November 2014

Pervert jailed after enticing 9 yr old girl into indecent images

A teenager who claimed to be a children’s football coach has been unmasked as a pervert who enticed a nine-year-old child into posing for sex pictures.

Lewis Pressley threatened his victim that if she didn’t supply him with more disgusting images she would be humiliated.

Pressley, 18, of Collins Road, Greenhill, told the girl he would call the police or send the pictures to her friends.

Now the teenager – who is studying for a degree in sports science – has been sent to a Young Offenders’ Institute for 22 months after admitting eight sex offences involving three victims.

Judge Adele Williams told him: “Your youngest victim was just nine years old and you coerced her through social media into sending you indecent images.”

Pressley also asked to meet the girl and told her that if they did they would have sex. He even drew up a map from his home to the town where she lived.

The girl – who at one time pleaded with the pervert to stop hounding her as she was being physically sick – later told her mother.

The police were alerted and managed to recover chatlogs between the child and Pressley over a two-week period.

Officers raided his home in Herne Bay and found him in bed holding his Blackberry. He was arrested – but refused to comment.

Prosecutor Simon Taylor added: “Police discovered on his phone 927 BBM chats and 11,257 pages of instant messages from Twitter – many of them demanding that people send him pictures.

“Among the messages were also threats that he would overload and crash the other persons’ Blackberries unless they performed and took pictures of themselves.”

Canterbury Crown Court heard how manipulative Pressley persuaded two victims to send video and still images of themselves in sex poses.

Pressley told one of his victims that he was a football coach for eight-year-olds, the court heard.

The judge added: “You also asked a 14-year-old to send indecent images and then threatened if she stopped, you would send the pictures to her friends. You tried to persuade another teenager but she refused and you were arrested.”

Ian Foinette, defending, said at the time of the offences Pressley was feeling isolated and has now started his degree and now has a girlfriend.

The barrister said that Pressley did not know the age of his first victim and thought she was older that nine.

Pressley was ordered to sign the Sex Offenders Register for 10 years and was made subject to a Sex Offences Prevention Order for the same period.

He was also banned from working with children until 2024 and the judge ordered that his computer be forfeited.

November 2014

Registered sex offender jailed after posing as fan of Northern League football club Crook Town to get close to children

A REGISTERED sex offender gained a position of trust at a football club and ended up selling club merchandise and even helping out at a family fun day, a court heard.

A judge who jailed Andrew Neil Gordon for three years branded him as ‘calculating’, saying the 42-year-old posed as a dedicated fan of Northern LeagueCrook Town to get close to children.

However, he was rumbled when the club’s then-chairman Gerald Hirst overheard him use prison slang while talking to a customer in a charity shop where he also volunteered.

It raised the suspicions of Mr Hirst, a former prison worker, who manages the Chernobyl Children’s Project charity shop in the town, that he might be a sex offender.

“I knew straight away he was working in the wrong place and with the wrong people,” he told The Northern Echo.

Gordon, 42, of West Springs, Crook, was the subject of a sexual offences prevention order (Sopo) – prohibiting access to under-16s.

This arose from his second conviction for taking/making indecent photographs of children, for which he was jailed for three years in 2008.

Durham Crown Court heard four months of that sentence was for breaching the notification provisions as a registered sex offender and he was jailed for another 16 months for a further nine breaches of the order, including allowing children into his house in December 2011.

The court heard Gordon became more involved at the unwitting club, helping with maintenance and assisting at the Millfield ground clubhouse after he began watching matches.

He offered to sell club merchandise, often to young fans, on match days and began travelling on the club bus to away games, with the children of other officials often on board.

Gordon also assisted on the gate at a family fun day at the ground, and was seen wandering round the various attractions.

Mr Hirst added: “He was well spoken, and eloquent, but he was lazy and would only do what he wanted to do. The community has had a lucky escape.”

Gordon, who was also nominated for the club committee, admitted three counts of breaching the Sopo.

Kate Dodds, prosecuting, said there was an obvious risk to children at the football club and this was not his first breach.

