October 2014

Man propositioned sexually confused Huddersfield schoolboy, court told

A gay man invited a teenage boy having problems with his sexuality to visit his Huddersfield home and watch porn with him.

Marcus Nicholson-North had initially become a friend to the 15-year-old on Facebook after learning that the boy wondered whether he was bi-sexual.

The boy thought he might give him some advice and at first exchanged messages happily with but when the tone began to change he thought it “a tad weird”, Catherine Silverton prosecuting told Leeds Crown Court.

Nicholson-North suggested at one point he should try a relationship with another boy at school and then later that the boy should take time off school to meet him when no one else would be at the adult’s home.

Miss Silverton said he also suggested they could watch gay porn together and suggested some sexual activity. The teenager said he felt angry, frustrated and a bit scared and ignored the messages.

Nicholson-North, 27, now of Scotland Green, Choppington, Northumberland admitted attempting to meet a child following sexual grooming and was given a three year community order with supervision and a high level activity programme. He was also ordered to register as a sex offender for five years.

Judge Christopher Batty said he accepted his intentions at the outset might have been to advise the teenager at a vulnerable time in his life.

He told him he deserved to go to custody and had considered imposing an 18 month prison sentence but that would not include any treatment.

He said “I take the view the public is better protected not by locking you up for a short period but by you addressing your issues.”

October 2014

Teen had sex with two under age girls

A BROMSGROVE teenager has been told he is facing custody after he pleaded guilty to sex with two under age girls.

Joshua Miles, aged 19, of High Meadows, Stoke Heath, admitted two charges of sexual activity with a child when he appeared at Worcester Crown Court.

One charge relates to a girl aged 13 at the time between January 1 and March 1 2011 and the second to a girl aged 15 in January 2013.

Judge Abbas Mithani, QC, warned him they were serious offences and the most likely outcome would be a custodial sentence.

A pre-sentence report was ordered and Miles was granted bail to return to court for sentencing on Friday, November 14. He was ordered to register immediately as a sex offender.

October 2014

Sowerby Bridge man banned from using Facebook because of previous sex offences jailed for messaging girl, 14

A 31-year-old man who was banned from using Facebook under the terms of a sexual offences prevention order has been jailed for four months after he sent messages to a teenage girl using the social networking site.

Back in October 2004 Luke Greenwood, then aged 22, was jailed for child abuse images offences involving indecent images of girls and in January 2012 magistrates in Wakefield imposed a 10-year sexual offences prevention order (SOPO) which included a ban on him accessing social networking sites.

But on three days between June and August 2013 Greenwood sent 10 messages on Facebook to a 14-year-old girl, who cannot be identified for legal reasons.

Bradford Crown Court heard that the complainant was unaware of Greenwood’s previous background when she received the messages and the discovery had left her suffering panic attacks and anxiety.

Greenwood, who lives at Lord Street, Sowerby Bridge, had already breached the SOPO on two previous occasions and Judge Robert Bartfield described his contact with the girl as “a blatant breach of the spirit and terms of the order”.

The court heard that Greenwood had previously breached the SOPO by using Facebook to promote his wedding photography business and Judge Bartfield said another breach, involving the use of someone else’s name, had been “a devious attempt to get round the provisions”.

The messages sent to the teenager included complimentary remarks about her appearance and although Judge Bartfield accepted that the contact fell short of “grooming” he said it indicated an inappropriate interest in the complainant.

October 2014

Registered sex offender “joined six-year-old in paddling pool” and breached order

A REGISTERED sex offender from Ilminster who struck up a friendship with a woman on an internet dating site then began having regular access to her six-year-old daughter.

Craig Andrew Michael Stanley stayed over at his new girlfriend’s address, went on day trips with her family and played in a paddling pool with her young child.

He continued to play the normal family man while subject to a sexual offences prevention order but when police discovered what was happening he was arrested and brought before Somerset Magistrates.

Stanley, 30, of The Mead, pleaded guilty that between June 1 and September 9 at Devon, being a relevant offender under the Sexual Offences Act he failed to comply with the notification requirements in that he failed to notify the police of an address where he stayed for 12 hours or more where a child under the age of 18 normally resided. He also admitted failing to notify the police that he had two credit cards between the same dates.

