been “creeped out” by his ordeal, while another had started getting into trouble at school.

One victim said he had felt “pressured” into engaging in sexual activity, while another boy said he had felt “threatened” by Jackson.

Simon Worthy, prosecuting, said: “Jackson was initially talking about gaming and then using that to initiate talking about sex.”

The court also heard Jackson was found with almost 4,500 indecent photographs of children on his computers, covering all levels of seriousness, some of which he sent to one of his young victims.

Jackson was arrested on January 19 after the NSPCC and Crimestoppers raised concerns about the defendant to police.

Officers searched his home and took away his computers, leading to the discovery of the images from which police were able to identify the victims.

Lee Fish, defending, said: “He simply felt more comfortable in the company of young people. He was himself a conflicted individual in terms of his own sexual preferences and sexual identity.

“There is a distinction between consensual sexual activity, which is plainly what confronts the court in this case, and non-consensual sexual activity. There was none of the aggravating features we usually find in this sort of case.”

Jailing him yesterday, Judge Brian Forster said: “You engaged in serious sexual activity with three children. Your interest is such that you have committed offences against six children.

“Your offending has had a considerable impact on the lives of your victims.

“It is clear to me that the impact of what you did will continue for many years. You lack full insight into what you have done.

“You have tried to suggest at least some responsibility on the part of your victims.

“It’s clear to me that the responsibility is entirely your own.”

Jackson pleaded guilty to three counts of sexual activity with a child, three counts of sexual grooming, three counts of possessing indecent photographs of a child, 12 counts of making indecent photographs of a child, two counts of making indecent photographs of a child and two counts of causing child pornography.

He was also given a sexual offences prevention order for 10 years and was disqualified from working with children.

On his release from custody, he must notify police of his address.

August 2013

Redditch man jailed for 10 years for sex offences, thanks to bravery of his victims

A REDDITCH man has been jailed for 10 years for historic sexual offences against young girls.

Graham Ingram, aged 70, of Ansley Close, appeared for sentencing at Worcester Crown Court on Driday, August 9, after he was found guilty of eight charges of indecent assault, rape and gross indecency at a trial held there in July this year.

Judge Daniel Pearce-Higgins jailed him for 10 years, which he must serve concurrently from Friday’s court appearance, alongside another 10-year sentence imposed by the same court in April last year for four charges of indecent assault, gross indecency and rape.

At that time the court also ordered him to remain on the Sex Offenders Register indefinitely.

Both of the victims were known to Ingram.

One of the victims was aged around nine years old when he began sexually assaulting her in the late 1970s, and he raped her repeatedly between the ages of 12 and 14.

The other was also aged nine when Ingram began sexually assaulting her 20 years later in the late 1990s.

Detective Constable Amjad Iqbal of West Mercia Police said: “Ingram was outwardly a decent and respectable man, trustworthy, responsible, and a pillar of the community. However behind closed doors it was a very different matter and he abused the trust placed in him in the worst way.

“The first victim in particular was systematically abused over a long period of time, and both victims were badly affected by what happened to them.

“They were then put through the further ordeal of having to give evidence at the trials, but their bravery in coming forward and being willing to stand up in court has ensured other children are now protected from Ingram.

“This case is particularly disturbing because the offences took place over a sustained period of time, during which Ingram would have come into contact with other children. We believe there are likely to be more victims, and we sincerely hope they take some comfort from the substantial sentences handed down by the court.”

August 2013

Pervert finally brought to justice

A man who subjected three girls to a campaign of sexual assaults which began when he was just 11 has been jailed

Andrew Jones used the girls, who were as young as seven, as playthings for his perverted pleasures.

He sometimes even invited pals to join in the abuse, which continued until he was 17.

But it was years before Jones, 44, from Farnham, Surrey, was brought to trial.

He was found guilty of one offence of rape, 13 of indecent assault and three of indecency with a child.

Moments before he was sentenced to 12 years in jail at Guildford Crown Court, two of his victims made victim impact statements.

They blamed Jones’s parents for allowing the abuse to continue after they had been alerted to what was happening.

One said: “I hate Andy for what he did to me. He’s never apologised to me or had the guts to admit what he’s done.”

Jones was placed on the Sex Offenders’ Register for life and banned from working or associating with children.

August 2013

Snared: Pervert who planned to abuse young boy trapped by undercover policewoman in Gorton

This is the moment a predatory paedophile who used an internet chatroom to try to find a seven-year-old boy to abuse was snared in a police sting.

Depraved Neil Beverley believed he was exchanging internet messages with a man who would introduce him to the boy he could abuse.

But unbeknown to Beverley he was writing directly to a police officer monitoring and recording his every word.

A meeting was arranged at Debdale Park, Gorton, and the M.E.N. was there as stunned Beverley, 48, was met by two undercover police officers and arrested. Beverley, from Wythenshawe,  even sent a text message to his ‘contact’ when he arrived, saying: ‘I’m here’.

