September 2014

Ex-Tory branch chairman guilty of child sex offences

A former branch chairman for the Folkestone and Hythe Conservative Association hid a “dark secret” – he was a sick paedophile, it has been revealed.

Angus Burgoyne posed online as ‘James Beevers’ to exchange perverted child sex fantasies and then downloaded vile images of children.

Now the 41-year-old father-of-two is facing a lengthy period behind bars after a jury has convicted him of three sex attacks on children.

Burgoyne, who is pictured standing next to MP Damian Collins at a branch event, formerly lived in New Road, Elham, but has since grown a beard and moved to Melbury Osmond in Dorset.

Prosecutor Simon Taylor had told the jury that Burgoyne was “a brazen liar” and a pervert who molested children before being arrested and questioned in 2012.

Police officers seized his computer and a forensic examination revealed he had downloaded more than 1,500 images of children.

The Canterbury Crown Court jury heard how four of the images depicted children involved in sadism and many others were of children and adults involved in sex.

The prosecutor said the warped Burgoyne had also created another online profile called ‘Matthew Keeping’ in August 2012.

Burgoyne, who admitted eight downloading and distributing image charges but denied the sex assaults, claimed his child victims had lied.

September 2014

Letchworth man who sexually assaulted eight-year-old girl jailed for four years

A man who sexually assaulted an eight-year-old girl has been jailed for four years.

Richard Goodwin, of Northfields in Letchworth, was handed the sentence at Luton Crown Court last week after being found guilty of sexually assaulting the girl and inciting her to perform sex acts in July last year.

The 66-year-old was also found guilty of possessing indecent images of children.

In addition to the prison sentence, Goodwin must remain on the Sex Offenders Register for 10 years.

September 2014

Convicted child rapist jailed for sexual assault on vulnerable young man

A “SEXUAL predator”, who assaulted a vulnerable young man after offering him a lift outside Basingstoke railway station, has been jailed.

Kevin Barney, who has a previous conviction for raping a schoolboy, and was cautioned for an indecent assault on another man, was branded a “significant risk” to the public by the judge who sentenced him.

Winchester Crown Court heard 56-year-old Barney, of Monkswood Crescent, Tadley, was “looking for a vulnerable young man to pick up” when he drove into Basingstoke town centre late at night in November last year.

The court heard that Barney spotted his target at the railway station, where a young man was waiting for a taxi.

Barney, who was convicted of sexual assault after a trial in June, put the heating on in the car to make his victim feel sleepy.

When he dozed off, Barney reclined his seat and then sexually assaulted his passenger, only stopping when his victim woke up and realised what was happening.

He then drove him home, where the victim told his mother about the attack and was able to give the police Barney’s number plate details.

Prosecuting, Simon Jones said the victim still suffered with flashbacks from that night. He said: “It has also had an impact on his relationship with his girlfriend.”

Defending Barney, Maria Lamb said her client had dropped his victim off at his home address, rather than leaving him in an unfamiliar area.

She said: “He accepts there has been an impact (on the victim), and that is something he regrets.”

She said that the sexual assault, which amounted to kissing and touching over clothing, “falls towards the lower end” of the spectrum when compared to other assaults.

The court heard that Barney had been assessed by a team from probation as presenting “significant risk of serious harm”.

Barney was sentenced to five years in jail for the rape of a schoolboy, who he lured to his home from Reading town centre, in 2005. He was released in 2008 but was recalled two years later because “authorities were unhappy with his association with other people and young men”.

He was also cautioned in 2002 for a sexual assault on a drunk soldier, to whom he had offered a lift from Reading town centre. When the soldier woke up, he was in Barney’s bed, being assaulted.

Passing sentence for the latest offence, Judge Susan Evans told Barney: “I have no doubt you were looking for a young male affected by alcohol, and you found him.

“He was affected by alcohol and he was no longer with his friend. You approa-ched him and you offered him a lift. He trusted you, and he got into your vehicle.”

Judge Evans sentenced Barney to six years imprisonment. He will serve two years in custody, before being released on licence for four years. He is also on the sex offenders register for life.

Judge Evans said: “Looking at your offending, I have taken the view that you are indeed a person who is a significant risk to the public of causing serious harm.”

After the sentence was passed, lead investigator Detective Constable Rod Kenny, of Basingstoke CID, said: “The victim in this case was a young man who was vulnerable due to the fact he had been consuming alcohol.

“Mr Barney portrayed himself as a Good Samaritan by offering him a lift home and abused the trust he had placed in him by assaulting him whilst he slept.

“Having been subject to the assault, it took great courage for the victim to come forward to the police and make a complaint.

