November 2014

Redditch mum found guilty of not acting to prevent the death of her two month old baby daughter

A mum whose baby daughter was killed by her violent partner in Redditch has been found guilty of not acting to prevent her death.

Isabella Vallance, who was just 12 weeks old, died at Birmingham Children’s Hospital in December 2012, with serious head injuries and fractures to her ribs and legs.

Her mother Jessica Jamie Wiggins, aged 20, formerly of the Oakalls, Bromsgrove, was convicted under section 5 of the Domestic Violence, Crimes and Victims Act at Worcester Crown Court today.

Her partner, 21-year-old Tyler Vallance, also formerly of the Oakalls, admitted grievous bodily harm and the manslaughter of their 12-week-old daughter Isabellawhen he appeared before the court on 19 June.

Sentencing of both defendants has been adjourned until December 18, pending reports.

Wiggins and Vallance, who lived together in Redditch following the birth of their child, had been having problems with their relationship. The court heard that he had assaulted her on more than one occasion.

Detective Chief Inspector Jon Marsden, of West Mercia Police, said: “The death of any young child is a tragedy and Isabella Vallace had lived for just 86 days.

“She should have had a full life ahead of her but that was taken away by her father, a callous individual who could not control his emotions or his temper.

“His guilty plea on the first day of the hearing is a testament to the weight and strength of the evidence against him gathered over 18 months by a dedicated team of investigators.

“We are also grateful to the significant contribution made by many partner agencies including the medical profession and Children’s Services.

“Those agencies, along with other family members, had set out to help Wiggins and Vallance give Isabella the best possible start in life.

“As parents they were in a position of trust and care but sadly they did not live up to their responsibilities.

“Our priority was to carry out a full and thorough investigation into this baby’s death, which we have done, and while the overriding feeling is one of sadness we are satisfied that at least justice has now been done for Isabella.”

June 2014

Dad admits killing two month old baby daughter

A father has admitted killing his two-month-old baby daughter ‘after losing control’.

Tyler John Vallance, 21, pleaded guilty to the manslaughter of Isabella Vallance in December 2012, after a charge of murder was put to him at Worcester Crown Court.

He further entered a guilty plea to section 20 wounding, after having a charge of inflicting grievous bodily harm with intent put to him as he stood in the dock.

Christopher Hotton QC prosecuting said: “We are all of the view that we accept those pleas.”

He added the prosecution’s view was that although there were two incidents it was “overwhelmingly likely that each occurred over a short period of time in a momentary loss of control by somebody with ADHD and Tourettes.”

Vallance, formerly of Redditch, Worcestershire, will be sentenced at a later date.

Isabella was allegedly injured at an address in Bromsgrove, Worcestershire between October 5 and December 8.

Separately, the baby’s mother aged 19, formerly of Bromsgrove, is to be tried for an alleged offence of child cruelty between October 5 and December 8, 2012 and causing or allowing the death of Isabella.

She appeared briefly in the dock – after Vallance – for the proceedings, wearing a black blazer and white blouse.

Her trial will now start back at the court on Tuesday, June 24, and is expected to last 10 days.

In December 2012, Isabella was taken to the Alexandra Hospital in Redditch after being found injured at an address in the town.

She was transferred to Birmingham Children’s Hospital where she died five days later.

November 2014

Man who raped girl aged six told his victim: ‘Don’t tell anyone, someone could be really mad’

A man who raped a six-year-old girl told his young victim: “Don’t tell anyone, someone could be really mad at me and I could go to prison”.

Garry Paul Reader, 31, was jailed for 11 years today after being found guilty of rape at a trial last month.

The court was told how sometime between May 2012 and May 2013 Reader, of Market Street, Little Lever, was left alone with his victim and her three siblings at a house in Bolton.

Reader was in bed upstairs when he called the girl into the bedroom, and she climbed in bed with him.

He asked if her brother was downstairs, before telling her: ‘Shhh, be quiet’. He then raped her.

After the attack, he told the girl: “Don’t tell anyone, someone could be really mad at me and I could go to prison.”

The abuse only came to light weeks later in August 2013 when the youngster told her friend about it, and was persuaded to speak to her mum about what had happened.