Beverley, of Abbotsleigh Avenue,  can now be unmasked after he was convicted of child sex offences, including storing and distributing vile images of child abuse, and jailed for six years.

Beverley – who worked as a credit controller and has no previous convictions – bizarrely claimed he was carrying out research and had intended to ‘trap’ a paedophile then contact police.

But a jury at Manchester Crown Court saw through his lies.

Beverley  was found guilty of five counts of possessing indecent images of children, two counts of distributing indecent images of children, a charge of attempting to arrange or facilitate a child sex offence and a charge of arranging a child sex offence.

The court heard he used a chatroom to exchange messages with a police officer posing as a man who would organise a meeting with a boy, who police called ‘Chris’.

The meeting at the car park of the McDonald’s restaurant at Debdale Park took place in March last year.

An examination of Beverley’s computer after his arrest revealed another attempt to meet a child for abuse, although it is understood no meeting took place, the court heard.

A collection of vile child abuse images and videos were also found.  The judge, Recorder Philip Cattan, said the courts would ‘do all they can’ to protect children.

He told Beverley: “What you did was to join a vile chat room and discuss in graphic detail your desired abuse of children. There were discussions of the utmost depravity. You were searching for someone who could provide you with a child.

“I have no doubt that what you wanted to do was real.”

A Sexual Offences Prevention Order, which limits Beverley’s internet use and prevents contact with children, will run indefinitely. The court heard Beverley, who sobbed uncontrollably and rocked  throughout the hearing,  continue to maintain his innocence. He shouted ‘I did not do it’ as he left the dock in handcuffs.

Beast’s sick chat – to police on other end of line

Vile Neil Beverley exchanged about 100 internet and email messages for more than a month in his quest to meet a boy he could abuse.

But in reality he was swapping information with a police officer sitting at a desk at GMP’s sexual crime unit, based at Nexus House in Tameside.

What he wrote – which is too horrific to print – was all the evidence police needed to prosecute him.

Det Con Kirsty Simcox led the investigation at the unit, which is dedicated to catching paedophiles who trawl the web to groom and abuse children.

Thousands of conversations are logged in a bid to catch paedophiles who stalk online chatrooms.

Offenders try to build up trust over hours of chat – only to manipulate youngsters.

Beverley was using a French-based file sharing website and police began to exchange messages with him in a covert operation.

The dialogue continued through instant messaging on Skype, email and text messaging. All of it was saved and logged for court.

Police welcomed the sentence – and said it sent out a strong message of deterrence.

Det Con Simcox said: “I have no doubt that Beverley would have gone on to commit child sex offences.

“GMP is committed to detecting and investigating those who prey or seek to prey on children via the internet.”

August 2013

Children’s illustrator downloaded more than 1,000 indecent images of children and bestiality

A CHILDREN’S illustrator collected more than 1,000 indecent images of child and bestiality images on his computer.

Father-of-two Michael Komarnyckj, 56, was caught when he accessed a website being monitored by the police, Gloucester Crown court was told today, Friday.

Smartly dressed in a dark suit and tie, Komarnyckj, of Fir Tree House, Nailsworth, admitted 10 charges of possession of illegal images.

The court was told that Komarnyckj’s wife was fully aware of the offences and that the couple remained in a stable relationship.

He was given a 12 month jail term suspended for two years with supervision and a requirement to undergo the Thames Valley Sex Offender Programme.

He was also fined £1,000, ordered to pay £500 costs and a £100 surcharge.

Judge Jamie Tabor QC told him “This is a sad day for you. You have brought utter disgrace upon yourself and I suspect huge embarrassment as well – not only for yourself but for your wife and two children.

“Your are the fifth man in his fifties to appear in this court before me in the last two weeks for downloading this type of filth “One day we will understand why men of your age find it necessary for sexual gratification to look at images of young children and of people suffering violence and indignity.

“The images you looked at showed children suffering the most appalling indignities.”

Prosecutor Julian Kesner said police raided Komarnyckj’s home with a search warrant and seized three computers and a separate hard drive, Nine hundred and eighty two illegal images were found.

There were 874 child porn images at the least serious Level 1, two at Level 2, 13 at Level 3, 33 at Level 4 and none at the most serious Level 5.

Police also found 177 extreme pornographic images involving people with animals. And there were 157 prohibited cartoon images.

When arrested and interviewed by police, Komarnyckj made frank admissions, said Mr Kesner.

Mohammed Iqbal, defending, said Komarnyckj is a man of previous good character with two adult children. His family were fully aware of the offences and he remained in a stable relationship with his wife, he said.

“The family are working hard to get through this he has their full support,” he said.

“He is a children’s book illustrator, a freelance, although that does not pay a huge amount of money. He also does some seasonal warehouse work.”

Passing sentence on Komarnyckj, the judge said the sex offender programme would not be an easy option for him, “You will be going into corners of your psyche into which you would rather not go,” he said. “It will help you to understand why you require this filth.”