Susan Hirst, mitigating, said he had remained largely housebound after his previous prison sentence, so his father suggested they watched their local football team as a means of him getting out more.

She said it was largely “lawful behaviour” as he became more involved helping at the club.

But Judge Christopher Prince said: “These orders are put in place to stop people like him getting into a position to have access to children.”

He told Gordon: “You are someone who is adept at manipulating situations to get close to children and able to flout orders.

“You have a sexual attraction to female children and your behaviour has been a calculated choice.

“I take the view you were fully aware of the provisions of your sexual offences prevention order and you were manipulating your contacts at the football club and at a local charity shop to bring yourself into close proximity to children.”

He jailed Gordon for three years and ordered the Sopo to continue indefinitely

November 2014

Former teacher admits abusing young girl

A disgraced retired teacher on Thursday pleaded guilty to sexually abusing a young girl more than 20 years ago.

Four days before his trial was due to start at Newry Crown Court, 69-year-old Phelim McGuigan pleaded guilty to a charge of indecent assault and a further count of committing an act of gross indecency with or towards the female child on dates between January 1, 1985 and December 31, 1990.

While McGuigan, who was a maths teacher at an Armagh high school, admitted two single offences, prosecuting lawyer Fiona O’Kane told the court they were “specimen counts” and that his guilty pleas were being accepted by the Crown “on the basis that he is admitting the full account given by the injured party.”

Three similar offences were ordered to be “left on the books” by Judge Kevin Finnegan QC who heard that McGuigan, from Ashgrove Road in Newry, has previous convictions for sex crimes “the commission of which was after” these offences.

Adjourning passing sentence until next month when pre-sentence probation reports will have been written, Judge Kevin Finnegan QC said given the fact “you have been through this procedure before”, he would know “it may be to your benefit to cooperate with probation”.

Releasing McGuigan on continuing bail once he had signed the police sex offenders’ register, Judge Finnegan warned him that his release “is no indication of the sentence that will be imposed”.

November 2014

Pensioner admits making child abuse images

A SHREWTON pensioner pleaded guilty to making child pornography and possessing extreme images of bestaility at Winchester Crown Court today.

Colin Fuller, 72, of Rollestone Mobile Home Park, Shrewton, admitted six charges of making indecent images of children, and two of possessing extreme images of sex with animals.

He denied two charges of distributing child abuse images and one of possessing other extreme pornographic images.

Fuller was released on bail on condition that he has no unsupervised contact with any child under 16.

His name was also added to the sex offenders’ register.

He will next appear at Winchester Crown Court on his birthday, December 12.

November 2014

Caernarfon man jailed for 12 years for rape and assault

A man has been jailed for 12 years after being convicted of rape and assault.

Mark Edwards, 40, from Caernarfon , was sentenced at the town’s Crown Court having been found guilty of offences committed in December last year and back in 1993 against two females.

He was told by Judge Niclas Parry on Thursday that he had been convicted by a jury on compelling evidence and there were “seriously aggravating” features, including violence.

Edwards, who was found guilty of four offences of rape and two assaults committed in the Caernarfon area, was placed on the Sex Offenders Register for life.

Detective Inspector Kelly Isaacs, of North Wales Police, praised the two victims – who cannot be named for legal reasons – for having the courage to come forward.

She said: “Edwards’ crimes were heinous, violent offences.

“His victims have shown great strength in reporting these crimes and thereby ensured that Edwards cannot pose a risk to other women.

“This case highlights the resolve of North Wales Police and CPS Wales to investigate and prosecute both recent and non-recent offences.”

DI Isaacs, who is part of the force’s Amethyst Team which supports victims of sexual offences, added: “It is important to reassure victims that North Wales Police will provide the appropriate specialist support to assist victims through every stage of an investigation and throughout any subsequent court proceedings.

“North Wales Police takes matters of this nature very seriously and so it is reassuring to see this reflected in the sentence passed out.”

The Amethyst Team provide specialist services to support victims and encourage anyone who has been the victim of a sexual offence to come forward.

