October 2014

‘Strip Twister’ internet paedophile spared jail – despite packing bags for prison

An internet paedophile who tried to persuade children to play ‘strip Twister’ online was caught with more than 600 indecent images of children at his home. 

But despite packing a bag for jail, he was spared prison at his sentencing today.

Kevin Hollingshead, 51, was found with 168 indecent images and videos of the most extreme kind when police seized his Apple laptop earlier this year.

Other images found included an adult female giving oral sex to a horse and a woman having sex with a dog.

Hollingshead, of Portland Avenue in New Malden, attended Kingston Crown Court for his sentencing today dressed in black trousers and a grey sweatshirt – carrying a large overnight bag.

But Judge Michael Hunter told him: “Mr Hollingshead you have been given a chance today.

“I have given you that chance because in your case this is the most effective way.

“But if you do not take that chance you are not likely to ever get a chance like this again.”

The court heard Hollingshead admitted having indecent images on his computer when officers from the public protection unit turned up to search his home on May 8.

When officers asked whether he had any offensive images on his iPhone he told them: “Yes I have a picture of my penis”.

He added he did not know why.

Officers seized Hollingshead’s laptop, iPhone and USB sticks.

They found Hollingshead had searched for “pre-teen parties”, “advanced chat pre-teens” and “pre-teen up skirt”.

He had also engaged with children online asking them to play “strip twister”, the court heard.

Defence counsel Hayley Brickel argued Hollingshead, who has no previous convictions or warnings, would not be able to rehabilitate or may reoffend later if he were sent to prison with other such offenders.

She said: “This is somebody who is going to be monitored by the authorities for a very, very long time.

“Mr Hollingshead is very sorry for what he has done. He would never repeat such actions.”

She showed Judge Hunter a letter from his neighbour indicating good character.

But prosecutor Robert Evans said: “The indictment indicates attempts to make contact with other children, an attempt to take his offending to another level.”

Judge Hunter gave Hollingshead credit for his early guilty plea and handed him a two year suspended sentence for nine counts of possessing indecent images.

He will also be made to take an internet sexual offending programme and was also put on the sex offenders register indefinitely.

October 2014

Haverfordwest man caught with ‘disgusting, stomach churning’ child sex abuse images avoids prison sentence

A Haverfordwest man who built up “an absolutely disgusting, stomach churning” collection of child sex abuse images has been ordered today to undergo treatment.

Liam Van-Rijn, aged 26, admitted eight offences of making indecent images of children, two of possessing extreme pornography and two of possessing prohibited images of children.

Dean Pulling, prosecuting, told Swansea crown court how police raided Van-Rijn’s home at Barn Court after linking to the property an ex-mail address suspected of being used to access child porn over the internet.

An examination of computer equipment revealed 754 indecent images, 646 of them in the most serious category C.

Police also found prohibited—cartoon—images of children and 20 images of extreme pornography.

Van-Rijn, a former Pembrokeshire College electrical engineering student, told police he had not actively searched for the images and had deleted them as soon as they appeared on his computer.

His barrister, Georgina Buckley, said Van-Rijn was “angry and disappointed” with himself and had, on his own initiative, contacted the Lucy Faithfull foundation and offered to pay for one-to-one treatment.

He was also willing to pay the Foundation £40 a week for someone to monitor his internet activity.

Judge Paul Thomas said Van-Rijn had downloaded absolutely disgusting, stomach churning images and a prison sentence was entirely justified.

“You have a serious problem that needs to be addressed urgently,” he added.

Judge Thomas said he had been impressed by Van-Rijn’s efforts to get help and a short prison sentence would not achieve that.

Van-Rijn was made the subject of a three year community order and placed under supervision for three years.

He was also ordered to complete a sex offenders’ group session course and to register with the police as a sex offender for the next five years.

Judge Thomas warned Van-Rijn that if he did not comply with the terms of the order he would go to jail.

October 2014

Sinfin dad Luke Kerwin jailed for just three years after leaving son “severely brain damaged”

A YOUNG mother gave an emotional speech in court on the impact having to care for her severely brain-damaged son 24/7 is having on her life.

Olivia Shaw told a judge she feels “overwhelming guilt” that she was unable to help then four-month-old Mason who suffered horrific injuries when his father Luke Kerwin shook him.

This afternoon Kerwin, of Athol Close, Sinfin, was jailed for three years and two months after pleading guilty to causing grievous bodily harm on Mason, who is now almost two-years-old.

Judge Jonathan Gosling told the 25-year old: “You were in a position of trust. This was your baby and at that moment you were his sole carer and you abused that trust.”

In an almost unprecedented move Miss Shaw, 23, of Littleover, addressed the court in person, taking to the witness box to read out a victim personal statement on how the shocking incident has affected her life.