“In passing sentence, Judge Evans stepped outside of the guidelines for this offence owing to the risk she felt Mr Barney posed to members of the public, describing him as a sexual predator. This is clearly reflected in the six-year sentence.”

September 2014

Man wanted images of 13 year old schoolgirl in nappy

A 31-YEAR-OLD man who sent perverted messages to a friend’s little sister over Facebook and other social media has been jailed for three years.

Steven Taylor told the 13-year-old that he wanted her to take pictures of herself in a nappy and said he would like to have sex with her like that.

And as well as encouraging her to send him pictures of herself topless and in her underwear, he also took an obscene photograph of himself and sent if to the child.

Hannah Squire, prosecuting, told Swindon Crown Court how Taylor made contact with the girl using Facebook, WhatsApp and XBox Live. She said the case came to light when the child’s mum happened to notice pictures of her daughter in her underwear on her phone, as well as pictures of a naked man.

The police were called in and the child told officers how Taylor started to contact her late last year on social networks.

“He was well aware of her age because he wished her a happy 13th birthday,” Miss Squire said. “In January this year, almost on a daily basis, she received numerous messages and he asked her to send pictures of herself either topless or in underwear.

“The contact wasn’t just in relation to photographs. It then moved on to what the defendant would like to do to her and what he wanted to encourage her to become involved with.

“Throughout this messaging contact of a very sexual explicit behaviour inciting her to behave in the manner alleged in the indictment.

“It took on a rather unpleasant sort of fetishist manner with the defendant suggesting to her that he would like her to wear a nappy and photograph herself in a nappy and he would like to have sex with her in a nappy.

“Yes, she did respond and respond in kind to these messages but one must not lose sight of her age and vulnerability.”

Miss Squire said the victim had experienced dark thoughts about killing herself after the matter came out, saying she had lost her self respect as a result of it.

Taylor, of Booth House, Spring Gardens, admitted six counts of causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity and possessing indecent images of the youngster.

Tony Bignall, defending, said his client appeared to be ‘a bit of a loner’ but had relationships with women of similar ages to him over the years.

“He realises that this is almost certainly going to be a custodial sentence, he also realises that he needs help,” he said.

Passing sentence, Recorder Nicholas Atkinson QC said: “The gravity of these offences are that this concerned a child and you are more than twice the age of that child.”

Jailing him, he added: “You have an opportunity to seek assistance if you can be assisted. This is a sad and depressing life or world that you happened to be encountering.”

A sexual offences prevention order restricting his liberty for 10 years was imposed and Taylor must register as a sex offender indefinitely.

September 2014

Brothers guilty of sexually abusing Hillingdon care home girls

TWO brothers responsible for the sexual abuse and exploitation of two girls from a Hillingdon care home were found guilty today (Thursday).

Jason Winskill, 25, (pictured above) of Hatton Grove, West Drayton, and Jamie Chapman, 20 (pictured below) of Hillingdon Road, Uxbridge, were convicted at Southwark Crown Court of offences which included rape, sexual activity with a child and witness intimidation.

Winskill was also charged with offences against a third victim after he attempted to rape and sexually assault her at a party in Hillingdon, when she was 14.

Det Chief Insp Chris Smart, of the Met’s sexual exploitation team, said: “They specifically targeted two of the victims knowing they had a vulnerability which they could use to their advantage.

“They believed that, through fear and intimidation, they could prevent them from reporting the offences.

“I would like to commend the victims for their bravery in standing up against their abusers, who shamelessly refused to admit their guilt, forcing the victims to relive their ordeal in a public arena.

“I hope today has given them some closure and that their strength of character and courage will encourage other victims to come forward.

“I would also like to thank Hillingdon Council for bringing this issue to our attention and supporting the investigation throughout.”

In October 2013, an investigation was launched after the council became concerned for the welfare of girls under their care at Mulberry Parade Children’s Home in West Drayton.

A number were spoken to by trained officers and two subsequently divulged details of abuse by the two defendants between May and December 2012.

Both victims were 15 when the abuse took place.

Winskill befriended them after meeting them separately in the West Drayton area.

Telling them they were ‘special’, he would convince them he was in an exclusive relationship with them. It was in this manner that he groomed them, using alcohol as an enabler for committing the abuse.

Chapman was also responsible for the sexual assault on one of the victims.

Later, on discovering the police investigation, he left a voicemail message for one of the victims, threatening her with torture and violence.

The brothers will be sentenced on November 3.

September 2014

Bus driver jailed for 16 years after abusing girls and taking photos and videos

A Felixstowe bus driver who sexually abused two schoolgirls and took photographs and video footage while he did it has been jailed for 16 years.