He also pleaded guilty between July 10 and August 23 he went out for a day trip and attended the Dawlish Air Show in the company of a six year old child.

He also admitted engaging in recreational activity with a six year old child by joining her in a paddling pool at Devon on July 20.

Also between May 2 and September 9 he stayed over at an address in Devon on five occasions where a woman and child were present.

Prosecutor Emma Chetland said that Stanley was given a police caution on March 2005 for an allegation of committing sexual activity with a child.

In June 2006 the police were granted a sexual offences prevention order against the defendant for an indefinite period making him subject to a number of notification requirements.

She said: “It came to light that the defendant had entered into a relationship with a lady starting in February 2014 where she first had contact with him via an internet dating site.

“They exchanged mobile phone numbers and he visited her address and stayed overnight on several occasions while her child was elsewhere.”

In April she introduced Stanley to her six year old daughter and he then continued to stay overnight at the address over the following months and failed to notify the police as he was required to do.

“On many of these occasions the child was also at the address and at least twice he went on day trips with the family and played in the paddling pool with her,” said Mrs Chetland.

“The police also discovered he had two credit cards in his name which he was also meant to have disclosed.”

Defending solicitor Bill Gayer said that Stanley was cautioned by the police for the original offence due to his learning difficulties and was subsequently made subject of the SOPO.

“He cannot read or write and has a very low mental age however over the internet he met a lady and had a relationship,” he said.

“After he was arrested he said he did not know he was still subject to the sexual offences prevention order, however that was not a reasonable excuse.

“He admits the actions he took and later became aware that she had a child and accepted he went in a paddling pool with her and bought her chocolate buttons.”

The magistrates adjourned the case against Stanley until November 7 for a pre sentence report to be prepared.

In the meantime he was bailed with conditions that he must not contact one names witness directly or indirectly and must reside at his home address and abide by a curfew between 10pm and 7am.

October 2014

80-year-old Worcester pensioner had child abuse images

AN ELDERLY man has appeared in court for downloading indecent images of children, one featuring a naked boy aged 11 years on a bed with an adult.

Brian Ferris, aged 80, of Bath Road, Worcester, admitted three charges relating to child pornography when he appeared before a deputy district judge at Worcester Magistrates Court on Monday.

He admitted possession of an indecent photograph of a child (a movie) of category B on January 30 and two counts of making indecent photographs of children between November 19 last year and January 26 this year. The first of the making indecent images charge involved two indecent images (category B) and the second nine images (category C).

Jackie Rogers, prosecuting, said Ferris was arrested as part of Operation Spade which involved investigating those who had purchased indecent images from a company in Canada. Mrs Rogers said: “He was identified as having made purchases from that site and a warrant was executed at his home on January 30 this year and items were seized for forensic examination.” She said an aggravating feature of the case was that it involved a moving image. She added: “Purchasing from this site indicates some involvement in networking where he’s able to access this type of image.”

There is an older relevant conviction dating back to 1994.

Ruth Edwards, defending, said reports would need to be prepared before the matter was sentenced but deputy district judge RT Marshall said the case was a matter for crown court rather than magistrates court because of its seriousness.

Mrs Edwards argued that the case should remain in magistrates court but the judge disagreed. He said: “The fact that he has gone out and purchased this material aggravates it as opposed to him coming across it accidentally.”

Mrs Edwards said one of the images featured a young boy of 11 who is lying naked on a bed with an adult female. She maintained the case fell within the sentencing powers of the magistrates court.

The case will next be heard at Worcester Crown Court on November 21. Ferris was granted bail until that date on condition he lives and sleeps at his address in Bath Road, he has no unsupervised contact with anyone under the age of 18 (and the person providing that supervision must be approved by social services) and that he sign the Sex Offender Register immediately.

October 2014

Former teacher jailed after the scale of his abuse on pupils emerges during primary school reunion

A former teacher has been jailed after his years of abuse came to light during a school reunion.

Anthony Kerr, 71, preyed on young boys in his classroom at St Martin’s primary school in Fitton Hill, Oldham in the late 1970s and early 80s.

Boys as young as seven were abused by Kerr as they sat on his knee to read out passages in front of their classmates at the school.

But his crimes only emerged when classmates discussed Kerr at a school reunion last year.