Fighting back the tears she said: “Because of what Luke did to Mason I realise I am going to put my own life on hold for years.

“We are cut off from life, deprived from being able to bond properly as mother and child.

“I dread going to sleep and not waking in case he has a seizure.

“I feel totally overwhelmed with guilt because I was not able to help him.”

Derby Crown Court, sitting at Southern Derbyshire Magistrates’ Court, heard how Kerwin broke two of Mason’s ribs when he picked him up and shook him “when he lost his temper” in the early hours of April 5 last year.

Mark Van Der Zwart, prosecuting, said the then four-month old was taken to hospital where scans revealed he had suffered “severe brain injuries”.

Both Miss Shaw and Kerwin were arrested and during a police investigation Miss Shaw was only allowed limited and supervised access to her son, who was being cared for by Miss Shaw’s mother.

Mr Van Der Zwart said: “These were catastrophic injuries to Mason’s brain.

“He has severe epilepsy, it is very likely he will not be able to walk and he needs a nasal gastric tube in order to get the many medicines he needs.

“It is highly likely he will remain entirely dependent on carers throughout his life.”

Miss Shaw, a former Derby Moor Community Sports College pupil, met Kerwin when she was a teenager and they started going out when she was 16 and he was 19.

They set up home in Kestrels Croft, Sinfin, three years later and Mason was born in December, 2012.

When he was 10 days old he had to undergo open-heart surgery after being diagnosed with congenital heart disease.

The court was told how on the night of the shaking incident Kerwin had been out with a friend and had smoked cannabis.

He returned home and he and Miss Shaw went to bed, leaving Mason in his cot.

Miss Shaw got up twice to check on him but then asked Kerwin to check on him when he started crying a third time.

Mr Van Der Zwart said: “The defendant got back into bed and Miss Shaw went to check on Mason.

“She looked into his cot and he was making a grunting sound.

“She picked him up, his head flopped and his legs started moving as though he was cycling.

“She became hysterical and the emergency service were called who got Mason to hospital quickly.”

Bobby Egbuna, for Kerwin, said his client was fully aware of the impact of what he had done.

Mr Egbuna said: “It is accepted that Mr Kerwin did not intend to cause the type of injuries that Mason suffered.

“He has to live with the consequences and in his own way has suffered for what was a momentary lapse.

“He will come out (of prison) with the stigma that will be attached to him for the rest of his life.”

October 2014

Meir pervert, 65, forced girl, 8, to watch pornographic film

PERVERTED pensioner Paul Price forced an eight-year-old girl to watch a pornographic film by holding her head in place while he performed a sex act.

The 65-year-old went on to sexually assault his victim who he had befriended.

But Price, of Bankfield Road, Meir, told Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court he could not remember committing the offences because he was drunk at the time.

Prosecutor Daniel Oscrott told the court: “An eight-year-old girl had from time to time gone to the defendant’s address.

“The defendant had bought her toys such as a baby doll.

“On one occasion, he put on a video. She immediately realised it was inappropriate and she tried to look away.

“It appears the defendant physically held her head and forced her to watch it. She recalled it was called, ‘Sex Kitten’.”

Price admitted three charges of forcing a child to watch a sexual act, sexual assault of a child and possessing extreme pornographic images.

The court heard Price performed a sex act on himself while the video was on. He later sexually assaulted the girl by touching her over her clothes.

The girl then told an adult what had happened.

Police arrested Price and discovered several extreme pornographic videos at his home.

Joanne Wallbanks, mitigating, said: “He is 65-years-old and it is plain that in any time of stress in his life he turns to drink. He started to drink heavily when he got divorced and that has continued ever since.

“The videos were bought in bulk, he didn’t seek out extreme pornography, he just bought them with other things.

“It is very difficult when you are drunk and have no memory of these offences, to accept that you are guilty.

“He does accept that if he did it, it was wrong, which is as far as it can go without further treatment. He can’t remember doing it, but he did plead guilty.”

Instead of sending Price to jail, Recorder David Mason QC made him the subject of a three-year community and supervision order, with a requirement that he attends a community sex offender programme.

Mr Mason told Price: “I have got to balance the public revulsion with the need to protect the public.

“When I first looked at it, I thought these offences are revolting and require immediate custody.

“It seems to me that if I was to pass a custody sentence, it would be of the length of 16 months and you would be out in eight months, without any hold over you apart from licence. What you need is help to stop you doing this again. That is what, when they think about it, the public would want – to stop you doing these gross offences.”

October 2014

Exeter loner spent 16 years collecting 120,000 child abuse images

A loner who spent 16 years seeking out child abuse websites was caught with more than 120,000 downloaded images on his computer.

Gareth Bennett suffers from Asperger Syndrome and has spent his entire adult life at home surfing the internet for pictures and films of boys and girls as young as five.