Spencer Cook, 36, took 700 pictures of one of the girls while he sexually abused her and made an indecent video of the other girl, Ipswich Crown Court heard.

Cook had also raped one of the girls and committed an offence of voyeurism by “peeping” at a third schoolgirl without her knowledge while she was going to the toilet.

Cook, of Larkhill Way, Felixstowe, admitted two offences of inciting a child under 13 to engage in sexual activity, three offences of sexually assaulting a girl under 13, three offences of assault by penetration of a child under 13, rape, taking an indecent video of a girl, taking indecent photographs of a child, two offences of making indecent images of children and an offence of voyeurism.

Jailing him for 16 years Judge David Goodin said Cook had accepted his responsibility for the offences and in a letter to the court had expressed “deeply-felt remorse” for what he had done.

“I have no doubt that you are filled with self disgust. The more disgraceful and disgusting the offences the more difficult to admit them,” said the judge.

He said he had read a number of letters from people who thought highly of Cook who had no previous convictions.

In addition to jailing Cook, Judge Goodin made him the subject of a sexual offences prevention order and ordered him to sign the sex offenders’ register indefinitely.

Mr Sadd said Cook had coached or groomed the girls to stay silent about the abuse they had suffered.

He said Cook had put images of one of the girls, which were not indecent, on a Russian website which was used by people with an interest in child abuse imagery and allowed them to leave comments.

The court heard the offences came to light after police officers acting on information they received as a result of Cook’s use of the internet went to his home with a search warrant and seized his computer equipment.

September 2014

Man jailed for making indecent images of children and gun threat

Nicky Horsfall, aged 31 from Hillcrest, Northside Road, Workington has been sentenced to a total of four and a half years at Carlisle Crown Court today for threatening a man with a gun, racial abuse and possession of extreme pornography.

The incident happened on Saturday 12th October 2013 at approximately 2am on Northside Road, Workington. The victim, aged 24 from Workington, who was working at a construction site in the area, saw a man urinating against the fence and told him to leave. Approximately five minutes later the victim heard a series of loud bangs outside the portacabin. He went out to investigate and saw the man from earlier stood outside, holding a black handgun.

The man then threatened him with the gun, shouted racial abuse at the victim and told him to get on his knees. He was then ordered to go into the portacabin and the offender left the area.

Based on the description provided, police were able to identify Nicky Horsfall as the offender and quickly arrested him.

He pleaded guilty at court on 29th January 2014 to possession of an imitation firearm with intent to cause fear or violence and racially aggravated fear of violence by words. Sentencing for these offences was adjourned until after the trial for the possession of indecent images and extreme pornography charges.

DC Andy Yoxall, the investigating officer, said: “This was a very distressing ordeal for the victim who was in genuine fear for his life.

“On examination of the gun, which was located at Horsfall’s home address, it was discovered to be a replica. However it was still used in a threatening way to scare and frighten someone.

“The sentenced today highlights how Cumbria Police, the Crown Prosecution Service and the Court’s will not tolerate people being threatened with violence in Cumbria.”

During the course of the investigation, Horsfall’s computer was seized for evidence in relation to racial behaviour. Upon examination pornographic images were discovered.

On 23 January 2014, Horsfall was charged in connection with nine offences of making indecent photographs/ pseudo-photograph of child. Also two offences of possession of extreme pornographic images portraying an act of intercourse. In July he was found guilty at Carlisle Crown Court of nine counts of making indecent images of children and possessing extreme pornographic images and the case was adjourned for pre-sentence reports.

DC Yoxall added: “It was only a matter of time before Horsfall was discovered due to the extreme nature of the images he was viewing. Protecting the public is paramount and safeguarding measures are in place to help discover those people who view child and extreme pornography.”

September 2014

Man who exposed himself to girls on Exmouth beach claimed he had spilt Coke on his trousers

A man who exposed himself to two girls at a seaside resort claimed he had taken off his trousers because he spilled Coca Cola on them.

Martin Lewis was already a registered sex offender when he drove to Exmouth beach and got out of his car wearing nothing below his waist.

When police intercepted him nearby he was still half naked. He said he has spilt a drink over his trousers but the officer found them totally dry on the back seat.

Lewis was also found to have broken a ban on using the internet and posted an obscene picture on Facebook under the pseudonym Devonguy.

He was banned by a Sexual Offences Prevention Order (SOPO) from using social media but started accounts on Twitter, Tumblr and Facebook, Exeter Crown Court was told.

Lewis, aged 44, of Hookhills Grove, Paignton, admitted three offences of exposure and six of breaching a SOPO. His case was adjourned by Judge Phillip Wassall to enable the prosecution more time to present evidence about posting of indecent an image of himself on social media.

