December 2014

Sex pest exposed after teenage girls raise the alarm

A MAN who contacted two teenage girls over the internet and sent them sexual messages was caught when they raised the alarm, York Crown Court heard.

John Gregg, prosecuting, said Philip Doughty, 60, tried to contact both girls through Facebook.

But the younger, aged 15, turned him down, and when he tried similar tactics with a 17-year-old girl, she alerted the authorities.

Recorder Jamie Hill QC told Doughty: “I don’t know how far your behaviour might have gone if the 15-year-old girl hadn’t been so sensible and stopped engaging with you when she realised something was amiss.

“How richly you deserve to go to prison.”

But he suspended the six-month prison sentence for two years so that Doughty could go on a sex offender treatment programme and look after his wife.

He will also be supervised by the probation service for two years, placed on the sex offenders’ register for seven years during which he will be monitored by the police and subject to a sexual offences prevention order restricting his use of the internet and contact with children for five years.

Doughty, of Victoria Way, Huntington, pleaded guilty to inciting the 15-year-old girl to perform a sexual act.

Julian Tanikal, defending at York Crown Court, said Doughty realised what he had done was wrong.

He had been having money problems at the time, the benefits agency had told him his benefits would be stopped and he was drinking heavily.

His wife was disabled and would suffer if Doughty was jailed because he was her primary carer.

Mr Gregg said Doughty made friend requests to both girls through Facebook.

He started contacting the younger girl on December 12.

On January 3, he asked what she was doing and who she was with. When she said she was watching television with her father, he didn’t reply.

But when she told him she was watching television alone in reply to a similar message on January 10, he began a series of sexual messages until she stopped replying, and on January 17, she declined his invitation to a “private chat”.

Doughty then turned his attentions to the older girl.

December 2014

Black belt paedophile Eric Stokes’ victim speaks out as he is booted out of a Wimbledon kickboxing club

The victim of a paedophile who sexually assaulted her when she was a girl has said that reporting him to the police was the best thing she has ever done.

Last month Eric Stokes, 53, who is a black belt in mixed martial arts, admitted eight counts of historic indecent assault against a girl aged under 16 over a four year period 20 years ago.

The Attorney General’s office will decide tomorrow whether an appeal lodged by an unnamed person will go ahead after it was argued his sentence of a two year community order was too lenient.

Kingston Crown Court said Stokes, who lives in Mitcham, must also sign the sex offenders register for five years and be supervised for two years.

When Stokes’ offences came to light last week, he was kicked out of Holistic Fitness Studios, off the Broadway in Wimbledon, where he rented space, by chief instructor Stephen Dixon who was unaware he had even been charged.

His victim, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, said today that she hoped the case would inspire other victims of sex crimes to come forward.

She said there was a wealth of support available now for victims and had nothing but praise for the police who helped bring him to justice after 20 years.

She said: “I’d like to say to anyone who has suffered or is suffering at the hands of an abuser that you are not alone and there is always light at the end of the tunnel however unlikely that may seem.

“This happened to me a very long time ago and I suffered in silence not wanting to believe what happened, but that only lasted so long.

“From the first day I went to the police they have been incredibly supportive in bringing my abuser to justice.

“There is a lot of support now for victims of abuse, be strong, don’t be afraid to ask for help, it will be the best thing you have ever done. Believe in your truth and never doubt yourself.

“My healing has only just begun as I continue my rehabilitation in to feeling normal again and I hope I can give courage and strength to at least one person so that some good comes of the abuse I suffered.”

Mr Dixon said Stokes had not worked with children at Holistic Fitness Studios and ran adult mixed martial arts classes from studio space rented from him at the venue.

He said: “He used to rent space from me. I told him I don’t want him anywhere near the club. 

“I have asked him to stay away from it. I have terminated his rental of studio space.”

Stokes admitted eight counts of indecent assault against a girl aged under 16-years-old on Thursday, November 6.

The Crown Prosecution Service confirmed he indecently assaulted the victim between August 9, 1994 and August 10, 1998.

Speaking about losing his job at Holistic Fitness Studios, Stokes said: “It is really unfair.

“I have been working and training in martial arts for 20 years.