His distraught victims have now vividly recalled in court how Kerr would abuse them when they made mistakes during the readings, locking his arm around them so they couldn’t escape.

The court heard how Kerr carried out the abuse with sinister regularity, leaving his young victims believing that sexual abuse at the hands of their teacher was normal.

He pleaded guilty to 29 counts of indecent assault against nine boys aged as young as seven. He was sentenced to four years imprisonment at Manchester Minshull Street Crown Court.

Kerr has also been ordered to sign the Sex Offenders Register for life.

Sentencing him, Judge Timothy Mort said Kerr’s actions left a lasting ‘inner turmoil’ on the lives of his victims.

“They distrusted authority, harboured a grave dislike for school, were hypersensitive to their own children and worried about relatives handling their children. Others didn’t learn to read because they associated it with what happened to them.

“What you did for your sexual gratification, to those boys at that age had a lasting effect.”

Kerr, of Netherlees, Oldham, was a teacher until 1994 when he retired after suffering a severe bout of depression.

He received a caution in 2008 for engaging in sexual activity in a public toilet and spent years battling depression.

He denied his crimes when allegations first came to light in March 2013.

It was only when former pupils discussed Kerr at a recent school reunion earlier this year that the extent of his abuse was revealed, and Kerr finally admitted to his crimes in August this year after more former pupils came forward.

Defending, Phillip Parry said it was a ‘cathartic moment’ when Kerr finally revealed the dark secret he had kept from his wife and two children for 34 years.

Det Con Sue Chadwick said: “Without the bravery of all his victims – particularly the first one to come forward we would not be in a position to see Kerr finally receive his punishment.

“Their courage should hopefully encourage any other victims of sexual abuse to now come forward and speak to the police.”

October 2014

Barrhead pervert had images of kids

A BARRHEAD pervert who had a stash of sick images on his computer will be punished next month

William Murray’s twisted fascination with children came to light when police raided his home last year.

The 34-year-old appeared at Paisley Sheriff Court last week after having admitted the offence at an earlier hearing.

The court heard how seven officers swooped on Murray’s house, where he lives with his mother, in the town’s Blackbyres Road.

Computer equipment belonging to Murray was examined by police forensic experts who discovered indecent images of children.

Prosecutor Hazel Emmerson told the court some of the 27 pictures which were found were classified as level three — with level five being the most extreme there is — and others of levels one and two.

Murray admitted having the images in his possession, between August 1, 2012 and January 10, 2013.

He was also charged with distributing or showing indecent images but his not guilty plea to this offence was accepted by the crown.

Defence lawyer Tony Callahan, representing Murray, explained that his client handed himself into Barrhead Police Station on January 13 last year.

He also said that Murray had been suffering from manic depression and had attempted suicide on one occasion.

Sheriff Colin Pettigrew deferred sentence until November 21 to allow time for the preparation of background reports.

Bail was continued.

October 2014

Paedophile jailed for four years after abusing two boys at a remote farm in the 1970s

A paedophile whose historic abuse “haunted” the life of one of his two victims has been jailed for four years.

Kirk Jobson, now 59, subjected the two boys to horrific abuse over a number of years in the 1970s.

His youngest victim was just eight or nine years old when the abuse began. At the time Jobson, who was in the Merchant Navy but also had occasional work as a farmhand in South Powys, was aged around 16.

He had denied offences of indecent assaults, indecency, a sex attack and an attempted sex attack but was convicted by a jury.

Judge William Gaskell, sitting at Cardiff Crown Court, said Jobson had taken advantage of his “greater age to commit these sexual offences”.

The older victim had told the jury Jobson had pushed him against a wall and made it so he was unable to escape by holding him down and sexually assaulting him.

He didn’t scream because he was “so scared”, he told the jury. Jobson told the boy it was a “bit of fun” and it “wouldn’t last long”.

On occasions when the boy got upset and was crying, Jobson gave him small amounts of money.

“He tried to avoid it but the reality was he was a small boy and he couldn’t,” said Judge Gaskell.

The victim was left in shock and described feeling “dirty” but said he didn’t report it at the time because he didn’t think he would be believed.

Judge Gaskell said: “He tried to put it to the back of his head but there came a time, because of his own children, when he realised how vulnerable young boys are.