If a victim does not feel ready to report to the police then services can be accessed through the confidential Amethyst SARC Helpline on 0808 156 3658.

June 2010

‘Beyond disgusting’ OAP will probably die in prison

A PENSIONER who raped a boy in a set of public toilets has been jailed for nine years and looks set to die in prison.

Paul Greaves, 73, was described as “beyond disgusting” by the victim’s mother.

The Christchurch resident committed the offence at public toilets in Ringwood.

He abused a boy under 15 for two years between 2007 and 2009.

Greaves was convicted after a trial of rape, five counts of sexual assault on a child, three counts of engaging in sexual activity with a child and one count of causing a child to watch pornography.

The former salesman from Barnsley, who now lives in Dorset Road, Somerford, was sentenced at Bournemouth Crown Court.

His GP will be surprised if he survives for another three years given the “grave nature” of a heart condition, the court heard.

The victim’s mum, speaking in tears shortly after the case, said: “I’m relieved, but I still don’t feel better – I feel awful.

“I don’t have the words to do justice to what he has done – disgusting, isn’t enough, it’s beyond that.

“My son has been extremely brave,” she added.

The boy’s father said: “We didn’t know what to expect but nine years is a pretty good outcome.

“We don’t know how it will affect our son in the future.

“He is seeing a child psychologist at the moment.”

Investigating officer DC Keilly Bunce praised the victim’s bravery.

She added: “If a victim of this sort of crime has got any chance of recovering, it’s with a family like this – they are amazing.”

The boy told his father about the offences last father’s day, in June 2009.

Greaves has to sign the sexual offenders register, and the court also imposed a sexual offences prevention order.

He is banned from approaching children, using a computer without police supervision, living with a child, or attending a school, youth club or sports event for children.

September 2005

Pervert jailed for five years

A MAN convicted of carrying out sex offences in Burnley has been jailed for five years.

Andrew Harker was found guilty of molesting a nine-year-old girl and a woman.

He had claimed to a jury that he was innocent and the victim of a “venomous campaign”.

Harker (39), formerly of Ribchester Avenue, Burnley, and now of Grange Crescent, Riddlesden, Keighley, had denied two charges of sexual assault, but was found guilty after a trial.

At his Preston Crown Court sentencing hearing a judge directed that he be placed on the Sex Offenders’ Register for life, be banned from working with children without limit of time and barred from having any unsupervised contact with children under 16.

The offences dated back to August last year when the defendant was living in Ribchester Avenue.

He suggested the girl had dreamt the whole incident up and may have been influenced by others talking of him in unflattering terms and allowed herself to be persuaded by others that she had suffered a sexual assault.

The defendant, who had no previous convictions, had been convicted following a retrial. At the original trial, a jury was unable to agree on two charges, but found him not guilty of two charges of indecent assault.

His barrister, Mr Tim Ashmole, told the court that the defendant continued in his denials. A custodial sentence would have a knock-on effect for his family.

When the allegations were first made against him, Harker was, in his own words, “totally gobsmacked”.

“He finds himself in front of this court, being sentenced for something he maintains he simply didn’t do,” said Mr Ashmole.

“He feels, I have to say, let down by the legal system. He says that since the allegations, he has had to move away from his house, start a new job and effectively try to start a new life. His family and friends have stuck by him throughout all this because, he says ‘they know me’.

“He says he hopes other people don’t find themselves in the same situation as him.”

Judge Christopher Cornwall passed a total sentence of five years prison, with two years extended licence.

He said very considerable harm had been caused to the young girl. He told the defendant “What the consequences of your behaviour will be for her in the long term, no-one can predict.”

Harker’s case remained that he was the victim of a venomous campaign with people conspiring to pervert the course of justice, by making allegations they knew to be untrue, said the judge.

The defendant had an excellent work record and was of previous good character and a good father.

“I bear in mind that custody will be an extremely difficult experience,” said the judge.