Mr David Bowen, prosecuting, said two young females visiting a beach hut in Exmouth were shocked to see Lewis get out of his car naked from the waist down.

He drove off but came back a few minutes later and did the same thing. Police were called and found him nearby, still in his car.

Mr Bowen said:”The officer approached the car and saw he was again naked from the waist down, thus exposing himself for the third time. He said he had spilt Coke on his trousers but the officer found them in the car and they were dry.

“One of the girls said she was sure Lewis was directing his behaviour towards them. She thought it was weird.”

He said inquiries showed Lewis was subject of a SOPO and had broken its terms by using Twitter, Tumblr and Facebook.

Mr Gareth Evans, defending, said the charges he faces for these offences do not include the allegation of posting an image of his private parts on Facebook and merely refer to him breaking the SOPO by using social media.

Judge Wassall said he needed to know why this charge was not before him and adjourned the case for the prosecution to bring it to court.

He said:”This is disturbing behaviour, bizarre and unusual in the extreme. There is reference in the offence analysis about him linking a connection to Facebook with images of him exposing himself.

“This is probably the most aggravating feature and I am not going to be able to deal with this case without this being resolved

September 2014

Pervert who sent indecent pictures of himself to 13-year-old girl he met on Facebook avoids prison

Lee Savage, 22, had a week-long conversation with the girl – asking her to keep their messages secret. But the alarm was raised after her father found them – including two sexually explicit photos he had sent her.

Joe Allman, prosecuting, told Carlisle Crown Court that Savage, of Raiselands Croft, Penrith, made contact with the girl last November. He thought the girl was 14.

He said the girl told Savage about her normal, everyday activities and that he replied by sexualising the subjects.

After his arrest, Savage admitted to police that he had been stupid.

“He admitted that he would never have gone through with meeting her,” Mr Allman added.

Roger Baldwin, mitigating, said the offences had been committed when his client “was not himself”. Since the age of 16 he had suffered from “low moods”, he told the judge.

He added: “Before he was arrested he went to see his general practitioner. His GP said that he would be able to prescribe some medication. My client did not want to get involved with anti-depressant medication.”

However, he told the judge that he had found ways of “changing his way of thinking” and had since got an 18-year-old girlfriend. He added: “This young man is thoroughly ashamed of what he did. I think that shines through.”

Judge Peter Hughes QC said that his actions were “wholly inappropriate” because he had known of the age difference.

He added: “You must have known that talking in a sexualised way to a girl of that age was wholly inappropriate.”

But the judge ruled that Savage was more likely to get the help he needed to overcome his problems were he not behind bars.

He was ordered to complete a 36-month community order with supervision and to attend a sex offenders’ programme.

He will be reported to a safeguarding authority and be on the Sex Offenders’ Register for five years, as well as being the subject of a sexual offending prevention order that bans him from contacting girls under the age of 16 and from using devices connected to the internet that cannot record search history.

September 2014

Dad Who Bit Baby Pleads Guilty To Her Murder

A father who shook and beat his baby daughter to death has admitted the murder during his trial at the Old Bailey.

Lithuanian Aurimas Medvedevas, 23, had previously denied killing nine-week-old Aukse on September 5 last year.

The child’s mother, Dzesika Urbikaite, had just had her first day back at work after maternity leave when she returned to their  home on Clifton Avenue, Peterborough, to find her baby dead in a cot.

Medvedevas initially claimed she had accidentally fallen out of bed.

Supt Jon Hutchinson, from the Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire Major Crime Unit, said: “This was a shocking, brutal crime in which a baby girl who was only nine weeks old was murdered by a person who should have been looking after her. 

“He used such violence that the post-mortem examination concluded her injuries were consistent with having been in a car crash or dropped from a one-storey building.

“He then cruelly failed to seek the medical assistance that may well have saved her life.”

The attack took place on Clifton Avenue in Peterborough

As well as cuts and bruises, the post mortem revealed that Aukse had two bite marks on her head.

She had suffered significant internal injuries including a deep cut to the liver, five rib fractures, and bleeding on the brain and eyes indicating that she had been shaken.

An examination of one of the bite marks showed it matched the defendant’s teeth imprint, the court heard.

Medvedevas changed his plea to guilty two days into the trial.

Judge Timothy Pontius told the jury that they had heard his “clear and voluntary confession of guilt”.

He told them: “This is a distressing case and a tragic one. You are relieved of the burden of listening to that evidence.”

Medvedevas is due to be sentenced at the Old Bailey in Central London on Friday September 26.