Speaking after the sentencing today, Detective Constable Kirsty Kaye said: “This is an appalling case, where the victim was not old enough to even comprehend the atrocity she was being subjected to.

“Reader has then used that classic tool of abusers and exploiters, fear, guilt-tripping the victim into keeping quiet.

“The victim and her family are being supported by specially trained officers, who we hope will assist them to come to terms with what has happened.

“This sentence goes some way to demonstrating that we will go to any length possible to punish those who target the innocent for their own gratification.”

November 2014

Primary School welfare assistant who videoed kids admits voyeurism and child abuse images charges

A WELFARE assistant who filmed youngsters at a school in Bolton has admitted voyeurism and five counts of making indecent images of children.

Adam Curnock committed the offences over the last 11 months at Harwood Meadows Community Primary School.

Police raided the 30-year-old’s home in Harley Avenue, Harwood, on Friday.

He was initially arrested on suspicion of possessing indecent images of children — and was bailed until February, 2015.

But after detectives received further information he was arrested on suspicion of voyeurism.

Bosses at the school wrote to and e-mailed parents this week to inform them of an “ongoing safeguarding investigation”.

Curnock, who has been sacked, appeared at Bolton Magistrates Court yesterday and pleaded guilty to five counts of making indecent images of children and one count of voyeurism.

It is understood one of the charges relates to the use of video footage he took on school premises.

The offences took place between January 1 and November 14 this year.

Police have contacted families who they believe may be directly affected by the matter.

The case has also been referred to the Independent Police Complaints Commission because it is thought that intelligence had been received on Curnock’s actions at an earlier stage.

In the letter sent out to parents, the school said: “We have been informed that the individual has been arrested and charged with a number of offences and after appearing in court, has been remanded in custody.”

November 2014

Man caged for seven years after Yalding attempted rape of schoolgirl

A man who attempted to rape a schoolgirl in a Yalding car park has been sentenced to seven years in prison.

Gavin Jones drove a 14 year old girl to an empty car park at Yalding Train Station in 2006, and threatened her with violence unless she removed her clothes.

Jones, 36, formerly of Abbey Wood, London knew the victim through an acquaintance. On May 10, 2006 he arranged to drive her from a place she had been working to her home address.

He headed instead for the train station, telling his victim “I’m going to scare you” as he drove to the car park. He locked all the doors and broke the victim’s phone so she couldn’t call the police, before attempting to rape her.

Jones threatened and terrified his victim to the extent that initially she too scared to report the offence.

However, in May 2014 Kent Police received information linking him to the incident. Officers then approached the victim, who agreed to pursue charges.

Jones appeared at Maidstone Crown Court on November 18 having previously pleaded guilty to one charge of attempted rape.

He was sentenced to 7 years in prison and placed on the sex offenders’ register indefinitely.

Detective constable Jono Pearce said: “I am delighted with the sentence and would like to thank the victim who showed great courage in coming forward and assisting with our investigation.

“Jones has finally been brought to justice for an offence which occurred eight years ago and I would like to remind anyone who is a victim of a sexual assault that it doesn’t matter how long ago an offence had occurred we will always investigate every single complaint.”

Detective sergeant Paddy Kerr, of British Transport Police, added: “Violent crime on the railway is rare, but this was a truly horrific crime; a frightening experience for the victim.

“We will investigate any incidents of unwanted sexual behaviour reported to us. Our officers will do everything they can to catch offenders.

“I want to thank Kent Police for a thorough investigation that has concluded with the offender behind bars.”

November 2014

Bristol paedophile caught in chatroom sting after sending indecent images of children to police

WHEN IT worker Robert Berry sent child abuse photos to a contact called Angie he probably thought he was sharing an interest with a like- minded person.

It turned out “Angie” was a Metropolitan Police officer interested in arresting him and people like him.

Berry, 42, of Buchanans Wharf North, Bristol, pleaded guilty to distributing indecent photographs of children and nine charges of downloading them. Judge Graham Hume Jones handed him a three-year community order, including a sex offender programme.

The judge said he was forced to impose the sentence because it was the only means of ensuring Berry would receive the treatment he needed.