“The job I had was teaching adults and had nothing to do with children.”

He said he was devastated and hoped Mr Dixon would reconsider his decision.

He had been working full time as a security officer at Lloyds bank in Richmond before he was caught sleeping on the job and was sacked in September this year.

On the club’s website, which has since removed all mention of Stokes, a profile said he was a mixed martial arts combat Ju Jitsu instructor and was born in Chelmsford, Essex, before moving to east London, then Mitcham.

It said he had been involved in the ‘fighting arts’ since the age of 14-years-old and had achieved a brown belt in Ju Jitsu, black belt in mixed martial arts and was a silver medallist at the Ju Jitsu championships heavyweight division.

The profile, written by Stokes, said his other passion was cars having owned 30 in the last 24 years.

December 2014

A ‘sadistic’ Gloucestershire grandad who abused a young boy both sexually and physically is jailed

‘SADISTIC’ Robert Jennings who held a boy’s head under water for half a minute and also punched and kicked the youngster in the ribs was jailed for three and a half years.

The 64-year-old’s assaults against the boy were cruel, humiliating and degrading Gloucester crown court was told yesterday.

At the time of the offences the boy was under 10.

Jennings, of Rowandean Court, Cinderford, admitted two charges of cruelty to the boy and two of indecently assaulting him. The offences took place more than a decade ago.

He admitted the offences on the basis he did not have a sexual motive for the indecent assaults.

Prosecutor Julian Kesner said: “He says it has had a long term effect on him. He doesn’t like the feel of water on him and he doesn’t like being touched on the head and shoulders, even by his girlfriend.”

On another occasion, Jennings punched and kicked the boy in the ribs and pulled his hair.

Defence barrister Jane Rowley asked the court to consider a suspended prison term in view of Jennings’ poor health coupled with his early guilty plea and remorse.

“There is a good man inside him and he has been an excellent father and grandfather,” she said.

“He has health problems which can be managed inside the prison system but they would make imprisonment more difficult for him.”

Judge William Hart told Jennings said: “This is a case of cruelty as opposed to one of sexual abuse. Why it was that this boy received this treatment from you is difficult to understand.

“It was sadistic. It is the sort of thing which can ruin or discolour a childhood.”

He sentenced Jennings to three and a half years immediate imprisonment.

December 2014

Padiham milkman caught with child abuse images stash

A Padiham milkman who had a stash of internet child abuse images was caught after he was burgled and his computer was taken to the police, a court heard.

Pennine magistrates were told how father-of-three Andrew Howell (48) had downloaded about 80 images of young girls, including two short video clips. Some pictures were said by the police to show girls who looked as young as 10.

The hearing was told none of the photos showed girls taking part in sexual activity. The children were in a number of poses and the images included nude teen beauty pageants.

Howell, of South Drive, Padiham, admitted six allegations of making an indecent photograph of a child, on or between October 4th and November 30th, last year at Padiham.

The self-employed defendant, who was of previous good character, was given a three-year supervision order by the bench. Chairman Stephen Riley told him: “We need to punish you and protect the public.”

Howell was told to attend the internet sex offenders programme and must obey a six-week curfew, between 6pm and 11-45pm, seven days a week. The defendant, who was ordered to sign the sexual offenders’ register for five years, was told to pay £85 costs and a £60 victim surcharge.

Prosecutor Dominic Howell said Howell’s house was burgled and the computer was recovered by somebody and handed in to the police. The indecent images were found when officers looked at it.

The computer had about 80 indecent images of young girls on it, some of whom looked as young as 10. When the defendant was questioned, he said he thought the people in the images were older. He said he believed some of them were adults.

Daniel Frazer (defending) said Howell could not explain why he had looked at the images. He had not taken them himself, he simply downloaded them.

The solicitor said the defendant, who had had a relationship breakdown, had gone through personal turmoil since the offences. Mr Frazer continued:”He has caused a lot of upset and distress and he realises the only person to blame is himself.”

The solicitor said:”This is not something Mr Howell takes lightly and he’s genuinely remorseful for what he’s done.”