His collection was so huge he had bought extra hard drives to hold all the files he downloaded between 1997 and 2013, when police raided his home in Exeter.

He had 15,386 still images and 178 movies showing the worst sort of abuse, involving child rape or sadism, Exeter Crown Court was told.

Bennett, aged 33, has been surfing for abuse images since he was 16 and search words found on his computers showed he had sought out the worst kind of material.

The shock of being caught has been so great that he has been struck dumb and has been unable to speak for the past 12 months because of a condition called elective mutism.

He suffers from a form of Asperger’s which has only been diagnosed since his arrest and which makes it almost impossible for him to inter-react with other people normally.

Bennett, of Gloucester Road, Exeter, admitted 24 offences of making or possessing indecent images and was jailed for 15 months, suspended for two years and ordered to attend a one to one sexual offender’s treatment programme as part of two years supervision.

He was also made subject of a Sexual Offences Prevention Order which will allow police to monitor his internet use and was ordered to sign on the sex offenders’ register for ten years.

Judge Graham Cottle decided not to jail him after reading reports from a psychiatrist and a psychologist and being told that Bennett’s condition means he could not attend a sex offenders’ treatment programme in prison.

He told him:”In different circumstances the court would feel constrained to send you to prison for a significant period of time. However, this situation could not be described as anywhere near normal.

“You are a disadvantaged man. That is clear from the reports I have read. If you were in a custodial setting you would not be able to access treatment programmes and would come out as an untreated sex offender and that is not in anyone’s interests.

“The more constructive course is to provide you with the treatment you clearly require to address your sexual offending on a one to one basis with an experienced probation officer.”

Mr David Bowen, prosecuting, said Bennett’s home was raided in June last year and police later found a huge number of images and movies on his computers and other equipment.

He had 15,386 images and 178 movies at category A, the most serious; 23,795 images and 95 movies at B; and 81,802 images and 30 movies at C as well as 192 cartoons showing abuse.

Mr Bowen said:”The children were of both sexes and as young as five and at least one of the images showed a child who was displaying distress.

“Police seized a great deal of equipment and any device he had which was capable of storing images or films was full and he had extra hard drives to soak up more and more images.

“He made full admissions and said he had spent most of his time on the internet since the late 1990s and had started using peer to peer sites and networks.

“There was no indication he tried to communicate with children directly but he communicated with like minded adults. Search terms in his computer history showed he had been looking for Category A images and movies.”

Miss Emily Cook, defending, said Bennett had downloaded the material at a time when his Asperger Syndrome had not been diagnosed and he was leading a lonely and isolated life.

She said:”He has no previous convictions and has expressed his guilt and remorse throughout. He has a mental disorder and learning disability which were linked to his commission of these offences.

“He has become an elective mute. It is clear from the reports this is not his choice. It is something which has just happened in his life, possibly in the light of these stressful proceedings.

“These offences took place in the context of him having undiagnosed Asperger Syndrome which led to him suffering terribly at school and having very little social interaction since. His whole life has been based around the internet.”

October 2014

Sex offender from Bonhill caught with hundreds of indecent images of children has been jailed for 16 months 

Liam Brown who had previously been described in court as having an “obsession with deviant pornography”, was back in the dock at Dumbarton Sheriff Court to be sentenced for the offences and breaching his bail conditions.

The 22-year-old who lives in Bonhill, was convicted in August of downloading hundreds of pornographic images and videos of children between March 2010 and December 2011. He was snared by cops in December 2011 during Operation Alba, a joint police venture spearheaded by the Scottish Crime and Drug Enforcement Agency that was set-up to specifically target online paedophiles.

Using technology, cops identified Internet Protocol (IP) addresses where sexual abuse images had been downloaded.

One of the IP addresses led them to applying for a search warrant for Brown’s aunt’s house — a flat in Renton.

Brown’s aunt had been oblivious to what had been going on but she directed police officers to a laptop that she said her nephew, who had stayed with her for a time, had used.

Brown pleaded guilty to charges of downloading and possessing more than 600 indecent images and explicit videos at the flat in Renton and his home address in Bonhill.

Although immediately placed on the sex offenders register following his guilty plea, sentence was deferred. He was bailed with the special condition that he was prohibited from possessing or using any device capable of connecting to the internet.

Brown was granted bail but found himself was back in court earlier than expected after police officers carrying out a routine check at his home on October 13, discovered he had downloaded more videos — some featuring scenes of bestiality — on to a smartphone.

Before passing sentence, Sheriff Simon Fraser said: “It is probably true to say that anyone who gets gratification from the material here needs help.

“I am told there is no sex offenders programme in this jurisdiction.