Berry was told to register as a sex offender for five years and was given an indefinite Sexual Offences Prevention Order, banning the prospect of repeat offending. He was also told to pay £500 prosecution costs.

November 2014

Bromsgrove man found guilty of sex offences against young girls

A BROMSGROVE man faces a lengthy prison sentence after being convicted of a series of sex offences against young girls.

Melvyn Banner, 42, of Bishop Hall Crescent, Charford, was found guilty on five charges of raping a child under the age of 13, three charges of rape of an adult, one of inciting a child under 13 to engage in sexual activity and one of sexual assault on a child of 13.

Banner, who denied all the allegations and claimed they were made up, was remanded in custody to await probation reports ahead of his sentencing.

Judge Daniel Pearce-Higgins QC warned him he would receive a substantial sentence.

November 2007

Four years’ jail for child abuser

An Airdrie man who sexually abused a boy and girl on a regular daily basis over a period of seven years has been sentenced to four years in prison.

A jury at Airdrie Sheriff Court found Gerald Early, 43, guilty of three charges of using lewd, indecent and libidinous practices on the youngsters.

He committed the offences between August 1996 and April 2003.

His victims, now 16 and 18, gave evidence to the court via CCTV. The sheriff praised the way they spoke up.

The boy told the court that he was six years old when the abuse began and it continued “every other day” on hundreds of occasions until he was 11.

He said: “He started touching me over my clothing at first and then it got worse.

“He’d give me £2 or £3 to do it every week and not to tell anybody.”

The girl, now 18, was indecently assaulted by Early on various occasions between 1996 and 2003.

She told the jury: “I was in primary six, about nine years old and tried to tell people about this man, but nobody believed me. It went on for another four years.”

Sentencing Early, Sheriff Morag Galbraith said: “You were convicted by a jury of appalling crimes against young children.

“The public must be protected against you and the serious harm you have caused these children.

“I must also commend both children for their evidence and the way they spoke up in court.” 

Early was jailed for four years, with a further two years extended sentence. He was also put on the Sex Offenders’ Register for an indefinite period.

November 2014

Paedophile scout leader convicted

A former scout leader has pleaded guilty to child sex offences.

John Richard Frederick Ainsworth, 76, appeared before Preston Crown Court on two charges of indecent assault on a boy

Ainsworth, who was part of a scout group in Caton and Brookhouse until recently, will be sentenced on December 18.

November 2014

Devon teacher jailed for having sex with 15-year-old girls on gym horse

A disgraced PE teacher has been jailed for having sex with two 15-year-old girls on a gym horse at the school where he taught.

Paul Cole was a fit young sportsman when he took advantage of the schoolgirls after they developed crushes on him in the 1990s.

He kissed and fondled them before having sex in a store room at the school in North Devon while they were in uniform and were either on breaks or bunking off other lessons.

Cole had sexual encounters outside school with two more girls but could not be prosecuted because they were over 16 and consenting, meaning it was legal at the time.

Cole, aged 45, moved on to teach at schools in Crediton and Exeter but was dismissed when the former pupils went to the police two years ago.

He was jailed for six years after a Judge told him he had committed a serious breach of trust and exploited the girl’s obsession with him.

Cole, of Franklyn Drive, Exeter, denied two counts of indecent assault against one girl and five against the other. He was found guilty on all charges by a jury at Exeter Crown Court and jailed for six years by Judge Francis Gilbert, QC.

He told him: “You were convicted on what can only be described as overwhelming evidence of serious sexual offences against two girls, one aged 14 and one aged 15, who were both pupils at the school at which you taught.

“You were in a position of trust towards both of them and this was a serious abuse of that trust. The fact that both girls were besotted with you is no excuse, if anything it is an aggravating feature.

“You allowed their obsession with you to give you the opportunity too take advantage of them in the way that you did. Your defence was that they were all lying. That is not attractive.”

During a two week trial the jury heard from the two girls, now in their 30s and with children of their own, about how they had developed crushes on Cole, who was said to be a Gary Barlow lookalike at the time but is now bald and overweight.