Mr Frazer told the court although custody would be justified the defendant would not get the help and support the probation service was willing to offer him. He continued: “Three years’ supervision is quite an onerous order, but he gets three years’ worth of intervention, which will not only assist him, but provide three years of protection for the public.”

Mr Frazer said Howell was willing to abide by any order of the court. He added: “The defendant is aware of the stigma which comes with being attached to the register. He has lost his good character, which is a further punishment.”

December 2014

Newmarket man viewing child abuse images was caught as part of a police operation hundreds of miles away

Fifty-eight-year-old Guy Hockaday had 901 images of children on his computer when officers raided his Exning Road home in March, Ipswich Crown Court heard on Friday.

His arrest came as a result of an operation launched by police in Gloucestershire. who monitored people who accessed a legitimate website which had been hacked to include the offer of child pornography.

Hockaday was identified after details were obtained from internet service providers. He was arrested and when interviewed admitted accessing websites which displayed illegal content.

“He said he usually started off with adult websites and then decided to view these images,” said Godfried Duah, prosecuting.

Hockaday pleaded guilty to an offence of making indecent images of a child. Mitigating Richard Harvey said five people had provided references which gave some insight into Hockaday’s background and how he became a heavy drinker, a problem which became worse following the death of first his mother and then his father.

Sentencing him, Judge John Devaux said that while such offences frequently attracted a prison sentence he was prepared to make Hockaday the subject of a three-year community order during which he will be under probation service supervision. He was also ordered to pay £900 towards prosecution costs.

December 2014

Dundee man had indecent photographs of children

A Dundee man has admitted possessing indecent images of children.

At Dundee Sheriff Court on Tuesday, Steven Griffin, 45, a prisoner at Perth, admitted that on September 2 at an address in Dundee, he took or permitted to be taken indecent photographs or pseudo photographs of 
children.

Sheriff Alastair Brown deferred sentence until January 5 for a proof in mitigation hearing to determine the number of images he pleaded guilty to.

December 2014

Soham man downloaded 250,000 child abuse images onto his computers

A middle-aged man who downloaded 250,000 images of children being abused has been spared prison.

Jonathan Gibbs was caught with the massive haul of videos and photographs in his father’s house in Soham, where he had been living since his marriage ended, following a police operation targeting perverts sharing abuse images on peer-to-peer networks.

Nearly 1,000 of those were at level A, the most depraved category, showing penetrative sexual activity as well as abuse involving animals and sadism.

The 53-year-old, of Paddock Street, who was said to have a sexual preference for 10-year-old girls, was given a one-year prison sentence suspended for two years and must attend an internet sex offenders’ programme.

Sara Walker, prosecuting, said police raided the house on November 20 last year and Gibbs admitted six counts of making indecent images and two counts of possession of indecent images on October 23 this year.

She said his bedroom contained a large number of computers and associated equipment, with the images stored on four main exhibits.

Gibbs had a collection of 1,000 images at level A and 1,700 at level B. There were about 160,000 pictures and videos at level C relating to a making indecent images charge and 120,000 relating to a possession of indecent images charge.

In total there were in the region of a quarter of a million moving and still images.

Cambridge Crown Court heard that Gibbs, a former pub chef and haulage company worker, had got into downloading the images after the breakdown of his marriage in 2007. He got back into it when a long-distance relationship with a Filipino woman ended.

John Farmer, mitigating, said his client is “acutely ashamed” of what he has done and wants to be treated.

Judge Jonathan Haworth, sentencing, said he could suspend the sentence because of an early guilty plea, his previous good character and because “it is clear that the public interest would be best served” by him going on a sex offender treatment programme rather than to jail.

As well as the programme he imposed a sexual offences prevention order which means Gibbs cannot legally own an internet device without having monitoring software installed on it by police. He must also pay £400 costs.

Judge Haworth said: “At the age of 53 and a man of good character you find yourself pleading guilty before this court to making and possessing indecent images of children, including almost 1,000 at level A.

“It does not require me to to emphasise the gravity of that conduct.”

December 2014

Dudley man jailed for sex offences against schoolgirl

A DUDLEY man has been locked up for five-and-a-half years for a string of serious sex offences against a schoolgirl.