“He tried to bury these feelings in order to cope with the rest of his life but they have resurfaced as a result of the court case.”

Jobson also abused a boy aged between nine and 11, the court heard.

He was subjected to attempts at serious sexual assault by Jobson who held him down and ignored his screams.

Jobson told him not to tell anyone, which he didn’t for many years.

He also described feeling “dirty” and said he had to wash himself after the assaults.

In a statemen, the victim said Jobson’s attacks had “blighted” his life and “haunted” him ever since.

The judge said he accepted that since these offences Jobson had lived a normal life, working in a care home for 18 years and having a long-term relationship.

He now lives in Newcastle upon Tyne.

Since his conviction he has lost his job, home and relationship, the court was told.

The judge sentenced him to a total of five years for the attacks on the first victim while a four-year sentence will run consecutively for the attacks on the younger boy making a combined nine-year sentence, of which he will serve half.

October 2014

Pensioner jailed after attacks on children in Thanet decades ago

A sex fiend, who “stole the innocence” of two children, has been given an extended jail sentence.

Pensioner George Taylor had left the children traumatised by his vile attacks in Thanet 30 years ago.

Even now the female victim still suffers nightmares, flashbacks and is still haunted by her heartbreaking ordeal.

Canterbury Crown Court heard how Taylor, 73, had carried out the attacks after being released early from an eight-year sentence for 34 sex offences.

Judge Adele Williams heard the male victim revealed in a Victim Impact Statement how he regarded Taylor’s attacks as a form of torture.

The judge told Taylor: “You abused your victims when they were children. You told one of them that if she told anyone what you had done then she would end up in care.

“I have read the impact statements which make very moving reading indeed. There can be no doubt, what traumatic effect what you did had on each of them.

“You stole their innocence and robbed them of part of their childhood.”

As Judge Williams outlined all the sex offences from 1973 onward, Taylor shouted: “No…” when she revealed he had been jailed for eight years in 2011 for the rape of a five-year-old.

She then ordered him to be taken from the dock when he refused to stop shouting – and then passed the sentence in his absence.

As he was led away he shouted: “Give me life. That’s all lies. It’s total rubbish; lies, lies…”

Prosecutor Christopher May had earlier revealed how Taylor had used pornography to try to seduce the boy and attempted to bribe him with gifts.

He said the paedophile then carried out other attacks on the girl while he was living in Margate, telling her he was “teaching her about her body”.

Mr May said the girl later told how she was left with low self-esteem and is still “haunted by the events” and suffers nightmares and flashbacks.

Taylor, who is currently serving an extended sentence, admitted five sex offences against the children.

He was jailed for eight years and the judge ordered he serve two more years on licence when he is released.

October 2014

Calcot man who indecently assaulted a girl aged under five on multiple occasions has sentencing delayed

Calcot man who indecently assaulted a girl aged under five on multiple occasions up to 14 years ago will have to wait a month to be sentenced for the crimes.

Phillip Baxter, 50, of Dwyer Road, had been due to be sentenced at Reading Crown Court on Friday.

But Judge Nicholas Wood was not satisfied the probation service’s pre-sentence report had explored enough options and requested a second opinion in another report.

Dwyer had faced two counts of indecent assault on a child and two of inciting a child to commit acts of gross indecency, all between March 3, 2000, and August 23, 2002.

However, he was seriously assaulted in 2002, resulting in severe brain damage, and has suffered a stroke and experienced memory loss.

Dwyer was deemed unfit to plead, but a jury was asked to decide during a hearing at the court in September if he had committed the offences. It found that he had.

Baxter is due to be sentenced on Wednesday, November 19.

April 2011

A PERVERT who groomed a 12-year old girl for sex has been jailed for nine months

Surajit Das, 55, from Walmley, Sutton Coldfield, denied seven charges of sexual activity with a child and a more serious offence of inciting a child of under 13 to engage in sexual activity.

But a jury at Birmingham Crown Court found the former teaching assistant, who has a long alliance with the Bengali Association, guilty of all offences.

During sentencing at Derby Crown Court Judge Jonathan Gosling said Das’s wife, who works as a paediatrician, had stood by him throughout the allegations, and that he was not a ‘predator’.

But he said that the former shop owner was ‘grooming’ his victim.