September 2014: Released and living in Ilford, Essex

January 2011

‘Trusted’ Mile End teacher molested girls during lessons on the Koran

A TEACHER who instructed children on the Koran has been jailed for three years and three months after he was convicted of sexual assault against girls as young as four years old

Ashraf Miah, 38, of Joseph Street, Mile End, was sentenced at Snaresbrook Crown Court on Friday following his conviction by a jury on 13 charges of sexual assault between 2005 and 2009.

The offences happened when Miah was entrusted to teach young girls to read from the Koran either at his home theirs.

The crimes came to notice when Miah was arrested in November 2009 for offences against two of the girls. During the investigation, dealt with by detectives from the Child Abuse Investigation Team, other children that had been taught by Miah were contacted and more offences came to notice, leading to his further arrest in January 2010.

He was convicted on all 13 counts.

He was sentenced to three years and three months imprisonment, put on the sex offenders register for life and is not allowed to work with children.

The officer leading the investigation, Det Sgt Martin Bird from the Child Abuse Investigation Team, said: “The tragedy of this case is that a highly respected member of the community took advantage of their position of trust.

“It goes to show that even if someone thinks they have got away with it at the time, young people are brave enough to come forward and testify at court.”

September 2014

Child abuser, 88, will end his life behind bars after being jailed for 20 years

An 88-year-old is to set to die in jail after being sentenced for 20 years for historic child sexual abuse crimes.

John Jarvis, born 11/9/26, of Woodham Road, south Manchester, was found guilty after an eight day trial of three indecent assaults, two rapes and three offences of buggery.

He has now been sentenced at Manchester Crown Court to a total of 20 years imprisonment.

Jarvis’ catalogue of sex abuse came to light in December 2012. Jarvis reported an assault to the police by a man who is now in his 30s.

During the police interview the man explained he was simply trying to push Jarvis away after he had tried to grab his genitals. Jarvis told him he ‘didn’t seem to mind’ when he was a child.

The man told police he had been systematically abused by Jarvis as a child and that he knew another child had also been abused by him. The offences occurred over a 13 year period between 1988 and 2001

Detective Constable Susan Hazell, based at Wythenshawe, said: “Jarvis’ sex abuse went unreported for years and as he neared the end of his life he must have thought he’d got away with it.

“However, he reckoned without the bravery of the man who had the courage to speak to the police and relive the dreadful abuse they suffered at Jarvis’ hands. The judge also commended one of the victims for their ‘extraordinary dignity’ while giving evidence.

“What little time Jarvis has left will now be spent in prison contemplating his crime.”

September 2014

Blackpool man accessed indecent film footage and pictures of children

Nigel Norton found it thrilling to download something illegal, Preston Crown court was told.

But the 34-year-old film and TV production enthusiast was sent to jail by a judge who gave him a total of 16 months prison.

Norton, a man of previous good character, pleaded guilty yesterday to a total of 12 charges – six of making indecent images of children, three of possessing indecent images, plus three other offences of possessing an extreme pornographic image.

The latter three charges related to “snuff movies” – two of them depicting the rape of a woman while the other showed an adult female with a very young child and in the end showed an image of a dead child.

Judge Stuart Baker, in passing sentence, said that however distant someone felt from what was being depicted, anyone looking at such images was seeing real children.

“The children were not cartoon images. They were real children subjected to appalling abuse”, he said.

Paul Cummings, prosecuting, said police received information and obtained a search warrant which was executed at Norton’s home on Powell Avenue, Marton. This took place on July 4 last year.

More than 1,500 images, both still and moving, were found.

Neil Fraser Gunn, defending, said there was no suggestion of any of the material being distributed.

He submitted the court deal with the case without sending Norton to prison.

Mr Gunn told the court “An expert report indicates he suffers with obsessional behaviour.”

Norton had studied film and television production. His explanation was that while downloading numerous films he came across other material. Because of his obsessive behaviour, the downloading had to be completed before he could move on to his daily business.

Judge Baker said: “Whether it truly depicted a murder of the woman or didn’t, it was of an extremely distasteful nature”.

Norton will be on the Sex Offender’s Register for 10 years and subject to a sexual offences prevention order indefinitely.

September 2014

‘Hero’ had child abuse images

A hero passer-by who saved the life of a brutally stabbed Chorley schoolgirl has admitted making and possessing indecent and extreme photos and images of children.

Former soldier Gareth Robert Crook, of Chorley, used his medic training with the Royal Artillery to intervene after he found 14-year-old Jessica Knight bleeding to death in Astley Park, Chorley, in January 2008.