“I am also told that no such help is available in custody — though I would have thought rehabilitation courses would be available there.

“That however is only one aspect of this case.

“You were found in possession of 600 indecent images of children. That is a small amount according to the cases in Scotland but of those 600, more than 200 were at levels four and five.

“The guidance is clear on that matter.

“Having been placed on bail at this court with specific conditions and having appeared in front of me when I had deferred sentence, the police inspected your phone and found numerous files depicting bestiality.

“That makes me seriously question that if help existed, would you take the steps to seek that help?”

The sheriff imposed the custodial sentence backdating it to October 14 when Brown had been remanded in custody.

He was also placed on the sex offenders register and on his release will be the subject of a sexual offences prevention order for a further five years.

The order will prevent him from having any unsupervised contact with anyone under the age of 16.

It will also prohibit him from deleting the browsing history or cache on any devices he may use to access the internet.

October 2014

Sex offender spared prison for breaching order

A REGISTERED sex offender that stayed in the same house as a person under the age of 18 has been spared prison.

Lewis Rhys Williams, 25, was handed a six month suspended prison sentence for breaching a sexual offender’s prevention order after pleading guilty to the offence at Cardiff Crown Court on Friday morning, October 24.

The court heard that public protection officers visited the house on September 16 and discovered that Williams was staying with someone under the age of 18.

Williams, from the Barry area, was fully compliant with the officers and told them that the person had been staying in the house for around three weeks since August.

Barrister Ruth Smith, in mitigation, said there was nothing “sinister” about the breach and, as he had been subject to the 10-year prevention order since 2008, this was the first time he had breached it.

She added: “This is a case where there is a breach, but it is perhaps of the kind that is distinctly different to the sort of breach that has been carried out by a defendant wanting to get close to a child.”

She added that he had pleaded guilty at the earliest opportunity, and described him as a young man that was hard working and trying to address other areas of his life.

Recorder Elwen Evans QC said she understood there was not a “sinister motivation” behind the breach, but said it was appropriate to punish the breach whilst also addressing the issues identified.

She sentenced him to six months imprisonment, suspended for 12 months, and a 12 month supervision requirement.

She warned him that any further breaches would result in imprisonment.

October 2014

Beccles man pleads guilty to indecently assaulting schoolgirl

A man has pleaded guilty to indecently assaulting a teenage girl a number of times in Suffolk and Norfolk.

Rodney Scott was arrested at his home in Firfield Close, Beccles, in February and subsequently charged with committing indecent assaults on one girl under the age of 16 between 1999-2003 in Beccles and the Hales and Thetford areas of Norfolk.

The 72-year-old retired man appeared at Lowestoft Magistrates Court on September 23 before he was remanded in court custody.

Today, he pleaded guilty to eight counts of indecent assault at Ipswich Crown Court and was released on court bail prior to sentencing at the court on November 27.

Investigating Officer Dc Kate Bond, of Suffolk Constabulary, said: “Suffolk police takes all allegations of sexual assault seriously and these are fully investigated.

“We work to ensure victims who come forward receive the help and support they need.

“No matter how much time has passed, if you have been a victim of a sexual assault, it is never too late to report it to us and as this case has demonstrated people can, and will, be held accountable and brought to justice.”

October 2014

Burton-upon-Trent man jailed for ‘predatory’ child rape

A “predatory” child rapist convicted of sexually abusing a girl under 13 has been jailed.

Nasir Ahmed, 41, was sentenced to 16 years’ imprisonment on four counts of raping a child.

Five other men were also jailed at Stafford Crown Court in July for offences against the same girl committed over a seven-month period.

Ahmed, from Burton-upon-Trent, was also ordered to serve four years on extended licence upon his release.

He was found guilty of rape after a two-week trial at Stafford Crown Court.

Ahmed was arrested as part of a Staffordshire Police child exploitation investigation carried out between October 2012 and May last year into a number of assaults on the same victim.

Five other men were jailed in July for assaults on the same girl

Ch Insp Steve Maskrey said the sentence reflected the “despicable crimes” inflicted on the girl.

“These men, who acted in a predatory way and sought out a vulnerable young girl to abuse her, have been brought to justice,” he said.

“Their actions are inexcusable and the fact they show no remorse only highlights the sinister individuals we’re dealing with.”

Umber Farrouq, 21, of Belvedere Road, Anees Hanif, 20, of Norfolk Road and Matab Ali, 21, of Gordon Street, were earlier jailed for five-and-a-half years for two counts of sexual activity with a child.

Hanif was also given five-and-a-half years for inciting a child to engage in sexual activity, to run concurrently with his other sentence.

Junaid Ali, 20, of Shobnall Street, was sentenced to five-and-a-half-years for the attempted rape of a child.

All four men were put on to the sex offenders register indefinitely.