The judge said that the inappropriate behaviour was ‘repeated over a long period of time and escalated in intensity’.

He told Das: “Obviously you were grooming this individual.” The judge ruled the jail sentence was for the most serious crime and no further punishment was handed down for the other offences which took place over a twoyear period.

He said: “On the other hand you are not a predator of young girls.

“For years you have been associated with the Bengali Association with children of all ages and both sexes.

“I read a large amount of material about you in that capacity and you have never attracted a single complaint and it’s clear you were valued in your role.”

The judge said it was a ‘terrible tragedy’ to see a man like Das in the dock. The defendant ran a market stall and then a shop in Sutton Coldfield town centre.

He also worked as a teaching assistant for a period in a Birmingham Secondary School.

Das, who communicated through a Bengali speaking interpreter, showed little emotion as he was jailed.

He was told he must serve half of his sentence in prison.

The Judge further ruled that he should register as a sex offender for ten years and he barred him from ever working with children.

Das’s wife, Dr Babi Rani Pal, who had appeared as a defence witness in the case was in court for sentencing, but declined to comment further.

Investigating officer Detective Inspector Jon Thursfield, said after sentencing: “The family of the victim were very brave in speaking out and reporting this abuse to police. I don’t underestimate how difficult these decisions are.

“It is vital that offenders of this kind of crime are not able to escape punishment and after police were informed of the abuse the victim endured, we were able to mount a thorough investigation into the allegations, which have ultimately led to this man being given a custodial sentence.

“I’d encourage any victims of abuse to come forward: we have specialist officers trained to care for victims and guide them through the investigation and court process. And of course we will honour requests for anonymity.”

October 2014

Former Swindon martial arts teacher jailed for abusing young boy

A FORMER martial arts instructor who repeatedly sexually abused a young boy in Swindon has been sentenced to eight years in prison – and will spend four and a half years behind bars.

Colin Stratton, who has served time inside for similar matters in the past, will be on an extended licence for the remainder of his time once released, after a judge ruled he posed a significant risk of serious harm.

The 56-year-old left his victim, who he started to abuse when he was just 11 years old, self harming as a teenager to blot out the mental pain of what he endured.

Claire Marlow, prosecuting, told Swindon Crown Court how the victim first met Stratton when he went to his classes as a boy in late 1989.

The youngster was befriended by the defendant, who also worked on market stalls, and he would often go with him.

She said during the next six-and-a-half years Stratton abused the boy.

Miss Marlow said the burly martial arts instructor would use the classes as an opportunity to assault the boy and assert himself on him.

“The victim admits he was ashamed and scared of what was happening so didn’t tell anybody,” she said.

“He came forward as he doesn’t want to live in fear anymore.”

When he was questioned by police, Stratton denied the allegations, saying the lad had heard what was said at a previous trial by another victim and was just repeating it.

Miss Marlow read an impact statement where the boy, now a man, told how his life had been blighted by the abuse.

He told how he had started cutting himself with a blunt Swiss Army knife when he was about 13, continuing as he got older with a bread knife and other sharper blades.

On one occasion he drank a quarter of a bottle of washing up liquid and also burned himself with a hot match which had just been blown out.

He said seeing NSPCC adverts on TV brought it all back and led to him self harming again, saying: “I can only stop it by replacing the mental pain with physical pain.”

Stratton, now of High Street, Shrivenham, pleaded guilty to six counts of indecent assault and two of indecency with a child between September 1989 and March 1996.

The court was told that he was jailed for six years, following a trial in 1997, for rape of a boy under 16, attempted rape and indecent assault.

And since his release he had been convicted of possessing indecent images of children.

Mike Jeary, defending, said his client knew he was facing a lengthy jail term for what he has done.

He said that had he been dealt with at the same time for all the matters he may not had been told to serve much more time behind bars.

Since his release, he said he had completed a Thames Valley Sex Offender Programme, which had taught him to avoid situations where he might offend.

“He describes being at McDonald’s when a load of schoolboys came in and he changed his order from eat in to take away, so it has changed his lifestyle,” he said.

Mr Jeary said he was living with his father in his sheltered accommodation and considering employment that would keep him away from boys.