On his website, Komarnyckj states “I originally trained as a teacher of art and design but fate being what it is I ended up working as a freelance illustrator and have done for the past 25 years.

“I still spend my spare time away from my drawing board painting or taking photographs indulging my personal creativity free from the constraints of editors and publishers.

“I’m lucky enough to live in the Cotswolds, the southern part removed from the chocolate box villages and tourist honey pots most people associate with this area.”

August 2013

Paedophile jailed for sickening abuse against young girl

A SEX offender who targeted a young girl for sickening and repeated acts of abuse has been jailed for 16 years.

Andrew Clarke, 34, of Ludford Street, Grimsby, denied six sex offences, including rape, sexual activity with a child and causing a girl to watch pornography but was convicted by a jury after a trial.

August 2013

Teen jailed over rape of girl, 12

A TEENAGER who raped a 12-year-old girl following a boozy get together last summer has been jailed for 16 months.

James Lee, 19, had been drinking with the child, a friend of a 15-year-old girl he knew, and claimed he believed she was 16 years old.

But because the girl was under the age of 13 it is impossible in law for her to consent to having sexual activity – making him guilty of rape.

Colin Meeke, prosecuting, told Swindon Crown Court that the victim was pals with a 15-year-old who was also friends with Lee.

He said the defendant called the older girl on Sunday, June 30 last year suggesting they meet for the afternoon, which they did.

The 12-year-old went with her older friend and met Lee and some others at an address in Toothill, where they drank alcohol.

They then moved to the defendant’s home and while there the girl went to the bedroom with Lee where the sexual activity took place.

Mr Meeke said: “At first she said she thought he would have thought she was 15, a comparable age to her friend. He later found that she was 12.

“The evidence is not sufficiently robust to challenge his suggestion in the basis of plea that he thought she was 16. It was based on the other girl being 15, though how he got to her being 16 is not sure.”

When the 12-year-old didn’t arrive home that night he said she was reported missing to the police and when she returned she told her sister what had happened.

The older girl confronted Lee about what had taken place and he told her nothing happened and he refused to answer questions from the police.

But when they looked at his mobile phone they found a message reading “Why do girls lie about their age?”

Lee, of Jennings Street, Rodbourne, pleaded guilty to a charge of rape of a child under the age of 13.

Rob Ross, defending, said the girl was clearly sexualised at a young age, which was a concern, and was a willing participant in what went on and that to put him in custody was unnecessary as he had “very much learned his lesson”.

Jailing him Judge Douglas Field said: “She was sexualised beyond her years. I have read the material that has been put in this case.

“There was no physical force applied to her, no threats or intimidation and I am satisfied that the sexual activity that occurred was not against her will.

“It is all very well to say that this young girl behaved older than she was and she was sexualised beyond her biological age of 12, but the law is there to protect girls of this age.”

As well as jailing him he also said he would have to register as a sex offender for 10 years.

July 2013

Father jailed for eight years for killing his newborn daughter who suffered ‘a chilling catalogue of injuries’

• Lee Davison found guilty of causing or allowing death of daughter Kristal 

• Seven-week-old baby died in April last year after parents called 999 

• She had bleeding behind the eyes, brain damage, broken ribs and legs 

• Mother Jessica Hopkinson cleared of charges at Leeds Crown Court 

• Judge told Davison, 28, if he ‘had protected her, she would have lived’

A father has been jailed for eight years after his seven-week-old daughter died from a ‘chilling catalogue of injuries’. 

Lee Davison, 29, was sentenced on Friday after being found guilty of causing or allowing the death of his daughter Kristal. 

The tiny baby died on April 13 last year after being rushed to hospital from their home with bleeding behind the eyes, brain damage and broken ribs and legs.

Mr Justice Andrew Smith told Davison, who wept in the dock as he was sentenced, that although it could not be said he had caused his daughter’s death, he had failed to protect her.

He told Davison, who has 11 previous convictions for 15 offences, that he must have been aware his daughter was suffering and was therefore responsible for allowing Kristal to die.

Kristal’s mother, Jessica Hopkinson, was cleared of the same charge following a four-week trial at Leeds Crown Court.

The judge told Davison: ‘Even if you didn’t injure her yourself, I’m sure you must have been aware of these [injuries] by the beginning of April.

‘You did nothing and you should have done. You bear responsibility because you knew she was being hurt and couldn’t face up to doing anything about it.

‘If you, her father, had protected her, she would have lived.

‘Your sentence must reflect her suffering, in particular the last two weeks of  her life.’ 

The judge said that in the first three weeks of her shot life, Kristal suffered damage to her femur and head, which caused bleeding behind the eyes. 

He said the ‘chilling catalogue of injuries’ showed Kristal was seriously hurt on at least five occasions.

Davison called an ambulance on the morning of April 12 last year reporting that Kristal was gasping for breath at their home in Pontefract, West Yorkshire.

When paramedics arrived, the baby was found to be pale, limp and lifeless and was taken to hospital, where she died the following day.