Ameer Arshad, 19, of Waterloo Street, was found guilty of blackmail and jailed for a year.

Click this for - 5 men from Burton jailed for child exploitation offences

October 2014

Man guilty of 1970s child sex offences

A LANCING man was found guilty of sexual offences against a child in Brighton more than 30 years ago.

Bruce Ernest Geoffery Schooley, 62, from Lancing stood trial at Lewes Crown Court charged with five counts of raping a child between five and 12-years-old and five counts of indecent assault on a child between five and 12-years-old during the 1970s.

He was found guilty of all ten of the offences and was sentenced to 21 years in prison on October 23.

He will be on the sex offenders register for life and has been given a sexual offences prevention order.

Detective constable Andrew Beaumont of Brighton Criminal Investigation Department said: “The victim came forward to report these offences last year, more than 30 years after they happened and we worked with them to secure the conviction of Schooley.

“The victim, who is now an adult, was extremely brave in coming forward and we were able to offer them support throughout the investigation and during the trial.

“We would assure any victim of any sexual offence to make contact with us, no matter how long ago the offences occurred.

“You will be treated sensitively and given help and support.

“Anyone who wants to report such offences can do so either at a station, the website or on 101.”

Alternatively, people can contact the police anonymously via the UK’s only independent crime fighting charity, Crimestoppers, on 0800 555 111.

October 2014

Van driver guilty of sex abuse on girl during delivery runs

A VAN driver has been found guilty of sexually abusing a 14-year-old girl on delivery runs. Courier David Jordan told a jury he took the youngster on around two daytime delivery runs as well as two early morning newspaper delivery rounds.

But he told Bristol Crown Court: “It was innocent. There was nothing to be concerned about.”

The 51-year-old, of Kelbra Crescent in Frampton Cotterell, denied wrongdoing but was convicted of six indecent assaults.

Judge Mark Horton allowed him bail, pending a report for sentencing on November 20

Jordan told the court the complainant went out with him in his van some four occasions, including “a couple of times” on early morning newspaper deliveries.

Jordan said: “I guess it would have been her school holiday.

“She liked to come on the trip.

“The newspapers were seven days a week.

“When I talked to her it would just have been general chit-chat.”

Jordan said the girl would have asked to go out in his van with him, and he asked her to make sure it was OK with her mum and dad.

He said: “I wouldn’t have let her come if there was any negativity there.”

Jordan told the court when the girl made allegations against him he was arrested and his reaction was one of disbelief.

He said: “I was shocked. I never did anything to her.

“There is no basis whatsoever for her to tell anybody that I had.”

Jordan said he liked the girl’s company, he liked chatting with her and he liked her.

He said: “She was great. There were no problems at all there.”

It was claimed Jordan would get the girl to take her clothes off in the back of his van.

The girl also alleged he tied her up for a “sex game”, though Jordan explained his van was normally filled with cargo and he carried no rope, just webbing straps to secure items.

Kerry Barker, prosecuting, told the jury the girl was even taken on holiday with Jordan and his wife and two children.

He claimed Jordan assaulted his victim on one of his daughter’s beds while the rest of the family were out.

The jury was told the assaults stopped when the victim got her first boyfriend. She went on to lead a normal life until she saw him in a chance encounter at her work.

She even confronted him while suffering a breakdown, asking for an apology after inviting him to her house in the presence of a friend.

Later on she saw pictures of him on Facebook which brought back memories, prompting her to finally contact police in July of last year

October 2014

‘Despicable’ Innsworth pensioner jailed for sex abuse over half a century

AN Innsworth pensioner who sexually abused three girls over the past half a century was described as ‘despicable’ by a judge who jailed him for five and a half years.

In 1993, Anthony Wilson, of Chaffinch Close, Innsworth, received a probation order for molesting an eight-year-old girl.

This week it emerged that many years before that offence, Wilson had abused a girl regularly over a four year period between 1968 and 1972 when she was aged 11 and 15.

And then he struck again last year, singling out a seven year old girl for 12 months for similar abuse.

Wilson pleaded guilty to four indecent assaults on the victim in the late 60s and early 70s. He also admitted the recent sexual assault on a girl under 13 between January to December 2013.

Jailing him for two years for the historic offences and three and a half years consecutively for the recent ones Judge Jamie Tabor QC told him: “The picture that has emerged today is a very grim one indeed.

“You have forced yourself on three girls during the last forty-odd years.

“In 1994 you pleaded guilty to assaulting one of them and you were sentenced to a period of probation. As I understand it you were prepared then to admit then that you had been abusing the girl in the 60s and 70s.”

That victim had not wanted the prosecution to proceed in her case at that time – but had changed her mind in the light of Wilson’s most recent offences.