Jailing him, Judge Peter Blair QC, said: “The victim impact statement that he made and has been read out is one which tugs at the heart strings and I suspect you will never know just how much harm you have caused and this necessarily puts you in a very high bracket for sentencing purposes.

“I have borne in mind that had this come before the courts back in the late 90s, early 2000s, that you may have been dealt with in a global sentence in the other matter you contested and resulted in a six-year sentence.

“But I also have to bear in mind when I come to sentence you that there is a clear theme and that you don’t understand your twisted thinking and you don’t understand the damage you have caused.”

As well as the jail term he also imposed a sexual offences prevention order, restricting his liberty, and told him he must register as a sex offender for life.

October 2014

Man admits possession of 1,500 child abuse images

More than 1,500 images of child abuse were found on a man’s computer, a court heard.

Nigel Hilary Glover admitted 11 charges relating to downloading child and animal pornography on the internet, when he appeared before Stroud Magistrates’ Court.

Graham Dono, prosecuting, said 38 category A – the most serious – images were found on his computer.

“There were more than 1,500 overall, and the majority were category C,” he told the court on Monday, October 20.

Illegal pornography has been reclassified in law – whereas level five was the most serious and one the least, category A is now the most serious and C the least.

He admitted a charge of possessing 38 category A images and 12 category A video files, another charge of possessing 79 category B images and four category B videos, and possessing 1,421 category C images and two category C videos, between January 29, 2013 and March 26, 2014.

Between the same dates he also had in his possession an extreme pornographic image of a dog.

He admitted six specimen charges of making – downloading – indecent images of children and one charge of possessing a prohibited image of a child.

Glover, 65, formerly of Grisedale Close, Longlevens but now of Heathville Road, Gloucester, will appear for sentence before Gloucester Crown Court on November 28.

October 2014

Farmworker caught with hundreds of child abuse images after police chatroom sting

A young farmworker who was using an internet chatroom being investigated by police was caught with hundreds of child abuse images on his mobile phone.

Stephen Midgley, 22, from Stockton, was arrested within hours by officers from the Cleveland force because of concerns over comments he left on the website which was used by paedophiles to chat and exchange indecent images of children.

But his stories and claims were found to be invented, Teesside Crown Court was told.

He was later examined by three psychiatrists over his possession of photographs and movies of children as young as four.

His lawyer said that he was not suffering from any form of mental illness but he was found to be emotionally immature, inadequate and easily led.

Prosecutor Sue Jacobs told a judge: “He was located by his phone number and police went to his house that day because of the nature of the comments he had been making on the site.

“There was good reason to be worried because of the nature of what was said but there was no truth in it.

“There is no evidence of any distribution or any form of sexual activity by the defendant.”

Midgley’s mobile phone had 780 indecent images of children aged from four to 13 and 22 indecent movies, including some in the most serious three new categories involving penetrative sex.

Mrs Jacobs said that when he was interviewed Midgley, who was of previous good character, accepted what he had done.

Judge Howard Crowson said that in a case where there were moving images it was more serious than one with still images.

The judge said that the sentence after a guilty plea would be 12 months, and Midgley had already served that on remand.

Yvonne Taylor, defending, said Midgley was being supported in court by his sister and by his grandmother, who had offered him a home.

She added that the final psychiatric report also described him as having below average intelligence and with poor social skills.

She said: “It is accepted that he is just a very troubled young man and not able to understand why he committed these offences.

“Even today he is at a loss to understand why he offended in this way.

“What he wants is help in understanding. His family stand by him, they appreciate all the factors, but they are at a loss to understand too.”

He can return to his farm job and his employer has said that she will work with him.

Midgley, of Northbourne Road, Stockton, pleaded guilty to possessing 713 indecent photographs and 21 indecent movies of children on February 12 and also to 16 offences of making indecent photographs of children.

He was remanded on bail for a four weeks probation hostel assessment with a 9pm to 7am curfew and he will be sentenced on November 20

October 2014

Shropshire sex offender jailed for having indecent images of children

A Shropshire man with a history of indecent assault and possession of child abuse images has been jailed for two years for possessing indecent images of children.

Mark Hicks, 51, admitted six charges of possessing indecent images of children, including one picture at level five, the highest level, and 37 pictures at level four.

In total he was found to possess 4,548 images.