They said he kissed them, touched them, and had full sex with them on or next to the gym horse in the sports store in the PE block where he worked.

One victim recalled how she had been in uniform and had left another lesson on the pretext that she was doing course work for a GCSE in Physical Education that Cole was teaching.

She described the inside of the gym store in great detail, complete with the position in which netball and football posts were stored and the size and shape of the segmented vaulting horse.

The two 16-year-old girls said they took part in other sex acts when he took them on trips away from the school.

The girls did not report the abuse at the time because they were embarrassed by it but the police began an inquiry after one made disclosures in 2011 because she was concerned Cole may still have access to young people.

Cole denied having any contact with any of the girls while they were students but said he had kissed one when they met after they left.

Fiona Elder, for the defence, said he should be given credit for all the good work he did during his 20 year teaching career.

She said no other complaints had come to light despite police sending questionnaires to all year ten and 11 girls at Queen Elizabeth School in Crediton, where he was teaching at the time of his arrest.

She said: “This was an isolated period of offending by a new and young teacher in extremely unfamiliar surroundings.”

November 2014

Former Chief Petty Officer unmasked as a paedophile guilty of a string of horrific offences

A FORMER Royal Navy Chief Petty Officer can today be unmasked as a perverted monster guilty of a string of horrific offences against children.

Geoffrey Rooney, aged 39, faces years in jail after pleading guilty to offences including rape and indecent assault.

He has been remanded in custody ahead of a psychiatric report – so a judge can assess how much of a danger he poses.

Rooney, of Camperdown Street, Devonport, pleaded guilty in May to offences including:

1. one count of possessing indecent images of a child;

2. one count of rape of a female aged under 13;

3. sexually assaulting another female aged under 13;

4. taking indecent photographs of children;

5. indecent assault of a female;

6. making indecent photographs of a child;

7. two counts of distribution of indecent photographs of children;

8. sexual assault of a male aged under 16

9. possession of indecent photographs of children.

But The Herald was unable to report on those pleas because of a court order banning publication ahead of a trial at Plymouth Crown Court this week.

Rooney was cleared by the jury, allowing the reporting restriction to be lifted.

He denied he had indecently assaulted a girl aged under 13 between July 1991 and July 1992.

After listening to evidence over five days, the jury of five men and seven women took just over six hours before returning a verdict of not guilty.

At an earlier hearing, the court was told that one of the possession of indecent images charges included 249 images of children – three of which were in the most depraved category.

The charge of taking indecent images of children are understood to amount to 13 photographs.

The jury in the trial were not informed of Rooney’s earlier guilty pleas.

Rooney was arrested by police on January 9 as part of an ongoing investigation, codenamed Operation Darkling.

Rooney has been remanded in custody ahead of a psychiatric report to assess the issue of dangerousness.

He may be given an indeterminate sentence – which means he would not be released until he is judged to be no longer a danger to the public.

Rooney is expected to be sentenced in the New Year on a date to be fixed.

November 2014

Animal porn and child abuse pictures land housebound loner in court

A loner has been ordered to go on a sex offenders’ course after he trawled the internet for images of children as young a two being abused.

Nigel Miller, aged 27, was housebound because of a painful illness that affected his ankles and began spending hours on his computer to ease his loneliness.

He started accessing extreme images of child abuse on peer to peer sites, which form part of the sinister illegal area of the internet known as the dark web.

He was found with more than 1,000 images of children aged from one or two to 12 of both ages including some showing them engaged in sex acts with animals.

Miller, of Park Street, Crediton, admitted ten counts of making or possessing indecent images of children and one of having a grossly offensive and extreme image of bestiality.

He was jailed for 12 months, suspended for two years, and ordered to attend the internet sex offenders’ treatment programme by Recorder Mr Frank Abbott at Exeter Crown Court.

The Judge told him he deserved to go to jail but would not be able to undergo the course if he did so because it is not available in prison.

He said:”He was in possession of a large number of images of a severe kind which also involved animals. There is a real question mark about what he may do in the future.

“There were a large number of images at the top level. They came from file sharing sites, which in my view is more sinister that coming from random searches.