Judge Tabor added: “Last year you decided to put your unwanted attentions on another little girl and you abused her terribly over a considerable period of time. Your behaviour has been despicable.”

As well as the jail term the judge imposed an indefinite sexual offences prevention order on Wilson, telling him he would not be allowed to be in the company of children in future unless a parent agreed and knew of his record. He was also ordered to sign the sex offenders register for the rest of his life.

Stephen Parker, defending, said: “He cannot come to terms with his offending behaviour. He has indicated he wishes to explore the reasons for his offending so he can get help not to offend in the future.”

October 2014

Telford pensioner jailed over 1970s boy sex attacks

A pensioner from Shropshire was today starting a four-year jail sentence after assaulting a young boy and treating him as a sex object decades ago.

Frail Derek Murkin, aged 77 years, stared blankly ahead as he was locked up for sex attacks dating back to the 1970s.

A judge heard that the victim, who is now aged in his 30s, still has nightmares about the abuse and hears voices taunting him.

Judge Ian Grainger described the attacks as disgraceful before jailing Murkin, of Teagues Crescent, Telford, who has been locked up twice before for sex attacks on underage children.

Murkin was working as a lawnmower repair salesman when he met the boy, whose father was helping to drop off leaflets for the business. When the 13-year-old victim was first attacked, he had been posting leaflets through letterboxes and Murkin lured him back to his own house when he lived in Reading, Berkshire.

He offered the boy cash and told him he could earn money every week if he wanted to.

The pensioner continued to indecently assault the boy for three years between 1971 and 1974 at various locations, including the van he used for work, his workshop in Reading and woodland in nearby Burghfield.

The attacks came to light when the victim told a police liaison officer following a group therapy session. Prosecuting, Jane Davies said: “The victim recorded 30 to 40 incidents and it all stopped when he reached puberty when the defendant no longer had an interest in him.

Murkin was arrested in July last year and admitted 12 counts of indecent assault and three counts of serious sexual assault when he appeared at Reading Crown Court.

October 2014

Clovelly pensioner admits having 2,500 child abuse images

A North Devon pensioner has admitted having more than 2,500 child abuse images on his computer.

Edwin Lewzey, 70, was also found with an unlicensed shotgun at his home when police raided his cottage in Clovelly in April.

A judge adjourned his case and ordered a probation report for the next hearing in November.

Lewzey, of Higher Clovelly, admitted eleven counts of making indecent images of children. They all date between February last year and April 29 this year and cover all three categories of seriousness.

He admitted three offences of possessing extreme pornography and possession of a shotgun without a certificate at an earlier hearing.

The new indecent image charges relate to 618 images at level A, the most serious; 347 at B and 1,566 at C.

Lewzey is also facing allegations of possessing a total of 692 rounds of ammunition, including 288 rounds of prohibited expanding bullets.

Mr Richard Crabb, defending, said he hopes these charges can be resolved before the sentencing hearing next month.

October 2014

Paedophile jailed for 11 years

Police in Orkney have welcomed an 11 year jail sentence for an island man convicted of a catalogue of sexual crimes.

Vincent Baker, 44, was found guilty of seven charges after a jury trial.

Offences include two counts of rape, three indecent assaults, one sexual assault and one attempted rape.

Some of his offences, which took place between 2003 and 2010, involved young children.

He was recently jailed at Glasgow High Court and placed on the sex offenders registers.

Detective Inspector Scott Macdonald said: “This case came to light following an initial report from one of the victims, which then led to further victims being identified and an 18-month-long inquiry carried out by the local criminal investigation department and uniformed officers based on Orkney.

“The courage shown from the victims in this case should be commended; the perseverance and resilience shown by the victims being required to travel to and from Aberdeen on a number of occasions to give their evidence has undoubtedly assisted in the conviction of Vincent Baker.

“We recognise that victims of crime undergo distressing experiences and we hope that this sentence received by Vincent Baker can give them some comfort and a sense of justice.

“It is hoped that this conviction should give other victims of such sensitive crimes the confidence to come forward safe in the knowledge that their case will be investigated sensitively and thoroughly.”

Area Commander for Orkney, Chief Inspector Les Donaldson said: “As part of Police Scotland, the Orkney Command Area will continue to pursue anyone engaged in the perpetration of sexual offences against vulnerable victims, utilising the support of specialist teams, as we focus on keeping people safe.”

October 2014

Police fears over child rapist caught peering into school windows after being released from prison

Police are on high alert after a dangerous child rapist was spotted lurking around primary schools.

Paedophile Danny Ward, 34, who served a prison term for a horrific sex attack, has settled into a B&B in North Dublin.

Police have become concerned about his activities in recent weeks and have been forced to put a patrol car outside a girls’ school each day because he has been spotted acting suspiciously in the area.