November 2014

Woman jailed for instigating ‘rape’ of 15 year old schoolgirl

A woman has been jailed for orchestrating a “revenge rape” on a schoolgirl after telling her: “Snitches get stitches.”

Aliyah Weekes, 19, of Harlesden, instigated a sex attack carried out by her younger brother on a 15-year-old girl whom she accused of spreading rumours.

Weekes was sentenced to four-and-a-half years’ detention in a young offender institution, and her brother Lacquan Weekes, 18, was given five years after he was found guilty of rape of a child aged under 16 years old.

Aliyah Weekes and a 16-year-old girl were convicted of aiding and abetting the attack. The youngest defendant was given a youth rehabilitation order lasting 18 months.

Sentencing the three at the Old Bailey, the judge Jeremy Donne said: “This was no game. This was no childish folly. This was a wicked crime and one that, Aliyah Weekes, you determined upon over the space of about an hour during which the victim was detained.”

Lacquan Weekes, also of north-west London, smiled and chatted to his sister in the dock as the court heard a probation officer had determined he posed a “high risk” to the public.

The judge said Lacquan Weekes, who has previous convictions for battery and possession of drugs, had shown “not one iota of remorse” for the crime and said his behaviour while on remand had been “appalling”.

The victim was confronted by the two girls in a park in Willesden, north-west London, on 29 April and corralled into an alleyway where she was forced to have oral sex with Lacquan Weekes while a group of youths watched nearby.

Members of public interrupted the attack which enabled the victim to escape from Weekes, but she was hunted down and attacked again, but this time raped

The judge said: “This was a revenge rape and this poor girl was being punished. She was accused of spreading stories. Her explanations were rejected. She was very distressed throughout this. She must have been terrified. To compound her fear was the added humiliation that all of this was happening before a group of other youths who were nearby.”

He said he held Aliyah Weekes “principally responsible” for the incident as it would not have happened without her involvement. She accused the victim of telling secrets about her and the 16-year-old, threatened to make her “do a lineup” – street slang for giving oral sex to multiple men – and warned her she would be hurt if she did not comply.

The judge said Aliyah Weekes’ “stitches for snitches” comment to the victim before the attack made it clear that the motive was revenge.

In an impact statement, the victim’s mother said the girl had changed from “bubbly and carefree” to “jumpy and withdrawn”, with a lack of confidence and trust in people. She suffers from asthma and eczema and her health has deteriorated after the attack, and she failed to achieve her potential in her GCSEs.

The family had also been intimidated and a brick had been thrown through their window, the court heard.

Paul Stanislas, for Aliyah Weekes, said she played no more than an instigator role in the attack. Michael Chambers, for her brother, said he had a troubled background.

November 2014

School caretaker jailed for historical sex offences on girls

A school caretaker from Gosmore has been sentenced to eight years in prison for six counts of indecent assault on three separate females.

Darren Lee Sharp, who pleaded guilty to the charges at Cambridge Crown Court on September 15, was sent to prison on Wednesday last week.

The crimes took place between 1996 and 1997 – more than 10 years before Sharp became a caretaker at St Ippolyts Primary School – on three girls who were all aged under 14 at the time of the offences.

The assaults were reported this year and Sharp arrested and charged following an investigation by detectives in the Joint Child Protection Investigation Team.

A Herts County Council spokesman said: “Darren Sharp worked as a caretaker at St Ippolyts Primary School from October 2008 to June 2014 following a full CRB check.

“He was arrested in June 2014. An investigation by police and by Hertfordshire County Council’s child protection team found nothing untoward about his conduct at the school. The offences he has been convicted of pre-date his employment and do not relate to the school.”

Det Sgt Chris Treadwell said: “What Sharp did cannot be undone but I hope the sentencing brings some sense of closure for the women who bravely came forward and reported him.

“I also hope our investigation and the subsequent sentencing demonstrates how seriously reports of past crimes are taken. It can be very difficult for a victim of a sexual offence to come forward, but I would like to reassure people we will treat all reports appropriately and with sensitivity, regardless of how long ago the incident occurred. We have a dedicated team of trained specialist staff who investigate these offences.