Hicks, of Vineyard Road, Newport, appeared in front of Judge Peter Barrie at Shrewsbury Crown Court yesterday.

Robert James Edwards, prosecuting, said police searched Hicks’ home in January 2003 where a laptop was seized.

He said: “This laptop contained 4,548 images in total. On police interview he admitted to downloading and deleting the images immediately.

“He said he was disgusted and disappointed in himself.”

Mr Edwards told the court that in February 2013, Hicks admitted to indecently assaulting a male under 14 and making indecent images.

He was jailed and released in June 2004.

Mr Michael Sherwood-Smith, defending, said Hicks, during the time he was downloading the images, was depressed, had low self-esteem and was suffering from nightmares about his divorce.

Judge Barrie told Hicks: “Within two years of your licence period ending of your previous sentence you failed to learn the lessons in your programme and committed similar offences again.”

“You did not save, but viewed and discarded the images.

“There was a large volume of them, with a few at the highest level. It is concerning you went back to the behaviour you showed in 2003.

“You had the opportunity to learn from a program but it has not worked and you were unable to stop yourself accessing images again.

“Doing it again is much more serious than the first time.

“I have in my mind the physical threat of harm you could cause to children and the harm to them by accessing the internet material.

“You might assault young boys like you did before.

“I want to provide maximum protection for the public.”

Hicks was sentenced to an extended sentence of six years imprisonment, of which he will spent two years in prison and four on an extended period of licence.

Hicks was also placed under a sexual offences order and barred from working with children for life.

The forfeiture and destruction of the laptop was also ordered.

October 2014

Merseyside paedophile extradited from Tenerife jailed for sex offences against boy & girl

A Merseyside paedophile found living in the Canary Islands was today behind bars over historical sex offences.

Philip Gordon Knowles was extradited back to Britain and jailed for eight years after being found guilty by a jury of abusing a teenage boy and girl in the Seventies.

The 54-year-old, who was living in the Oasis del Sur area of Tenerife, was detained after a European Arrest Warrant was issued in April 2014.

He was taken to Madrid where officers from the Matrix Serious Organised Crime specialist Unity team brought him back to the UK.

Knowles was found guilty earlier this week of four counts of gross indecency with a boy under the age of 14 and eight counts of indecent assault on a girl under the age of 16.

As well as being sentenced to eight years in prison he was ordered to sign the Sex Offenders’ Register for life and was disqualified from working with children under the age of 16 years.

Detective Inspector Bev Hyland said: “Knowles is starting a long prison sentence after a jury found him guilty of a number of offences carried out over a ten year period between 1970 and 1980 whilst he was living in the St Helens area.

“His victims have shown an immense amount of bravery in coming forward and having to re-live the abuse they suffered at Knowles’ hands. I hope his sentencing gives them some sense of closure and also provides wider reassurance that a dangerous and determined sex offender is now behind bars.

“I would like to reassure anyone who has been a victim of sexual abuse that any complaint will be taken extremely seriously and investigated by specially trained officers who will offer support every step of the way.

“I’d also like to thank officers and our partners in the Crown Prosecution Service for their dedication and commitment throughout what has been a long and complex investigation.”

Update - On the 17th January 2014, Burt was charged with additional sex offences of another young girl.

Burt was sentenced to just one year imprisonment. However he was freed the same day as he had spent 26 weeks on remand

Burt was ordered to sign the sex offenders register for 5 years and as given three years community service

Burt is has been banned from unsupervised access to any child aged under 16 years old

November 2013

Yeovil man arrested and admits sexually abusing six-year-old girl

A YEOVIL man has been remanded in custody after admitting sexually abusing a six year-old girl.

Mark Anthony Burt, aged 48, of Hawks Rise, was brought before Somerset Magistrates, sitting at Yeovil, in custody after being arrested by the police.

He pleaded guilty to three counts of touching the young victim in a sexual manner at Yeovil between October 1 and 31.

Prosecutor Judy Morris said that defendant admitted the three assaults, which were of a non-penetrative sexual touching, which were said to have been committed over the past few weeks.

“He admitted touching her in a private area,” she said.

Defending solicitor Chris Baddoo did not make any representations to the court after the magistrates said the offences were so serious that the defendant was likely to receive a lengthy custodial sentence.