A senior source said: “This man poses an ongoing threat to young children and his activities have caused great concern to senior officers.”

Police are expected to give a formal warning to the 6ft 3ins sexual predator and notices have been sent to stations across Dublin about him.

But when approached he refused to say why he had been standing outside schools and shouted “Go away sir”.

The Traveller, who has been shunned by his own community, then turned and raced from the area – dropping a cannabis grinder and energy drink as he fled.

Officers have been ordered to “stop, search and collate” all information about him at all times.

The Irish Mirror tracked Ward down to his flat this week and watched as he walked through the city without a care in the world.

Dressed in a blue Leinster hat, dark jacket and blue tracksuit bottoms the bearded thug chatted with a pal as they strolled along the quays.

The senior source added: “Parents and teachers at the school spotted him outside the premises a number of weeks ago and they became concerned.            

“They contacted police when he was spotted leering in the window while young girls were doing Irish dancing.            

“Officers approached him and asked him what he was doing but he insisted he was just going to a nearby church.

“Senior officers are so concerned with this loitering they have sent a patrol car to sit outside the school each day as children leave in the evening.”

Ward was placed on the sex offenders’ register for life after being convicted of a horrific child rape.

We cannot publish any details of his conviction or sentence for legal reasons and to protect the identity of his young victim.

A senior member of the Traveller community has warned about the dangers he poses.            

He said: “Danny is not the smartest person and would have a low IQ.”      

“I firmly believe he should be supervised for his own safety and, more importantly, the safety of others.            

“He should never be permitted to roam freely around a city like this.”           

Councillor Noel Rock has warned locals to be cautious and called for greater resources to be pumped into monitoring sex offenders like Ward.

He added: “I was stunned to learn of this.

“The man in question has a history of violent sexual crime against a child and it is absolutely vital gardai monitor him closely.

“I am genuinely concerned about his behaviour and the threat he poses, as will be any parent reading this.

“Putting a Garda car outside the school is helpful and I would call on the gardai to continue this.

“They should also work to urgently inform local parents in the area as it is hugely important they are vigilant.

“I cannot stand idly by while a known sexual predator is acting in a highly unusual fashion in our area without informing local parents as to the threat, so I commend the newspaper for doing this and I will be working to do the same.

“I would like to see every avenue pursued in keeping this man away from this school and, indeed, all schools.

“This includes issuing an anti-social behaviour order.

“Prevention is better than cure and given his history of violent sexual crime there is no such thing as being too careful.”

October 2014

Milford Haven man who downloaded child sex abuse images tried to cover his tracks

A Milford Haven man sentenced for downloading child pornography was at it again just a few months later, a judge heard this afternoon (Friday).

Thomas Lee John had been made the subject of a sexual offences prevention order in July, 2012, after police found 5,015 indecent images on his computer.

John, of Haven Drive, admitted at the time 21 offences of possessing and distributing child porn.

Swansea crown court heard how he had found a way of storing the images on a website that other paedophiles could access.

John, aged 24, was arrested again in November, 2013, and police discovered that within months of being sentenced John had downloaded more indecent images.

Today, he admitted three offences of making indecent images of children and one of breaching the sexual offences prevention order.

Judge Paul Thomas said he would sentence John only after police had again examined his present computer to see if he had continued offending since his arrest almost a year ago.

Judge Thomas said he also wanted an explanation as to why it had taken so long to get John into court.

Dean Pulling, prosecuting, said on the latest occasions John had used a tool to try and disguise his internet browsing activity.

But experts found he had used search terms such as “young nudist boys.”

His barrister, Georgina Buckley, said John now felt physically sick at the thought of viewing such material.

Judge Thomas said Heath’s browsing activity showed that “he had had six months treatment and was still doing it.”

And he had taken “sophisticated” steps to try and cover his tracks.

Heath was remanded in custody and will be sentenced in early November.

October 2014

Ageing loner spends birthday in court after Newcastle child sex offences

A lover who wrote explicit poems for teenagers spent his birthday in Newcastle Crown Court after pleading guilty to sex offences.

Gary Cummings’ home in Heaton was searched by police in October last year and a mobile phone was retrieved from under his mattress.

When police examined the phone they found to contain a number of indecent images of children – eight at category C, two at B and two at the most serious category A – with no passwords or pins hiding them.

Michael Bunch, prosecuting, said: “The defendant was interviewed about the matter and accepted knowing images were there but said he hadn’t asked for them and didn’t know how they had appeared.

“He said he didn’t have a sexual interest in children.”

The 52-year-old, now of Otterburn Villas, South Jesmond, later admitted to three counts of making and or possessing indecent images of children and a further count of possession of indecent photographs.