“Victims who may not wish to report the incident to the police first, can use a sexual assault referral centre. who provide advice, guidance and support to men, women and young people who have experienced sexual assault, whether this happened recently or in the past.”

The NSPCC’s Jon Brown said: “This case sends a clear message regardless of when abuse has taken place, perpetrators can still be brought to justice. It’s vital victims know they will be listened to and supported and this case demonstrates it. The young women in this case have been exceptionally brave in coming forward.”

Call SARC on 0808 178 4448 or the NSPCC Helpline on 0808 800 5000

November 2014

66-year-old spared jail after being found with indecent movies of children

A 66-year-old Ipswich man has been given a suspended prison sentence after admitting downloading indecent movies featuring children

Leonard Elsby, of Campbell Road, Ipswich, was arrested after Interpol informed Suffolk police that information leading to Elsby’s computer had been found on a file-sharing programme.

Officers went to his home on May 1 this year where he was arrested.

During his police interview Elsby admitted viewing indecent images of children through the file-sharing programme.

He also said he had been doing so for around a year.

Officers found 16 Level A movies on a USB stick while searching his property

Previously indecent images were graded one to five on the Copine Scale with one being the least serious. This scale has now been changed to Category A to Category C, with A being the most serious. On the old grading system the 16 movies would have been at level four.

Other images were also said to have been found on Elsby’s computer. Prior to his Ipswich Crown Court sentencing Elsby had admitted a charge of making an indecent photograph/pseudo photograph of a child.

Elsby was given a 15-month jail sentence, suspended for two years, when he appeared before Judge Peters Assistant Judge Advocate General.

He was also given a 12-month supervision order and a six-month curfew between 6pm and 8am.

In addition Elsby was made subject to the requirements of the Sex Offences Act for 10 years.

November 2014

Scunthorpe man who had 600 indecent photographs of young children avoids prison

A MAN who had more than 600 indecent images of children avoided jail and was instead given the opportunity to get treatment to prevent him offending again.

Andrew McGovern, 52, of Theodore Road, Scunthorpe, admitted three charges of making indecent photographs of children.

Sentencing McGovern at Grimsby Crown Court, Judge Kate Buckingham said the first charge related to a memory stick containing 423 images – seven of which were category A, the worst kind. The second charge related to a laptop containing 71 images and the third concerned another laptop with 136 images – two of which were category A.

Judge Buckingham said the offences happened over a period between January 2012 and September 2013 and the age range of the children in the images was between four and 12.

November 2014

Shepley man was just one of 3,000 who accessed website that contained child abuse images for sale

Police discovered indecent images of children on a man’s computer after going to his Huddersfield home following an alert from another force.

Simon Haring prosecuting told Leeds Crown Court yesterday the offences came to light after Gloucestershire Constabulary received information in June 2011 that a UK website had been compromised.

A folder had been attached to the legitimate website and was advertising child abuse pictures for sale.

That was blocked but during the 57 hours it was active 3,000 IP addresses accessed it and one was eventually traced to Graeme Round.

On March 18 last year police attended his address and seized a computer tower. A total of 116 images at level one, the lowest were discovered and four at level 4.

Round told police in the past he would drink very heavily and would look at adult pornography. That had led him to look at extreme pornography and child images would sometimes pop up.

He said he had not intentionally searched for them and had stopped a couple of years ago and expressed remorse.

Round, 34 of Stocks Way, Shepley, admitted six charges of making indecent images 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 Sally Cahill QC told him that would ensure work was done with him to prevent such behaviour in the future.

“You need to understand the reason these images are taken and thereby children put through this dreadful trauma is because people like you look at them,” she said. “If you did not it would not be worthwhile people taking these photographs.”

November 2014

Suspended sentence for pervert who viewed child abuse images

A SEX offender caught with 55 indecent images of children has been spared jail.

Police found the images of children aged between two and 16 on David Wilkins’ computer following a search of his home.