“He is a rather pathetic figure who has medical problems which affect his mobility. This may have affected his behaviour. He is a loner who is weak and in my view, if he goes to prison, he is going to be bullied.

“If he were put on a sex offenders wing he would probably be exposed to people even more recalcitrant that himself, who would be a bad influence on him.

“He needs to receive help from a sex offenders treatment programme but there is a gap in the system whereby if he receives a short prison sentence he will not be able to access it. The facility is not available in a custodial environment.”

Miss Janice Eagles, prosecuting, said Miller was traced through his use of peer to peer sites and was found with 1,149 stills, 230 movies, and 32 extreme images on his computer.

They showed boys and girls aged between one and 12 being abused by adults and in some cases involving animals. The extreme images showed adults having sex with animals.

Miss Sarah Vince, defending, said the offences took place at a time when Miller was leading an isolated life in Crediton and communicating with friends over the internet.

She said he suffers from a very painful illness which affects his ankles but which is now improving with treatment.

November 2014

Fakenham man jailed for 12 years on child sex abuse charges

A 32-year-old man has been jailed for 12 years after being found guilty of the sexual abuse of two children.

Simon Pettitt, of North View Drive, Whissonsett, near Fakenham was sentenced at Norwich Crown Court yesterday after being convicted following an eight day trial in August of this year.

Pettitt had been charged with five counts of sexual abuse including one count of rape and one count of sexual assault.

The abuse took place over a period of five years dating back as far as 2006 and involved girls under the age of 16.

Detective Constable, Tina King of Norfolk Constabulary’s Child Abuse Investigation Team, said: “Pettitt never accounted for his actions during the investigation and during the trial failed to show any remorse towards his victims.

“Pettitt’s not guilty plea meant his victims had to relive their ordeal in court which took an enormous amount of courage, and we hope such a sentence will give them a sense of closure, and that they can now move on positively with their lives.

“The Constabulary is committed to bringing such offenders to justice and has a dedicated team of investigators who deal with crimes involving child abuse.

“We recognise that coming forward can be a difficult step for victims and we will investigate cases that are reported to us whatever the timeframe.”

November 2014

Nuneaton man jailed for sexually abusing two young boys

But he was convicted of most of the charges following a trial at the court in August, although the jury cleared him of the most serious allegation of raping one of the boys and four of the six indecent images charges.

Jailing Poulton following an adjournment for reports to be prepared on him, Judge Alan Parker also ordered him to register for life as a sex offender and made him subject to a sexual offences prevention order restricting his contact with children.

During the trial prosecutor Walter Bealby said that in December 2012 a man in his 20′s went to the police to report that he had been sexually abused by Poulton when he was about 12.

The victim revealed that Poulton, who would have been 15 or 16 at the time, had touched him indecently, performed oral sex on the boy and got the youngster to do the same to him.

He said Poulton would give him money and cigarettes to get him to take part in the activity – but would then take the cash or cigarette back.

And after a while that boy refused to engage in any further sexual conduct with Poulton, said Mr Bealby, who told the court that one incident had been witnessed by another boy.

Four months after that victim had reported what had happened to him, another man, also in his 20s, went to the police.

The jury heard that when he was about eight Poulton, who was then 16 or 17, had abused him by kissing the boy and getting the youngster to perform sex acts on him.

It was also claimed that the sexual activity had included Poulton raping that boy, but he was cleared of that allegation.

Mr Bealby said that when Poulton was arrested the police seized his computer on which they found a number of indecent images of children, many of them young boys.

But he pointed out to the jury: “It will be agreed they were indecent.

“The matter for your consideration is whether the defendant knew about them.”

November 2014

Police caught pervert boasting to paedophiles about his online chats with schoolgirls

A pervert who had indecent photographs of children on his computer was caught boasting to paedophiles about his Skype talks with girls in Thailand and Wales.

Rachel Knight, prosecuting at Merthyr Tydfil Crown Court, said Kerry Elms, 40, came to the attention of police last year following an investigation by the Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre team.

They were monitoring a chat room website, which Ms Knight said Elms would not have been aware of.

Investigations led to his parents home at Fernhill, Mountain Ash, where he was living and arrested on June 1 this year.