The court heard that in 2008 Cummings was given a five-year risk of sexual harm order after attempting to befriend teenage girls in Newcastle City Centre by writing explicit poems for them, and loitering outside the workplace of a 19-year-old woman for a number of months.

Kieran O’Neill, mitigating, said his client was celebrating his birthday.

He added: “He is a man living on his own and had very few social connections, and is in essence a loner.

“He clearly has a problem and that needs to be addressed in the community. The number of images, thankfully, are few.”Judge Simon Hickey, sentencing, told Cummings: “You do have a very unhealthy and unnatural interest in children.

“The public will be better protected by someone addressing your offending and making sure you don’t view these images, and in doing so exploit children in this way, again in the future.”

The defendant was handed a three-year community order with supervision for 36 months and a sex offender treatment programme.

He must also pay a £60 victim surcharge and will be subject to a 10-year sexual offences protection order, with conditions requiring him to make electronic devices available for police search and banning him from contacting anyone under 18 unless with permission from a parent or guardian.

October 2014

Former children’s care home worker spared jail after more than 1,100 child abuse images found

A former children’s care home worker who downloaded more than 1,100 indecent images and movies of children has been spared jail.

Detectives seized Karl Wilson’s computer and discovered 1,134 inappropriate stills and movies of children.

The 45-year-old was arrested at his elderly parents’ home where he was living at the time, on Prentice Close, Longstanton, on May 23.

Wilson, who also used to teach maths to children as young as six and work with scouts, had been using a file sharing network to obtain the images since 2012.

Officers found 414 indecent images and movies in category A on his computer – the most severe legal classification – 64 in category B and 656 in category C.

Wilson, who now lives on Avon Way, Colchester, pleaded guilty to two counts of possessing indecent images of children and three counts of making indecent images of children at Cambridge Crown Court.

Marti Blair, prosecuting, told the court that the large number of indecent movies in category A was an “aggravating feature”.

The court heard that Wilson had admitted to downloading the images and movies of children in an initial police interview.

But Wilson, who has a niece and nephew, first denied looking at the images for sexual pleasure.

In relation to a sadistic video, he told police that it was just “fun and games” that kids play, the court heard.

Defence Michael Procter said the former Longstanton resident, who began a post-graduate psychology degree at the University of Essex this month, was of “previous good character”.

“He was working with children without any suggestion of interfering with them. He has spent 45 years with stable factors but hasn’t elevated his risk to children.”

Since his police interview Wilson had begun to address his “mental issues”, the court heard. Mr Procter said: “He is aware of the damage and should be given the opportunity to show he won’t indulge in the activity again.”

Judge Gareth Hawkesworth said Wilson has shown a “real distortion and lack of insight” when he first denied any sexual gratification.

He said: “It is perfectly plain that you are attracted to boys, aged eight to 16, in a sexual way.”

But he concluded he was “a man of good character” whose interest in child porn was “relatively short-lived”.

He was given a two-year suspended sentence on Wednesday and was made subject to a Sexual Offences Prevention Order.

Wilson will be treated on an internet sex offender programme and registered as a sex offender.

October 2014

Pervert told 13-year-old girl her age didn’t matter as he sexually abused her in three different ways

A teenager told a 13-year-old girl her age didn’t matter as he sexually abused her in three different ways, York Crown Court heard.

After she told police about Matthew Brook’s crimes, she was bullied at school by people who claimed she was lying.

Brook, 19, of Chandlers, The Waterfront,Selby, pleaded guilty to three charges of sexual activity with the girl, all committed on the same day. A probation officer has assessed the risk of him reoffending as “medium”.

Passing sentence, Recorder Eric Elliott QC told him: “It has been a very difficult decision to make. The type of people you would be mixing with in prison would inevitably lead to further corruption of your character and you would not be able to distinguish fully what is good for you and what is bad for you.”

He gave Brook, 19, a three-year community order including a 46-session sex offender rehabilitation course, three years’ supervision and 200 hours unpaid work.

He also made a five-year sexual offences prevention order banning him from contacting the girl in any way or having any unsupervised contact with any girl under 16 and placing restraints on his use of the internet. Brook will be on the sex offenders’ register for five years.

Defence barrister John Boumphrey said Brook accepted what he had done was wrong and his crimes had been caused by his “loneliness and isolation”.

Shaun Dodds, prosecuting, said Brook arranged to meet the girl via Facebook after she had told him she was 13. Brook later told police she had said she was 15 on Facebook.

When they met by a canal, he took her to his bedroom where he performed a series of sex acts involving her.

That evening, her mother noticed “love bites” on her skin and she revealed what had happened.

She told police about the sex acts: “I said to him does my age matter and he said no”, the barrister told York Crown Court.

Reading a victim impact statement from the girl’s mother, Mr Dodds said she had been bullied at school by people accusing her of making up lies about Brook.