Wilkins, 56, of Everdon Lane, Anchorage Park, Portsmouth, admitted nine counts of making indecent images of a child.

Matthew Lawson, prosecuting at Portsmouth Crown Court, said the images were rated category ‘B’ and category ‘C’ – the least serious category.

He said: ‘The defendant was interviewed in relation to the computer.

‘He said that he had been looking up naturist sites, however the search terms entered on the computer are those more indicative of indecent images of children.’

The court heard that Wilkins, who has no previous convictions, is a reclusive man who lives alone.

He was sentenced to four months in jail suspended for two years and ordered to sign the Sex Offenders’ Register for seven years.

Wilkins was also made the subject of an indefinite Sexual Offences Prevention Order banning him from deleting the history on a computer.

The order also bans him from using any device capable of accessing the internet unless it can display and retain the history.

Wilkins must also make the device available to be inspected by the police when requested.

He must attend a sex offender treatment programme and was put under supervision

Addressing Wilkins, Judge Linda Sullivan QC, sentencing, said: ‘Such offences cause enormous damage to children because of course the children have to be used in order to produce the pictures that were present on the computer and had to therefore be forced or pressured to engage in indecent behaviour.’

November 2014

Rhyl man jailed for viewing indecent child images on internet

A paraplegic pervert was jailed for four years today after he admitted breaching a court order by accessing the internet to view indecent images of children.

Darren Capper, 45, of Rhyl, also pleaded guilty at Caernarfon crown court to possessing 450 indecent images of children, making images, and distribution between June 3 and July 23.

Prosecutor Richard Edwards said in 2006 Capper had received a sexual offences prevention order at Chester crown court for similar matters. But last July police searched his home and found two mobile phones and indecent images.

Capper had used two false email accounts to search the web for filth and shared pornography.

“He was attracted to children,” Mr Edwards said.

Capper preferred youngsters aged between nine and 16 and was in contact with a man who had abused his daughter, the barrister added.

Defence barrister Simon Killeen said there was restricted distribution to a number of like-minded people and there was no financial gain.

He said: “This is a man who is paraplegic and, save for his vehicle, he can’t get around other than with the assistance of his parents.

“While he thought he had conquered those urges, he realises when an opportunity arose he then purchased a phone with internet access. He has no computer.”

Judge Philip Hughes told Capper: ”The aggravating features of your offending are you committed offences again of a similar nature to those committed in the past.”

He had also set up two false email accounts to try and cover his tracks.

The judge added: ”The offences call for a substantial sentence.”

A fresh sex offences prevention order was made and he must register as a sex offender.

Detective Constable Andy Pendleton of St Asaph CID, who investigated the case, said afterwards: ”I hope this sentence makes it crystal clear that prison is the only destination for those who make, possess or distribute indecent images of children.

“Each and every time an image is taken, uploaded or viewed a child is abused and those who commit such offences must learn there are victims behind each and every image.

“This man also breached an earlier sexual offences prevention order. His sentence reflects North Wales Police, our partners and the criminal justice system will do all they can to eradicate all forms of child abuse and relentlessly pursue those in our communities who perpetrate such vile acts.”

November 2014: Kevin Smith has now been released and is living in Broadfield, Crawley.

May 2012

Abuse man jailed for ‘grooming’ young teenage girl

A MAN who sexually abused a young teenage girl over several months has been jailed for two-and-a-half years.

Kevin Smith, 53, formerly of Court Lodge Road, Horley, was sentenced at Guildford Crown Court on Thursday (May 3) after previously being found guilty of six offences of sexual activity with a child.

The court heard the defendant had also once received a police caution after images of people having sex with animals were discovered on his computer.

He targeted the girl, now aged 15, between June 2010 and March last year.

Passing sentence, Mr Recorder Jeremy Carter-Manning told Smith he had taken advantage of a vulnerable victim.

“You may have seen that vulnerability and used that to facilitate your offending,” he said.

“There was an element of grooming involved,” the judge added.

“The difference between your age and her age is an obvious and serious aggravating feature of these offences.”