They recovered indecent images of children from a laptop computer and an iPhone.

“It became apparent from the content that this defendant had been using Skype to contact paedophiles to obtain indecent images of children,” said Ms Knight.

Elms had been in contact with two people in the UK, one to whom he had sent an indecent image and who the court heard had been arrested, and one who was under investigation.

He had also been internet chatting with two girls, one aged 15 in Thailand and one aged 13 in Llanelli.

Ms Knight told the court that he had divulged his conversations with the younger teen, which involved discussions of a sexual nature, with the two other men to “ingratiate” himself.

He told police in interview that he had been in a “lonely and sad place” at the time following the breakdown of his marriage and that he had derived sexual gratification from the images.

“He said he was gutted and devastated and speechless about what had happened,” said Ms Knight.

The court heard Elms had set up his Skype account using false details.

“He believed the two people were paedophiles and had requested ‘child porn’ from them for the purpose of sexual gratification,” said Ms Knight.

In asking the court not to jail Elms, Lucy Crowther, defending, said there had been guilty pleas to two counts of possessing and one of distributing indecent images of children, of which there was a small number.

Recorder Geraint Walters imposed a three-year community order with supervision and ordered Elms to complete the sex offender treatment programme.

Elms was also made the subject of a five-year Sexual Offences Prevention Order, will have to register as a sex offender for five years and pay a £60 victim surcharge.

The laptop and phone were ordered to be forfeited and destroyed.

November 2014

Chinese student jailed over child abuse images

A CHINESE student studying education at Edinburgh University has been jailed for downloading extreme child abuse images

Zhengxin Zhu, who paid £12,600 to take a Masters in education, collected more than 2,000 vile pictures and videos.

Some of the videos were “Level Five” – meaning they contained the most extreme content available.

A court was told Zhu never had unsupervised contact with children but it remains unclear whether the 23-year-old paedophile undertook school placements while on the course.

Zhu was jailed for eight months at Edinburgh Sheriff Court on Tuesday after he pled guilty to two charges of downloading 1,816 obscene photographs of children and 245 obscene videos.

His visa will still be valid on his release next July and there are currently no known plans to deport him.

Zhu claimed he collected the images while living in Scotland because internet controls in his homeland prevented him doing so.

Edinburgh University refused to comment on his case on grounds of data protection.

But it is understood he underwent and passed a disclosure check provided by the Chinese authorities before starting the course.

The prosecution told the court that Zhu’s home in Drummond Street, was raided on December 13 last year.

Zhu immediately admitted looking at images of children on his laptop and tablet computer.

Officers discovered five Level Five videos. The majority of videos and images he obtained over the internet were of boys between 18 months and 14 years old and a small number of images contained boys and girls aged between eight and 13.

The images and videos showed children engaged in sexual activity alone, with other children and with adults.

He also had 151 images and 158 videos at level four, and 320 images and 22 videos at level three.

He told officers: “In China we don’t get this. I just downloaded it and looked at them for a second – I didn’t want to hurt them – I didn’t spread it.”

His defence lawyer, Elspeth McPartlin, told the court: “He has already undertaken significant payback efforts for these offenses.

“In doing so he has reduced his risk of reoffending. He has showed contrition and shame throughout dealing with him for the best part of a year.

“He is very keen to make things right.”

But Sheriff Alistair Noble told Zhu he would serve eight months.

He said: “This is a case where prison cannot be avoided. The difficulty you face is the seriousness of the offenses to which you’ve pled guilty.”

A spokesman from Edinburgh University: “All students whose studies include professional placements must undergo disclosure checks.”

The university refused to comment further, citing data protection laws.

The masters degree Zhu was studying teaches education “as an ethical, intellectual and cultural process’.

November 2014

30 yr old Penhill man asked 14-year-old girl to perform internet sex acts

A Penhill man who got a 14-year-old girl to perform sex acts on herself over the internet has been warned he is facing a jail term.

Nathan Woods encouraged the child, who lives in the east of England, to do the things in online while he watched.

Now the 30-year-old has to register as a sex offender and has been told he is likely to go to jail when he is sentenced next month.