Mr Justice Smith said: ‘Around the second week of March she suffered rib fractures – 12 in total.

‘Around the time she was squeezed by somebody holding her under the arms, probably someone acting out of anger and temper. Two bones in her left leg were broken.

‘And she suffered bone damage – her skull was broken – someone had hit or banged her head on something hard.

‘She suffered bleeding in her eyes and brain by shaking.’ 

The judge said Hopkinson was the ‘dominant character’ in the house and was abusive to his partner, who is nearly ten years younger than him. 

He said: ‘She was young. She had no confidence about being a mother or anything else.

‘At times you were abusive and violent towards her. You couldn’t keep your  temper and you took it out on her.

‘I’m not saying you never had any real affection for her. I think in your way you did.

‘I also think you were pleased when Krystal was born and you were generally 
fond of her.’

He accepted that Davison is of a low intellect, but said that he must have been aware of the injuries adding: ‘It really would beggar belief and defy the jury’s verdict if it were any other way.’

Hopkinson and Davison started a relationship in early 2011 with Hopkinson falling pregnant in May that year, after which they were seen by social workers.

The court was told that Davison had previously been given community orders after beating up a former girlfriend on three occasions. 

In August 2004, when he was 20, he pleaded guilty to common assault.

In June 2006, when he was 21, he pleaded guilty to assault occasioning actual bodily harm, after he headbutted his then girlfriend – knocking her unconscious.

And on a third occasion, in May 2007, he was given a community order for assault occasioning actual bodily harm after he rowed with his then-girlfriend over a pizza.

He pushed her into a wall, and when she struck out at him to defend herself, he punched her in the face, causing her to fall onto the floor – where he continued to strike her.

She was left with broken ribs after the attack.

August 2013

Royal Wootton Bassett pensioner jailed for indecent assault and child cruelty

A pensioner who molested an eight-year-old boy and humiliated a pubescent girl with punishment has been jailed for four years.

Michael Styles, 67, was babysitting for the two children in the 1970s when he carried out the abuse on them.

A judge at Swindon Crown Court was told that he would look after for the victims when their mum was at work.

On some occasions he would bath the boy and started to interfere with him, and also get the little lad to touch him inappropriately. As well as the sexual touching the court was told that Styles, of Marlborough Road, Royal Wootton Bassett, also punished them repeatedly and severely.

The girl told how he would make her stand naked on a stool in front of the television and he would stare at her, and then the set, telling her he was ‘taking her pride away’.

She said he would also make her stand naked and then smack her bottom with his hand or an implement.

The girl said that although she told her mother about what had been taking place, she ignored her and continued to send them to Styles’ home.

Following a trial Styles, who still denies any wrongdoing, was found guilty of indecent assault, gross indecency with a child and two counts of child cruelty.

He had also been accused of two other counts of indecent assault on the boy, one on the girl and two more of child cruelty, but was cleared of those allegations by the jury.

Michael Butt, defending, said his client was a grandfather and at the trial the court heard from his daughter and step daughter who both spoke well of him.

He said in the 33 years since the alleged offences took place he had not been in any other trouble and had no convictions before these matters.

Styles had recently retired after a long working life and he said his wife was currently in ill health.

Mr Butt urged the court not to impose an immediate jail term on his client pointing out more than 30 years of good character since the offences.

He said: “If he were to get a suspended sentence or community order there would no doubt be those who say he has got away with it.

“No-one should underestimate his loss of character and standing. He has been devastated by these convictions and will suffer for years to come simply by the loss of character and good reputation.”

Passing sentence, Judge Euan Ambrose said: “I am invited by your counsel to consider passing either a suspended sentence of imprisonment or a community order.

“Even taking into account your mitigation the plain fact is that these offences were so serious that only an immediate custodial sentence can be justified.”

Referring to the offences on the boy he said: “I am satisfied he was about eight years old when counts three and four were committed. Each count represents a single instance of the behaviour alleged.”

He said of making the girl stand on a stool: “She said it went on for a long time, when it happened you told her that you were taking her pride away. The punishment was designed to inflict the maximum humiliation upon her and it was successful in doing that.”

Of the other punishment he said: “She said it was a slow and methodical process, not someone hitting out in a temper. The damage was primarily psychological though undoubtedly it also inflicted pain at the time.”

As well as the jail term he said he must also register as a sex offender for life and would be barred from working with children or vulnerable adults.

Missing 13-year-old Sheffield girl Erika Kacicova has been found “safe and well” in Bradford city centre after she was missing for 7 days

August 2013

Where’s my daughter? Father’s plea as girl, 13, goes missing after befriending man online

• Erika Kacicova was last seen leaving home in Darnall, Sheffield, on Monday 

• South Yorkshire Police say she may be staying with friends in Bradford 

• Man, 22, arrested on suspicion of child abduction released on police bail

The distraught family of a 13-year-old girl who went missing  after befriending an older man over the internet begged her last night to come home.