Smith, who has now separated from his wife and moved to Jersey Road in Crawley, West Sussex, was put on the sex offenders’ register for life and made the subject of a Sexual Offences Prevention Order banning him from associating with girls under 16 except with the express permission of their parents who are made aware of the defendant’s history.

A victim impact statement read to the court disclosed that the girl had suffered “panic attacks” and recurring difficulties with sleeping.

Rachel Davies, prosecuting, said: “Her mother feels frustrated because she can’t help her. She is over-protective of her other children now.”

The court was told that the defendant suffered from diabetes but had managed to hold down a good job.

Rupert Hallowes, defending, said it was notable that his client, who denied the charges, had only started offending in middle-age after having lived an “unblemished life”.

“He behaved recklessly and outrageously, on the jury’s verdict,” Mr Hallowes concluded.

November 2014

Air cadet leader jailed for grooming and sexually abusing under-age girl

The former leader of an air cadets’ group in Hucknall, who groomed a teenage girl and sexually abused her, has been jailed for four years.

James Dodd (42) was the commanding officer of the much-respected 1803 (Hucknall) Air Training Corps (ATC) squadron, a voluntary youth organisation which is based off Watnall Road.

Dodd pleaded guilty at Nottingham Crown Court to five offences, which related to sexual acts or sexual touching involving a child, dating back to 2006.

It was said in court that he ‘used the girl as an emotional crutch at a time when his marriage was on the rocks’.

“He became involved in what he believed was a genuine relationship,” said Siward James-Moore (defending). “He lost sight of his moral compass and ignored the girl’s age.”

The victim, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was sat in court as Judge Joan Butler passed sentence.

Dodd, of Masefield Avenue, Holmewood, Chesterfield, was told by Judge Butler: “You took advantage of her. She was young, and she fell in love with you. It is very sad.

“You told her to keep quiet. It was a breach of trust.”

Tina Dempster (prosecuting) told the court that she became friends with Dodd and exchanged text-messages and gave her lifts home.

“The texts became flirty and developed into sexual innuendo and then a sexual relationship. with kissing, touching and oral sex in his car,” she said.

Miss Dempster told how the girl lost her virginity to Dodd.

“She made it clear that, at no time, was she forced to do anything,” said Miss Dempster. “She expected the relationship to be open when his marriage ended.

“However, when she was 18, she found out on Facebook that, after his marriage ended, he was in a relationship with another woman, so things soured.”

Dodd was investigated after a mother lodged a complaint with police about text messages sent to her daughter but no charges were brought.

The police seized Dodd’s computer and phone and found tell-tale images.

In a personal statement handed to the court, the girl described the subsequent investigation as ‘a nightmare’.

“She says she thought her world was about to fall apart,” said Miss Dempster.

“At the time, she had great hope for the relationship. She didn’t want to upset her family. But with hindsight, she realises the true intent of Dodd, which was grooming.”

Dodd was placed on the sex offenders’ register for life and also prohibited from any unsupervised contact with females aged under 16.

November 2014

Man, 56, jailed for grooming 14-year-old Staffordshire girl for sex

A man from Berkshire has been jailed for 13 years after grooming and sexually abusing a 14-year-old girl from Staffordshire.

John Malley, 56, from Reading, pleaded guilty to sexual activity with a child at Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court, after initially getting in touch with the schoolgirl via social media.

The court heard Malley came across the girl, who cannot be named, on an app and began talking to her.

The court heard he pretended to be 19 or 20 used a picture that made him look like “someone out of One Direction.”

Mark Heywood QC, prosecuting, said: “He told her he lived in London, had been a soldier and had a dog called Stella.

“He began to play on her emotions, he told her that he had a younger sister who died.

“She was rather vulnerable as things at home weren’t easy.”

The court heard that their contact became more and more frequent and the girl eventually agreed to meet Malley in June 2012.

Malley blamed his appearance on a medical condition when the pair met and convinced the girl to get into his car and go for a drive.

He stopped the car in a lay-by and Malley had sex with her, the court heard.