Woods, of Seagry Court, Penhill, pleaded guilty to a multi-incident count of causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity.

He had been due to stand trial at Swindon Crown Court but pleaded guilty before a jury could be sworn in.

Woods admitted that on at least 11 occasions he got the child to carry out the sex acts on herself in the year up to October 1, 2012.

At an earlier hearing he pleaded guilty to four charges of possessing indecent images of a child, relating to pictures she sent him.

He denied four charges of causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity and one of causing her to watch him carrying out a sex act on himself. They will be left to lie on the file.

Colin Meeke, prosecuting, said the defendant had pleaded guilty on a certain basis which was generally accepted.

He said although he was questioning whether he initially knew the girl’s age there was no question he was aware by July 2012.

“There is an e-mail from her mother to him, of Facebook contact, and she told him what age the child was,” Mr Meeke said.

“All the photographs are past the date of the correspondence between the child’s mother and the defendant.”

He said although she was involved in communicating with the defendant Mr Meeke reminded the court that at 14 ‘She is the one who is vulnerable and needs protecting’.

He said “It is undeniable with several hundred miles between them she took the photographs of the things she had done. The law is there to protect her from her own naivety and stupidity.”

Chris Smyth, defending, asked for the case to be adjourned so the probation service could compile a presentence report on his client.

He said “I have told him immediate custody is most likely, he is obviously hopeful that the court can consider a suspended sentence.”

But Judge Tim Mousley QC replied “He should brace himself for what at the moment I consider to be the inevitable arising from the disparity in age.”

He agreed to getting the report from the probation service and released Woods on bail to Thursday December 18.

The judge said “The reason for the delay is so a presentence report can be prepared which will tell me much more about your background.

“You will already appreciate from the exchange between me and Mr Smyth the fact that I am granting you bail now does not mean there will not be an immediate prison sentence: that remains the most likely outcome.”

Although he released him on bail he tod him that he must register as a sex offender with the total period he must continue to do so determined by the sentence.

November 2014

12-hour delay to get hospital treatment for battered Normacot child

A YOUNG child suffered extensive cuts and bruises after being attacked by a man – but was not taken to hospital for almost 12 hours.

Police investigating the incident were told the child had hurt itself after falling.

But officers later arrested two people – Nicholas Stubbs and Rebecca Mason – who were with the youngster at the time of the incident.

Now the two defendants have been sentenced for child cruelty after Stubbs assaulted the child and Mason failed to seek immediate medical help.

Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court has been told how a neighbour heard the child’s cries coming from a house in Normacot.

The court heard the youngster was given medication and ice was put on the injuries following the attack at the hands of Stubbs but the child was not taken to hospital for hours.

Prosecutor Adam Pearson told the court: “The doctor noted injuries, including bruises, abrasions and cuts.”

The court heard Stubbs was ‘ill-equipped’ to be in charge of the child.

Paul Cliff, representing Stubbs, said: “It was a single incident. Fortunately the victim of this assault has no sign of any long-term physical effects.”

Mason’s defence barrister, Stuart Muldoon, said his client would benefit from help from the probation service.

Stubbs, aged 22, of Mollison Road, Meir, was jailed for two years after being convicted of two offences of cruelty to a child.

Co-accused Mason, aged 21, of Holly Road, Chesterton, was handed an eight-month prison sentence, suspended for two years, after she pleaded guilty to one offence of child cruelty. She must also serve an 18-month supervision order.

Judge David Fletcher told the defendants: “The injuries were nasty, and particularly nasty when you take into account the fact this was a little child.

“In your pre-sentence reports, you showed no real remorse in the sense that you have no real empathy or understanding of the impact of your behaviour on this innocent, little child.

“There can be no greater responsibility placed upon us than the care of a child.”

November 2014

East Reading man jailed for nine years for raping 12-year-old girl

A man has been jailed for nine years for raping a 12-year-old girl in a house in East Reading.

Emal Kochai, 20, of King’s Road, East Reading, was accused of the attack with Ghazi Nasir, 22, of Parkside Road, West Reading.

They both denied raping the girl at Kochai’s address in May, this year. Mr Nasir also denied inciting her to commit a sexual act by asking her to perform a sex act on him.