Erika Kacicova’s father Stefan said his ‘beautiful’ daughter had got to know a man of Pakistani origin on Facebook before disappearing a week ago.

On Friday, police arrested a 22-year-old man from Bradford on suspicion of abduction.

He was released on bail yesterday, with police describing his relationship with the girl as ‘a friendship’.

They said the man, who approached them after they issued an appeal for information about Erika’s whereabouts, was still ‘of interest’ to the inquiry.

Erika was last seen on Monday afternoon when she left her family’s home in Darnall, Sheffield.

Police have been conducting house-to-house inquiries in the city and have extended their search to Bradford.

One line of inquiry is that Erika may be staying with friends there. Detectives are following up a number of possible sightings.

Detective Inspector Helen Tate, from South Yorkshire Police, said: ‘There is nothing that has come to light which leads us to believe she is further afield than that. We do feel she is somewhere within the South and West Yorkshire region.’

Officers described the incident as ‘critical’ and appealed to Erika to get in touch to say that she is safe and well.

Erika’s father said last night: ‘She has been gone for six days now and we have not had any phone calls or texts from her.

‘She is a beautiful, normal girl who loves her music and dancing and we miss her.’ 

Mr Kacicova, an unemployed former parking attendant who lives with his wife Jana and Erika’s younger sister, Bozena, ten, said the teenager had met the unnamed man online.

‘I am very angry at this man. My daughter is just a child and he should not have been speaking to her,’ he said.

‘Now I am just begging him to please tell us where she is so that she can come home.

‘It is very hard to stop children from going on the computer and we did not know that Erika had been speaking so much with this man. She is a good girl and we want her to know that we all love her and care for her very much.’

The family moved to Britain from Slovakia two years ago.

Detectives have taken a computer and a mobile phone from their home for further analysis.

Erika previously went missing about three months ago but she returned home after 24 hours.

Detective Inspector Tate said: ‘This is out of character for her. She is a 13-year-old girl and she has not been missing like this before for such a period of time.

‘I really do need you, Erika, to get in touch with the police and let us know you’re safe.’

She said of the 22-year-old man: ‘It is a friendship, and I can’t say anything more than that, but he has been released on bail and is still of interest to us.’

She added: ‘Erika’s not in trouble. There’s nothing that she’s done wrong.

‘She’s a schoolgirl and there are no issues there. We really do just want her to come home and make sure that she’s safe.

‘The family quite naturally are distraught. They are very troubled by the whole situation.

‘They desire to know their daughter is safe and well.’

A neighbour of the Kacicovas, who requested to remain anonymous, said: ‘She is a lovely girl and we would often see her around.

‘It is very worrying that she has been missing for such a long time and we really feel for her family and hope she comes home soon.’

Erika’s photograph has been circulated to police officers and CCTV operators in the hope that she can be traced.

She is 4ft 11in, slim, with long, straight dark brown hair and brown eyes, and was wearing blue jeans, a pink polo-style shirt and a silvery-grey jacket.

May 2010

Cache of child abuse images found in police raid

POLICE called to a house because of complaints about loud music discovered a cache of child abuse images, a court has heard.

They found Richard Morrison, 36, “obstructive” and very anxious that his computers should be switched off, fiscal Melanie Ward, prosecuting, said yesterday.

After the computer equipment was seized last December, experts found more than 5,000 images ranging from young girls posing naked or partly naked to more graphic photos and movie clips.

Morrison pleaded guilty to possessing and making indecent photos of children at his home at Dean Park Street, Edinburgh.

He told police he was curious and wanted to see what “all the hulaballoo was about”.

Ms Ward said Morrison also claimed to have downloaded internet pictures by accident.

July 1994

Jailed after toddler attack

A solicitors clerk who assaulted his girlfriends son so violently that the toddlers head swelled twice its normal size has been jailed for just 6 months

Liverpool crown court heard that doctors believe that 25 year old Paul Leyland probably held the boy by his ears and shook him and also struck him several times on the side of the head

Leyland of Falkland road, Seacombe who has since lost his job was convicted of assault after a week long trial

Jailing, Judge Denis Clark said the attack, which occurred while Leyland was minding the two year old for a couple of hours, had the child with extensive bruising and must of been very painful for the child

“There are many toddlers around without fathers for protection” he said

The judge said he was limiting the sentence to six months, as Leyland who now works as a assistant supermarket manager had never been in trouble before

Prosecuting counsel Mr William Waldron told the jury, that the boy had multiple bruising to the head and face. His eyes were both completely closed and his whole head was swollen.

The little boy had been taken to hospital from his home on September 14th after his distressed mother rushed to the home of a friend who was a nurse

Mr Waldron said the injuries had occurred while Leyland was minding the child with his girlfriend, with whom he had been living with for four months, went out for two hours

Leyland denied the allegations and claimed the mother, who is imminently expecting his child, had confessed to him that she had caused the injuries and asked him to take the blame

The court heard the boy had made a complete recovery and that the couple are no longer together. Defense counsel Mr Adrian Smith said that Leyland had no history of losing his temper

August 2013

Pervert jailed over child sex images

A pervert who got a girl to make indecent photos of herself and send them to him has been jailed.