Simon Dando, aged 36, had admitted four charges of sexual activity with a child and another of making an indecent photograph of a child

There was an “element of grooming,” Wolverhampton Crown Court was told, and the young victim had been left traumatised by the sexual conduct of Dando.

Dean Kershaw prosecuting said Dando had made threats to the girl that there would be repercussions if she reported what had taken place.

But she eventually revealed what had happened and in a victim impact statement the girl described how the offences had a “severe psychological” effect on her life.

Judge Martin Walsh told Dando he was responsible for a course of activity towards the young girl over a period of two months.

The judge said: “Your activities have had a profound effect on her. Pressure was clearly placed on her not to reveal what happened.”

He further told Dando, of Oak Green Road, he must register as a sex offender for the rest of his life and he also made him the subject of an indefinite Sexual Offenders Protection Order.

April 2008

Child abuse images headteacher jailed

Retired headmaster Edward Hinchliffe has been jailed after a decorator found child abuse images at his home.

The workman was painting a cupboard when he found a stash of videos of teenage boys.

Hinchliffe admitted possessing 27 cassettes featuring indecent images of children and making indecent images at Swansea Crown Court, South Wales.

Judge Keith Thomas said Hinchliffe, of Portmead, Swansea, should serve eight months before being considered for parole.

November 1979

Scoutmaster jailed for abusing three boys at summer camp

An Eltham Scoutmaster has received only a nine months prison sentence for sexually assaulting three boys in his summer troop at a summer camp because, as Deputy Circuit Judge G.Bathurst-Norman said, “the men convicted of such an offence receive a harder time in prison”

For 32-year-old Ian Hounsome, the hard time seems already to have started.

Before his arrest, Hounsome was truly assaulted by one of the boys’ parents, and was hurt so severely that he had to receive treatment for his injuries.

No charges, of course, are being pressed against the violent father.

December 2014

Father of two jailed for having “horrific” child abuse images

A FATHER-of-two has been jailed after being found with hundreds of “horrific” images of child abuse.

At Cardiff Crown Court Mark Stoneman, 34, of Porthkerry Caravan Park, Rhoose, had asked to be spared a jail sentence in favour of treatment in the community.

Judge William Gaskell told him: “I’m afraid that is an approach that is not only not attractive, but not likely”, before jailing Stoneman for 16 months.

The court heard how Stoneman – who has been separated from his children’s mother for some time – was tracked down as part of Operation Notarise, a UK wide police incentive which targeted users of peer to peer websites trading in child pornography.

When investigations found Stoneman to be a subscriber to one such website, he was arrested and had his home computer, iPhone and tablet seized.

On these devices police found 235 photographs and 89 movies of children being abused. Of these, 38 photos and 54 movies were “Category A” – the worst and highest classification.

Police also recovered 71 images of “extreme pornography”. Stoneman initially gave a “no comment” police interview but later pleaded guilty to all charges.

Tim Naylor, defending Stoneman, told the court: “There isn’t much in the way of mitigation, given the horrific material on his computer, phone and tablet.

“This was a bad period of his life where he was using alcohol and drugs, both of which he has resolved his issues with.”

The court heard how Stoneman claimed to have initially looked at the images “out of curiosity” and it “spiralled” from there. He said he had experienced a sense of clarity since.

Mr Naylor said: “He thought, ‘What if it was his own children in those images?’. He realised that what he was viewing was actually real life abuse, something at the time he didn’t recognise.

“He’s ashamed and disgusted with himself.”

Stoneman had hoped to avoid a jail sentence in order to complete a three-year course of treatment for sexual offenders in the community, but Judge William Gaskell declined.

He told him that if he wanted to seek treatment he could do so after his 16 month sentence, half of which will be served behind bars.

Judge William Gaskell described and detailed some of the horrendous images Stoneman had viewed before telling him: “You downloaded these images for the purpose of getting sexual pleasure.

“You gave no mind to the fact that you were watching children who were being raped, who were the victims of sexual offences. you watched these children being abused for your pleasure.

“You won’t get any ‘good character’ credit, because you aren’t one.”