Mr Heywood told the court Malley’s victim thought they were girlfriend and boyfriend.

Malley tried to prove the sex he had with his girlfriend was consensual and provided the court with a memory card with videos he had taken of the sexual activity.

But it contained a video which showed another child as the victim of a sexual assault but this child is yet to be identified or traced, the court was told.

Michael Harrison, defending, said: “He knows he is going to prison and he accepts that.

“He has been a hard working man, he started off in the army for a number of years and then went into prison services.

“He has three adult children and three grandchildren.”

Malley has two previous convictions of four years and six months for similar sexual offences involving young girls.

Judge Paul Glenn told Malley: “You have a continuing interest in young girls and you will not be deterred by previous sentences.

“Her brother was seriously ill, the parents were spending a lot of time in hospital.

“You had obviously identified her as someone who would be vulnerable.”

November 2014

Pervert found with child abuse images on computer escapes prison

A computer user has been sent on a sex offenders course after being trapped by a police investigation into sinister websites where paedophiles share child abuse images.

Philip Levett was traced after he exchanged images through so-called peer-to-peer internet sites and found to have more than 3,000 offensive items on his computer.

He was spared jail after a judge heard how he has enrolled on a course to try to treat his addiction to pornography and has asked for more help from the probation service.

Levett, 41, of Station Road, Bovey Tracey, admitted three offences of distributing indecent images of children, six of making or possessing them, and two of possessing extreme images.

He was jailed for eight months, suspended for two years and ordered to attend the Internet Sex Offenders’ Treatment Programme as part of two years supervision by Judge Francis Gilbert, QC at Exeter Crown Court.

The Judge told him: “I bear in mind that since your arrest you have done your best to break your addiction to indecent images, but nonetheless these are serious offences.

“Deriving sexual pleasure from images of young children being abused sexually may not involve direct contact but if people like you did not download these images then children would not be abused to create them.

“You have therefore contributed to the appalling experiences which they have had to endure and that is why these are serious offences.”

Gareth Evans, prosecuting, said Levett was traced through a police inquiry codenamed Reward which targeted internet users who exchanged images on peer-to-peer sites.

These are unregulated services on which subscribers can swap music or films but which are also used to distribute child abuse images by allowing one user access to material on other people’s computers.

He said Levett was found with 107 images which fell into the worse category, showing adults raping or abusing children, and 3,298 at the two lower categories which include nudity and images of children taking part in sexual acts.

William Parkhill, defending, said Levett’s arrest had made him realise he had a problem which he needed to address and on his own volition he made contact with an organisation which helps people deal with their inappropriate use of the internet.

November 2014

Solva man admits sexual activity with girl aged under 13yrs

A Solva man is due to be sentenced after admitting child sex offences at Swansea Crown Court last month.

Anthony Richard Heath, aged 59, admitted sexual activity with a girl under the age of 13 during a plea and case management hearing before Judge Paul Thomas

The court head that Heath, of Maes-yr-Eglwys, had been imprisoned in November, 2013, for unrelated offending and that the latest allegations came to light while he was locked up.

His barrister, Geraint Walters, said it was accepted that a prison sentence for these latest offences was inevitable.

Judge Paul Thomas postponed sentencing to allow time for a probation officer to prepare a report into Heath’s background.

Heath was remanded in custody until his sentencing

November 2014

Halkirk man jailed for child abuse images

A HALKIRK man has been jailed for six months in line with a social worker’s belief that there was no other option available to deal with him.

Malcolm Don admitted taking, permitting to be taken or making indecent photographs or pseudo-photographs of children between 2007 and 2009 and a report looking into his probation order earlier revealed the social worker’s findings.

Don (43), of Seaforth Gardens, Halkirk, appeared on indictment at Wick Sheriff Court today (Thurs) for sentence after he admitted breaching his order which related to the offence which happened between July 1, 2007, and January 29, 2009, at an address in Pentland Place, Castletown.

Don was also given a sexual offences prevention order to last seven years.