They refused to accept jurisdiction for the matters and ordered Burt to be committed to Taunton crown Court to be sentenced on December 13. They also requested a pre sentence report to be prepared by the probation service.

Until his next court appearance the defendant was remanded in custody with no application made for bail.

October 2014

Man, 36, filmed young girls’ sex acts via his webcam

A PAEDOPHILE who encouraged girls as young as 11 to perform sex acts on camera and then filmed it on his phone has been spared jail.

Ryan Marston, of Wroslyn Road, Freeland, near Witney, admitted two counts of making indecent images of children between December 17, 2009, and October 25, 2012.

Prosecutor Michael Roques said the 36-year-old had 1,514 photographs of children on his computer, some of whom were under 10 years old.

He told Judge Ian Pringle that there were also eight video clips which had been taken with Marston’s iPhone of girls aged between 11 and 15 who he filmed while they performed sex acts over a webcam

Mr Roques added that the defendant had no previous convictions.

Peter Du Feu, defending, said his client had a “physical difficulty” which had put a strain on his relationship with his wife.

He said: “These are always very sad cases indeed when they involve men of otherwise impeccable character, who now face the shame and embarrassment as well as the criminality of these sort of offences.

“You can be absolutely reassured that he will not be before a court again in his life.”

Judge Ian Pringle told Marston: “There are victims in these cases, and the abuse that the young children go through to satisfy people such as you is appalling.”

He sentenced Marston to a three-year community order with a sex offenders’ treatment programme and a supervision requirement. He will also have to pay a £60 victims’ surcharge.

Judge Pringle made a sexual offences prevention order for 10 years, banning Marston from having unsupervised contact with children.

October 2014

Richmond man admits seven counts of indecent pictures of children

A paedophile from Richmond will be sentenced after admitting seven counts of downloading indecent images of children.

James Connor, 37, of North Road, appeared at Kingston Crown Court via prison video link from Littlehey Prison, Cambridgeshire, on Wednesday, October 22.

He pleaded guilty to six charges of making indecent images of a child between July 1, 2010, and June 5, 2014 as well as a further charge concerning 321 indecent images of minors.

The offending images ranged from category A, the most serious, to category C.

The images were recovered from a memory stick, which was returned to Connor after he served a previous custodial sentence, with staff unaware what it contained, the court heard.

Connor previously served six years imprisonment abroad for another offence, the court heard.

He will be sentenced at Kingston Crown Court, again via video link, on December 5

October 2014

IT consultant who groomed and sexually abused three boys received a total sentence of 15 years today

Wayne Truter, 41, of Kenilworth Close, Hemel Hempstead, lavished gifts on the boys as part of the grooming process.

He was jailed at St Albans Crown Court by Judge John Plumstead, who passed an eight-year jail term with a licence extension of seven years because he regarded him as dangerous. It means that when Truter is released from prison he will be under the supervision of probation officers until 2029.

Truter was convicted of sexual activity with a child under 13. At the time the boy was 12. He was also convicted of sexual activity with two boys aged 14 and 15. In addition he was found guilty of possessing 566 indecent movies involving children. The offences were committed between 2009 and 2013.

Prosecutor Isabel Delamare said the boys fell under the influence of Truter and visited his home, which was near a skate park. He lavished them with gifts and sexually abused them.

She said 13 of the movies found on a purple laptop were at Level 5, the most serious level, 282 at Level 4, 54 at Level 3, 186 at Level 2 and 33 at Level 1. The judge said he had an “obsessive interest in sex with pubescent boys.”

Truter, who had sacked his barrister, told Judge Plumstead he still denied the offences. “I have nothing to show remorse for. It is impossible for me to show remorse for something I have not done,” he said.

The judge told him: “These were serious, planned offences. You created an atmosphere in your home where young children could run free, being given liberties they would not be allowed at home. You let them smoke and play with valuable toys. You provided expensive gifts. One said he felt like a ‘rich kid’.”

He said that was all part of Truter’s “cynical, ruthless, grooming process” to exploit vulnerable children, telling him: “You are a devious, manipulative and dangerous man.”

Truter must sign the Sex Offender Register for life and must never contact the children.

Judge Plumstead commended DC Dani Pruett for the way she conducted the case. He also praised the way the victims’ families had conducted themselves during the case.