Paul Cleasby, prosecuting, said the 13-year-old York girl initially refused to do as Tobias Robert Tobin asked her, but after he repeatedly pressed her, she agreed to send him 15 photographs, one of which police later categorized as at the highest level on the scale used to assess illegal sexual pictures of children. The pictures were for his own use.

Detectives also found evidence on his home computer that he had been looking for extreme pornographic images and going on websites with sexual images of children.

Teesside Crown Court heard the girl had had sexual experiences with other men as well as Tobin and as a result now had mental health problems.

Tobin, of Woodhill View, Wetherby, pleaded guilty to one charge of inciting a child to perform a sex act, one of involving a child in porngraphy, and three charges of possesing sexual images of children.

He was jailed for 15-months, made subject to a sexual offences prevention order restricting his use of the internet and put on the sex offenders’ register, both for ten years, and banned from working with children.

The Recorder of York, Judge Stephen Ashurst, said Tobin bore some of the responsibility for the girl’s current state. He also said: “It is clear these requests you made were for your sexual benefit. You had, for whatever reason developed an interest in child pornography.”

Mark Thompson, defending, said Tobin had only contacted the girl online and had never met her. The period when he had exchanged sexual text messages was effectively limited to a two-week period in January 2012 when he had been 21.

He was a “very immature” young man who was isolated socially, but was a hard-working man from a decent family.

August 2013

Jailed for abuse of young girls

A man has been jailed for nine years for the sexual abuse of two girls.
Carl Mace, 37, was just a child himself when he first indecently assaulted the girls at addresses in the Leicester area.

Mace, of Latimer Close, Blaby, was sentenced at Nottingham Crown Court on Friday after a 10-day trial in June, when he denied two counts of raping both girls when they were aged between 10 and 12.

He further denied seven charges of indecency which began when the girls were aged six or seven, but a jury found him guilty.

David Povall, for the prosecution, told the court: “These crimes have had a devastating and long-lasting effect on the two victims.”

Mace’s barrister, Philip Gibbs, argued his client had been an “immature child” and, despite some “minor blemishes” on his record, was hopeful he could readjust and live a useful life as an adult.

He said: “Whatever Carl Mace was as a young person, the court is able to show he is not a risk any more.”

Recorder Michael Elsom said it was not possible to assess what the sentence would have been had Mace been charged in 1994 when the abuse stopped.

He said he taken many factors into consideration, including the defendant’s age, his good character in recent years, the fact there was more than one victim and that the offending went on from January 1987 to December 1994.

He told Mace: “You were no more than 10 years of age when it began.

“This was not a case of young people enjoying sexual experimentation. These were genuine offences committed with young girls against their will.

“You took a dominant role aided by the fact you were older than they were. These are offences for which you have shown no remorse.

“The offences of rape were committed against girls aged under 13. That in itself is an aggravating factor.

“You must have known this was wrong.”

The Recorder said he was giving “a degree of leniency which perhaps others might not have done” in imposing sentence.

For the two rapes, Mace was jailed for nine years on both counts, while the indecent assaults were punished variously with two to fours years’ imprisonment. The sentences will run concurrently, meaning Mace will serve nine years in prison in total.

Mr Elsom told Mace: “You have proved yourself to be a much better adult. I cannot give you any credit for a guilty plea because there was none, and nor do you accept what you have done.”

August 2013

City high-flier pleads guilty to having child abuse pictures on his laptop

POLICE found child abuse pictures on the laptop of a high-flying city whizzkid when they raided his flat.

Matthew Smith quit his highly-paid job advising wealthy clients on how to invest their riches after being caught with the sickening images.

Aberdeen-born Smith, 24, pleaded guilty at Isleworth Crown Court last Friday to 13 charges of possessing indecent photographs of girls, aged between seven and 12, at his west London flat in May last year.

Some of the images were at level five – the most extreme category of child abuse images.

Judge Philip Matthews sentenced St Andrews University graduate Smith to a three-year community order, which includes attending a sex offenders’ group programme. He was ordered to perform 200 hours of community service.

Smith was also told to sign a sexual offenders prevention order, which requires him to make his internet history available to police.

The court heard that Smith worked for independent financial advisers Saunderson House in London. After police seized his computer, he was suspended by his employers.

He later resigned and returned to Aberdeen. Smith now works for financial planners Medical & Dental in the city.

August 2013

RAF veteran admits to abusing girl

A FORMER RAF serviceman has been warned he could be facing a jail term after he admitted sexually abusing a young girl while based in Cyprus.

Robert McCarthy, who now lives in west Swindon, carried out the offences on a girl, who was aged 14, on the Mediterranean island in 2009.

The 33-year-old, who works as a photographer, also admitted possessing an indecent image of a child.