Yesterday, Mr Nasir was cleared of all charges at Reading Crown Court while Kochai was found guilty and sentenced to nine years in prison.

The court previously heard, in a recorded interview, the girl told police she had met ‘Ghazi’ before, but had never met the second man, who she knew only as ‘AK’.

The alleged victim said she was with a friend, then met ‘Ghazi’ and went with him to a house near the college where she claimed they had both oral and full sex.

In a second interview she said there was a second man she knew only as ‘AK’ who had come into the bedroom immediately after ‘Ghazi’ had left and they had sex.

On Tuesday, defence counsel for the men said she had a social services record which showed she was ‘capable of lying’.

In his closing speech Alex Dunn, defending Mr Nasir, said contrary to the girl’s story that she met the two men by chance in Forbury Gardens, Mr Nasir said she texted him to meet her in Primark and no one forced her to go to the address in King’s Road.

Mr Dunn pointed to agreed evidence from social services which said she had ‘made up stories about how she was being ill-treated’.

He said: “It is clear, is it not, she is perfectly capable of lying?”

Mr Dunn said Mr Nasir only went into the house for a few moments then left.

He reminded the jury there was a text message to Mr Nasir from the girl on June 5, the day before she reported the alleged rapes, saying “Delete my number. Why are you saying stuff I done with you. You never even touched me.”

Mr Dunn said there was no DNA evidence, no CCTV and no medical evidence Mr Nasir was involved.

Caroline Gassman, defending Kochai, also pointed to the social services document raising concerns about the girl’s truthfulness.

She said: “The girl made up stories when in the care of her aunt and uncle, continuing to make up stories about how she was ill-treated by them.”

Kochai was originally charged with two counts of rape but one was ordered to lie on the file.

November 2014

Camelford man Graham Tallis admits sexually assaulting girl and raping her

Ed Bailey, for the defence, said Tallis had pleaded guilty to “extremely serious” offences. He asked for the case to be adjourned for the preparation of a psychiatric report.

Tallis was remanded in custody to appear before the court for sentence on February 6, 2015.

November 2014

Newquay man Thomas Heard avoids jail after admitting spying on three children getting changed

AN UNEMPLOYED 22-year-old, who went to a Newquay holiday park and committed the “disgusting” offence of spying on children getting changed in the swimming pool cubicle while performing a sex act on himself, has been ordered to carry out unpaid work.

Thomas Heard went to Hendra Holiday Park at about 10.30am on August 12 and hung around the changing and toilet area until he saw three children go into a cubicle to get changed, Truro Crown Court heard on Wednesday.

Ian Graham, for the Crown Prosecution Service, said the 22-year-old put himself in a cubicle next to the ones where the three children – two boys and a girl, aged 9, 11 and 12 – were changing.

“[He] starts looking over the top of the cubicle and underneath,” said Mr Graham.

“This frightens the girl.”

Mr Graham said the girl was frightened into silence and she jumped up onto a bench “terrified”.

He said: “He also looks over to where the boys are and the boys look back and see him start to masturbate himself.”

The children then called for a relative who became involved in an altercation with Heard and struck him about the head.

At an earlier hearing, Heard, of Edgcumbe Avenue, pleaded guilty to voyeurism – observing a person doing a private act, for the purpose of obtaining sexual gratification.

The court heard he had been cautioned for a similar offence in 2010.

Mike Gregson, for the defence, said Heard was in receipt of employment support allowance.

Sentencing Heard to a two-year community order, Judge Christopher Harvey Clark, QC, said: “I need hardly tell you that this type of voyeuristic offence is disgusting.

“It is no wonder that when what you did became apparent to the parents of the children at the holiday camp in Newquay, you were assaulted by one of those parents … in one sense that is something you could expect to receive because people find it fundamentally disgusting to do what you did.”

Heard was ordered to carry out 140 hours unpaid work, be under the supervision of the probation service for 12 months and sign the sex offenders’ register for five years.

Judge Harvey Clark added: “If you go on behaving like this and being tempted to do these things you are going to end up in very serious trouble.”

Heard was ordered to pay a £60 victim surcharge.