Crook, 37, of no fixed address, was due to be sentenced at Preston Crown Court yesterday in relation to indecent images. But a planned video link from Forrest Bank Prison in Manchester, where he is being held in custody, could not go ahead and the hearing was adjourned for sentencing until next Friday.

At a previous hearing, Crook admitted seven counts of making indecent photos of a child between May 7, 2013, and March 24, 2014; and two counts of possessing extreme images of a child between December, 2012 and November 16, 2013.

Jessica’s attacker, Frenchman Kristofer Beddar, 21, of Adlington, was jailed for life after being convicted of attempted murder.

He was taken to police by his English mother Marion after he confessed to the attack.

Crook had been cycling through the park when Jessica, who was walking on a footpath behind Astley Hall, was attacked. He took off his hat, put it behind her head and used his glove to apply pressure to a wound on her neck which was spurting blood.

The trial judge Anthony Russell QC said the actions of Mr Crook had led to Beddar being caught after he had covered his tracks well. At the end of the six-day trial, the judge awarded Mr Crook £500 out of public funds.

Jessica’s parents Richard Knight and Jill Walmsley also praised Mr Crook at the time, calling him a “hero”.

Crook received a number of bravery awards. He was honoured at the Pride of Lancashire Awards in 2010. And he won a Chorley Smile Award.

September 2014

Man jailed for grooming and exploiting schoolgirl after buying her cigarettes

A man has been jailed for sexually exploiting a teenage girl in Tameside.

Cameron Wassall, 21, was sentenced to 12 months behind bars after a court heard how he groomed a young victim after buying her cigarettes.

Wassall, from Market Street in Stalybridge, admitted sexual activity with a child and a second charge of causing a child to engage in sexual activity.

Appearing at Minshull Street Crown Court, he was also ordered to sign the sex offender’s register for ten years.

During the summer of 2013, Wassall befriended a 14-year-old girl in a newsagents on Millbrook Road in Stalybridge, where he would buy cigarettes for the girl and her friends.

He became friends with her on Facebook and they exchanged phone numbers.

Wassall started to send sexually explicit text messages and then arranged to meet her when he finished work on August 7 2013.

The girl arrived with her two friends and they all went to his house in Millbrook. He took her into the bathroom where he engaged in sexual activity with her

Det Con Chris Maddocks from GMP’s Serious Sexual Offences Unit, said: “Wassall groomed these young girls in his local community so he could sexually exploit them. He purchased cigarettes for one of the girls to earn her trust before befriending them.

“He then became friends with the girl over Facebook who he knew was only 14-year-old and swapped phone numbers with her.

“He then started to send her messages which became sexually explicit.

“Young people in Millbrook are now safer.

“These young girls have been through a lot and it took great courage to tell people what had happened to them.

“I hope that today’s sentence gives others who befriend children in such a way the foresight to realise that this is against the law.

“Not only have the Police focused on the offender, but officers have completed work around the off-license where the victim and offender met in.

“As a result of this the license is under review.

“Licensees have a duty to prevent crime and disorder and protect children and they failed to protect children from this child groomer.”

September 2014

Sexual predator who groomed young girls with drugs is jailed for 12 years

A sexual predator who groomed young girls with drugs, money and booze has been jailed for 12 years.

Saquib Hamid twice had sex with a 15-year-old schoolgirl and also tried to persuade a 17-year-old into prostitution.

He impressed girls he met via Facebook, by driving them around in his BMW car.

He then plied with them with cocaine and cannabis at his “well appointed” home in Enderby.

When the police raided his house in Old Church Road they discovered a stash of cocaine, ecstasy, amphetamine and cannabis.

Hamid, 35, a call centre worker, was convicted of 24 offences by a jury at a recent Leicester Crown Court trial and was sentenced on Friday.

He protested his innocence at court, but after being found guilty admitted much of his wrongdoing to the probation officer who prepared his pre-sentence report.

Judge Simon Hammond said that Hamid was initially charged with possessing class A and B drugs following the raid and released on bail, in February last year.

He said: “Whilst on bail in August last year he befriended six young girls, aged between 14 and 17.

“He found some of them on Facebook and arranged to meet them, usually at night, and took them home.

“He plied them with alcohol, cocaine and cannabis and sometimes they stayed overnight.

“There’s no doubt he hoped sexual activity would occur.

“One 15-year-old slept with him overnight and they twice had consensual sex – when he knew her age.

“Having plied another girl, aged 17, with cocaine, he tried three times to persuade her to become a prostitute, but wisely she refused.”

Judge Hammond said during sentencing: “All these girls were vulnerable and impressionable and were hanging around with him late at night.

“One wonders what their mothers were thinking was going on?