McCarthy, of Thornford Drive, Westlea, admitted five counts of causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity and having the image

All six of the offences took place between July 21 and December 20, 2009, Swindon Crown Court was told.

McCarthy must now register as a sex offender.

Michael Hall, defending, said his client had been in the RAF for more than 13 years and wanted a psychological report prepared on him.

Elizabeth Bussey-Jones, prosecuting, said there was concern about his contact with children in his work as a photographer.

Judge Euan Ambrose adjourned the case to Tuesday, September 3, and imposed an interim sexual offences prevention order, restricting his liberty.

Any breach of the order could lead to five years in jail.

August 2013

Paedophile jailed after filming children walking to Corby school

A paedophile who filmed children walking to and from their Corby primary school has been jailed for 14 months.

Stephen Conroy, 53, appeared at Northampton Crown Court on Monday (August 12) for sentencing after pleading guilty at an earlier hearing to possessing and making indecent photographs of children.

Conroy was also sentenced to one month in prison, to run concurrently, for possessing four cannabis plants.

He was placed on the sex offenders register for 10 years and an order was made for the indecent images to be destroyed.

After police raided Conroy’s house in February this year thousands of printed images, DVDs and videos of child abuse were discovered.

At the previous hearing the court was told that the indecent images were plastered over ceilings and walls of three bedrooms.

Officers also found children’s underwear and a schoolgirl’s outfit, Northampton Crown Court heard.

Conroy had a total of 3,028 images, 25 of which depicted extreme pornography.

Mark Nicholls, representing Conroy, told the court that the defendant was the full-time carer of his disabled mother.

Mr Nicholls said: “He was made redundant as a warehouse man and has been his mother’s unofficial carer for two years.

“He is a hoarder, as is evident from the paperwork and photographs found.

“He is ashamed of what he has done and the shame he has brought on his family and friends and he has expressed his remorse and regret. He accepts that he needs help.”

At the previous hearing the court was told that Conroy used a camcorder to film children going to and from the school.

Judge Lynn Tayton said: “You are a hoarder with an obsessive interest in sexual matters. This is a very serious matter.”

The earlier hearing was told that, when interviewed by police, Conroy said he had not realised he was doing anything illegal and that he had been searching for images of teenagers.

Conroy told officers he had started looking at child abuse images in 2006 and later searched for “school uniform porn”

July 2013

Paedophile set up ‘masturbation station’ at his home near Northamptonshire primary school

A paedophile is awaiting sentencing after a court heard he had filmed young pupils as they walked to and from a Northamptonshire primary school.

Stephen Conroy, aged 53, was found to possess thousands of printed images, DVDs and videos of child abuse images after police raided his house in February this year.

As well as finding the indecent images, which was plastered all over ceilings and walls of three bedrooms, officers also found children’s underwear and a schoolgirl’s outfit, Northampton Crown Court heard today.

Alex Bull, prosecuting, said Conroy had filmed children coming to and from school using a camcorder.

Ms Bull said: “The defendant’s house was in close proximity to a school which can be seen from an upstairs window and the sound of children can be heard from the house.

“Children also regularly walk past the address to get to school.

“There was a home-made masturbation device by a window which had a view of the street. In regards to the masturbation station, he admitted that is what he used it for,” she added.

Conroy, who lives in Corby, was found to possess more than 30 of the most serious Level 5 child abuse images involving children as young as one-year-old.

After being interviewed by police, Conroy said he had initially not realised he was doing anything illegal and had been searching for images of teenagers.

Alex Bull said: “Conroy told officers he thought the children in the images were innocent and beautiful and works of art but probably did not understand what was going on.

“He said he liked children and thought of himself as childlike.”

Conroy told officers he had started looking at child abuse images in 2006 and later searched for “school uniform porn”.

Conroy has pleaded guilty to a series of charges of possessing and making indecent photographs of children as well as possessing extreme pornography.

The sentencing of Conroy has been adjourned for a short period due to the unavailability of certain evidence.

December 2011

A VETERAN of tours to Iraq and Afghanistan is behind bars after he admitted committing sexual offences in the Eighties

Neil Simon McKimm, 38, last month pleaded guilty to indecent assault and indecency with a child and was ordered to sign the Sex Offenders’ Register.

He returned to Durham Crown Court on Friday to be sentenced, but Judge Christopher Prince delayed his judgement, asking for a report from the Probation Service to consider what impositions needed to be placed on McKimm, by way of a Sexual Offences Protection Order, to prevent him posing a risk to children in future.

But, he told McKimm, of Redmire Close, Darlington:

“I’m of the view a custodial sentence is inevitable in this case and you can now start serving it in custody.”

He will be sentenced next month or in early February.

His barrister, Jim Withyman, handed two character references to Judge Prince, and said a third was sought, but McKimm’s commanding officers from the Territorial Army are unavailable as they are serving abroad.

Mr Withyman said: “He had two tours, one each to Iraq and Afghanistan, and effectively acquitted himself well before he was given a honourable discharge.

“He realises he has to be punished, but it’s for something he did a long time ago now. He greatly regrets what he did. He apologises for the distress caused.”

July 2011

Harlow man spared jail after owning up to ‘sexual activity’ with 15-year-old girl

A MAN who checked into hotels with a 15-year-old girl for “sexual activity” has been spared a jail sentence.

Instead, part-time DJ David Sampson (49), of The Readings, Harlow, was given a three-year community order and told he must attend a sex offenders programme.

Passing sentence at Chelmsford Crown Court on Friday (July 1), Judge Rodger Hayward-Smith said: “This is exceptional and very lenient but this girl appears to have been very manipulative and even today sent a message saying she hopes you don’t go to prison.”

The court heard that although the girl complained to police about Sampson, she later refused to co-operate with the inquiry pursued Sampson with Facebook messages and texts. She even attempted to book him as a DJ through an agency.

Prosecutor Richard Scott told the court Sampson had twice taken the girl to a hotel in Suffolk and once to a Travelodge in Cambridgeshire.

“He checked in as an adult with a child to avoid suspicion,” said Mr Scott. “After the first time there was a degree of coercion by the girl to maintain the relationship by threatening to go to the police.

“He sent her a text declaring his love for her and his intention to buy a flat, both of which were untrue.

“He didn’t love her and had no intention of buying a flat. He said he tried to have intercourse with her but it proved unsuccessful.”

The court was told  she went to police and told them she had been in a relationship with a 48-year-old man.

However, she later refused to be interviewed by officers, although Sampson had made “full admissions” when he was questioned.

Nicola May, representing Sampson who admitted three offences of sexual activity with a child, said the offences happened at a time when the defendant was vulnerable after his wife having left him.

The judge commented that Sampson would not have been prosecuted had he not owned up to the offences.

October 2006

Judges: Child-sex ruling too lenient

A MAN who raped and abused a young boy – telling the child he would be imprisoned if he told anyone – has had his “unduly lenient” jail term increased.

In June, Craig Latham, 46, of Great Whyte, Ramsey, was jailed for six years at Peterborough Crown Court.

He had been found guilty of three counts of indecent assault on a boy, and one of indecent assault on a girl under 16.

But following the intervention of the Attorney General, Lord Goldsmith QC, on the grounds that the sentence had been too lenient, London’s Criminal Appeal Court last Thursday added three years to Latham’s sentence.

Lord Justice Hooper, sitting with Mr Justice Aikens and Mr Justice Lloyd Jones, quashed the original punishment and imposed a nine-year sentence.

He said the correct starting point for the sentence should have been eight years, which had to be increased because of the aggravating feature, including the planning involved in the offences.

“We take the view the sentence that ought to have been passed would be in the region of about 10 years,” he said.

“The offender told the male they would both go to prison if the male victim reported anything.”

The offences happened more than 20 years ago when the boy was aged between four and seven, and the girl was eight or nine.

At the original trial, Peterborough Crown Court was told Latham had formed a relationship of trust with the children while baby-sitting them.

The abuse only came to light in February 2003 when one of the victims confided in a friend. It took another two-and-a-half years for the victim to build up the courage to contact the police.

Latham, who had no previous convictions for sexual offences, denied all the charges and claimed the case was a conspiracy against him.

June 2006

Jail for rapist who showed porn film to five-year-old

A RAMSEY man who showed a pornographic film to a five-year-old boy before abusing and raping him has been sentenced to six years in prison.

At Peterborough Crown Court on Friday, Craig Latham, 46, was found guilty of four counts of indecent assault on a boy and one charge of indecent assault on a girl under the age of 16.

The assaults took place more than 20 years ago.

The male victim, who is now 24 years old, told the court the abuse continued until he was aged about 10, and although Latham never raped him again, other indecent acts took place on at least three separate occasions.

The court heard how after Latham had raped the boy he told him “he shouldn’t tell anyone” as “it wouldn’t just be me who goes to prison but you as well”.

The abuse only came to light in February 2003 when the victim confided to a friend about what had happened. It took him another two and a half years to come forward and talk to the police.

Latham, who denied all the charges and was cleared of one specimen charge, said the case was a conspiracy against him.

Defending Latham, Stephen Spence said: “My client has always denied these charges. He has admitted that he was often alone with the toddler when he baby-sat for him but we are being led to believe that out of the blue this man decided to assault the boy.”

Before the assaults took place Latham had formed a relationship of trust with the children while babysitting them and the court heard how the children liked spending time with him because he used to play with them.

The court was told he later used games of hide and seek to get them on their own so he could indecently assault them.

On one occasion, when Latham was baby-sitting, he went into the boy’s room and sexually assaulted him.

In court the victim said: “I thought about screaming out but I didn’t. I was too scared so I pretended to be asleep.”

On another occasion Latham was playing hide and seek with the nine-year-old girl and he suggested they hide under the duvet together. He then indecently assaulted her.

She told the court: “I remembered what he had done to me but I tried to put it at the back of my mind.