“He lived in a well-appointed house, had a BMW and money – and would have made quite an impression on those girls.

“The courts have a duty to protect young girls from themselves as well as sexual predators like this defendant.

“He was 34 at the time and much older than them.

“The pre-sentence report says he now admits most of these offences.

“What a shame he didn’t have the moral courage to plead guilty, if only to spare the girls from giving evidence.

“He described to the probation officer how cocaine had ‘fried’ his brain cells.

“The pre-sentence report says he targeted young females and set about grooming them with money, drugs and alcohol and behaved manipulatively – I agree with that conclusion.

“He obviously had a sexual interest in teenage girls.”

The court heard that on September 18 last year the police again raided his home and found a container with traces of cocaine in it.

There were also a large number of dealer bags and scales.

Hamid was convicted of possessing 16.69 grams of cocaine, 23.39 grams of ecstasy, 6.52 grams of amphetamine, and 3.59 grams of cannabis, with intent to supply, on February 27 last year.

He was found guilty of 17 offences of supplying either cocaine or cannabis to six teenage girls, between August and October, and two counts of sexual activity with a girl under 16.

Hamid was also convicted of one offence of attempting to arrange the prostitution of a child under 18, between July and September, 2013.

Claire Robinson, mitigating, said: “The admissions he has made to the probation officer since the trial go some way to demonstrating he’s beginning to realise what he has done and it’s the first step to address his offending to ensure it doesn’t happen again.”

She said he had a problem with cocaine but went through detoxification whilst on remand in custody and is now a “peer mentor” helping other inmates who have misused drugs.

He intends to study for an Open University course during his sentence.

Hamid was placed on a sexual offences prevention order banning unsupervised contact with girls under 16.

He will have to enrol on a sex offender register for life

September 2014

Man spared jail after downloading nearly 50,000 indecent images of children on computer

An Ipswich man who downloaded nearly 50,000 indecent images of children on his computer and mobile phone has been given a suspended prison sentence.

Police seized computer equipment and an iPhone belonging to 49-year-old David Cubitt during a search of his home in Landseer Road, Ipswich in June and took them away for analysis.

When experts examined the equipment nearly 50,000 indecent images of children were discovered with approx 40,000 described as level one

A further 2,500 images were at level two, 3,000 at level three, 2,500 at level four and 287 at level five, said Michael Crimp, prosecuting.

When Cubitt was asked about the indecent images he said he didn’t know how they got there but when the case came to court he pleaded guilty to four offences of making indecent images of children between June 2011 and June 2013.

Sentencing Cubitt to an 18 month prison sentence suspended for two years Recorder Richard Atchley said he initially had every intention of sending him straight to prison but had decided to suspend the sentence because of Cubitt’s early guilty pleas and his previous good character.

In addition to the suspended sentence Recorder Atchley ordered Cubitt to do 120 hours unpaid work in the community and placed him under the supervision of the probation service for two years.

Neil Saunders for Cubitt said his client had lost his good character as a result of his guilty pleas to the offences and he was aware he could be sent straight to prison.

September 2014

Child abuser, 63, jailed for six years and nine months

By Colin Adwent Crime Correspondent

A historic child sex abuse victim has been hailed as “incredibly brave” after a 63-year-old Suffolk paedophile was jailed for nearly seven years.

Jesse Masters, of Edgar Avenue, Stowmarket, originally faced eight charges.

These included two counts of rape of a female aged under 16.

Masters was also accused of four indecent assaults on a girl under the age of 14 and two charges of inciting a girl under the age of 14 to commit gross indecency.

The allegations all dated back to the 1980s.

Masters had initially pleaded not guilty at Ipswich Crown Court to all the charges.

However, on July 28 he changed his plea on three of the offences.

Masters admitted two of the indecent assaults and one count of gross indecency with a child.

The not guilty pleas on the remaining five charges, including the rapes, will lay on file.

Masters was jailed for six years and nine months when he appeared at his sentencing before Judge Rupert Overbury at Ipswich Crown Court.

After the hearing Detective Constable Brian Malster, of Suffolk Constabulary’s Child Abuse Investigation Unit, said: “The victim in this case was incredibly brave to come forward and detail the catalogue of abuse she was subjected to at a young age.

“Suffolk Police take all reports such as these seriously, no matter how long ago the offences took place and we provide ongoing support to the victim.

“We welcome the sentencing at court of Masters, which reflects the severity of the offences and we hope this will help the victim as she tries to come to terms with what she had to endure at his hands.”

Masters was arrested in Stowmarket on July 6 last year.

After being questioned on the allegations, he was released on bail pending further enquiries.

Masters was charged on December 12, before making his first court appearance on the allegations before South East Suffolk Magistrates Court on January 8.

His case was then committed to the town’s crown court.

September 2014

Victims’ anger after man convicted of indecent assault walks free from court

TWO victims spoke of their anger last night (Sunday, September 21) after a man who abused them as children walked free from court.

Anthony Thompson, 52, was a teenage boy when he harmed the girls in North Yorkshire in the 1970s.

The victims kept their ordeals a secret for decades until one of them saw Thompson with a child last year.

She described how the image immediately brought back her heartache – and a need to protect the youngster.

The police were contacted, and following an investigation, a second victim also gave details of her abuse.

Thompson admitted four charges of indecent assault when he was due to go on trial at Teesside Crown Court.

But the pervert was spared prison because he had to be sentenced under guidelines that existed at the time.

Had he been dealt with under current legislation, the former turkey factory worker could have faced four years.

The disparity – explained to his accusers before he was dealt with – has left the women hurt and angry.

One said: “It shouldn’t matter when these things happen, they should be treated the same way. It is abuse.”

The other added: “It’s almost like the law saying ‘Yes, we believe you, but it was a long time ago’.”

Thompson, formerly from Easingwold, and now living in Thirsk, North Yorkshire, is a married grandfather.

He was supported at court by his wife and children.

Judge Simon Bourne-Arton, QC, told Thompson: “You will no longer be able to hold your head up as a man of good character, you no longer will be able to say ‘I am a pillar of the community’.

“You denied this offending when you were questioned, and continued to deny it up until the day of the trial.

“They had the courage to come forward and they had the courage to tell the police what you had done to them.

“You showed little or no courage whatever and continued to be in denial for a substantial period of time.

“By your ultimate plea of guilty, you saved them the further and additional ordeal of giving evidence and being subjected to cross-examination.”

Dan Cordey, mitigating, handed in three references, and told the court: “As an adult, he has led an exemplary life.

“He has lived a perfectly normal life, bringing up his family, working hard to provide for them, not causing any problems whatsoever in society.”

Mr Cordey described it as “a difficult sentencing exercise”, and prosecutor Simon Kealey told the court it was “a legal minefield” because of the changes.

“He was a boy and whilst it is a difficult task for any court to put themselves in the position of Anthony Thompson in those days, I would submit children were much less sophisticated then than in the 2000s, 2012, 2013, 2014.

“Children were much less worldly-wise than children of the same age today.

“I don’t seek to belittle the offences in any way or downplay them, because they clearly had a serious effect upon the victims.

“These proceedings have had a significant effect upon him. He has lost his good character, and he has had to admit matters to his family, and he has to carry this stigma.”

Thompson, of Hambleton Place, Thirsk, was given a 16-month prison sentence suspended for two years, and put on the sex offenders’ register.

One of the victims said after the case: “The effect it has had on my life over the past 18 months has been horrendous.

“I have had to unlock all those little boxes where everything has been locked away for so long. It has been at the forefront of my mind, and I feel it has been belittled – the fact what he did did not even deserve one day in prison.

“It is a subject I had not discussed with anybody. The only person I have told in detail was the police officer when I was interviewed.

“I had to recall what happened as a child and vocalise it in grown-up words. It was a really hard experience to open up stuff that had been shut a away.”

The other victim said: “Even though it happened years ago, and it has been brought to court now, he should have been sentenced under the regime that exists today. It is irrelevant how long ago it happened.

“My first thought when I saw that photograph him with the child was to protect the youngster. I had not seen him for 30 years, but all of a sudden he was a real person again.”

September 2014

Sheldon man jailed for 20 years for historic sex offences against young girls

A paedophile pensioner has been jailed for 20 years after being found guilty of historic sex offences against two young girls.

Arfon Owen, who has lived Talybont, North Wales since the early 1990s, originally lived in Sheldon and raped the girls between 1976 and 1992.

The 73-year-old was convicted after a week-long trial in July of 11 counts of rape and eight counts of indecent assault.

He was found not guilty of one count of unlawful sexual intercourse with a girl under 13.

Detective Constable Vicky Kelleher said: “Owen’s crimes came to light in early 2012 when his two victims found the courage to report the appalling abuse he had inflicted upon them.

“He steadfastly denied his guilt, so it was down to the brave testimonies of the girls which secured his conviction and saw him sentenced to a very lengthy jail term.

 “I hope this serves to help anyone else who may find themselves in a similar situation to have the courage to come forward and report abuse.

“We have a range of support services available from the police and a raft of other agencies. We have specially trained and experienced officers who can offer practical advice and support in all aspects of sexual and domestic abuse.”