The court heard how Stoneman had a list of previous offences including burglary, ABH, drink driving and battery.

In addition to the 16 month jail term, Stoneman was ordered to register as a sex offender for the next 10 years, to have his internet and computer use monitored upon release and to pay a £100 surcharge.

December 2014

Twin secretly filmed boys in changing room… and his brother was found with child abuse images

Twin brothers have both been ordered to sign the sex offenders’ register after one was caught secretly filming young boys in a changing room.

David Wood, 30, fitted a hidden camera to a rucksack and hung it on a peg in the leisure centre to capture images of semi-naked schoolboys.

It was discovered when staff became suspicious of him being in the changing room chatting to boys aged 11 and 12 about computer games, said prosecutor Jason Howells.

His camera had been recording the children before and after they had been swimming at Chepstow Leisure Centre.

When police searched his home at Victoria Walk in the Bulwark area of the town they also found thousands of downloaded images of children being abused, Cardiff Crown Court heard.

Wood was initially given a suspended jail sentence but that was changed to a three-year community order with a sex offenders’ programme when a judge decided treatment, with a threat of prison if he failed, would be the safest option.

He had admitted charges of voyeurism at the centre between September and December 2013, taking an indecent picture and possessing almost 6,000 indecent computer images.

Mr Howells said of the 6,000 pictures almost a third were in categories A and B – the most serious type of abuse images.

The defendant’s twin brother, Phillip Wood, also 30 and of the same address, pleaded guilty to possessing a single category A image, which he was said to have found on his brother’s computer equipment.

He also admitted being in possession of four cartoon images of child abuse.

Sentencing him to 12 months supervision, Judge Michael Burr said: “For some reason you decided to keep this one photograph of a young child in a drawer – you must have some lingering interest.”

The judge told David Wood: ”People like you, who download child abuse, are perpetuating that abuse.

“The children you see are real children, each one of them suffering.”

He said both brothers had been frank with the police and admitted the offences immediately.

After sentencing David Wood to 12 months in jail, suspended for the maximum two years, he changed the penalty to a three-year community order, saying prison would then be a possibility for the whole three years if there was not full cooperation with the treatment programmes.

He suggested both twins needed intervention and guidance.

Their names will be on the sex offenders’ register for five years.

December 2014

Man who downloaded indecent images of children given a suspended prison sentence

A man who downloaded indecent images of children on his computer has been given a suspended jail sentence.

Mark Owen Lawrence, 41, was told he had avoided going straight into custody because he voluntarily put himself on rehabilitation course after being caught.

Jude Simon Hammond said: “What has impressed me is that he went to the Lucy Faithful Foundation to seek help.”

Lawrence, of Toon Close, Mountsorrel, admitted 10 counts in relation to accessing indecent images of children, between February 2011 and November 2013.

He was given an eight month jail sentence, suspended for two years, with supervision, and a requirement to attend a sex offender programme run by the probation service.

Mark Van der Zwart, prosecuting, told Leicester Crown Court that the police executed a search warrant at the home of Lawrence on November 20 last year.

On his laptop computer’s external hard-drive and two memory sticks, officers found 290 indecent images, including 14 movie clips.

There were 24 images and 11 movie clips in category A, the most serious bracket.

There were 74 images with three movie clips in category B and 178 still images in category C.

Judge Hammond said: “These are disgusting images and I don’t know why anyone would want to see them.

“Most involved girls aged 13 to 14.

“He claims he doesn’t have an sexual attraction towards children and committed the offences out of loneliness and boredom.

“I’m told he was living in a virtual world and kept it a secret from his wife.

“I’ve read four letters, two from family friends, a moving letter from his father and a letter from the Lucy Faithful Foundation confirming he paid for and attended a course to try and alter his behaviour.

Judge Hammond added: “The gravity of these offences is that somewhere children, either in this country or abroad, are being sexually abused, to make these images, and their lives are ruined.”

Caroline Lody, mitigating, said the least amount of images were in the most serious category.

She said the defendant was of previous good character, pleaded guilty at the earliest opportunity and was relieved to be caught, which prompted him to seek help.

Miss Lody said Lawrence had been honest with his wife and parents, who supported him, and was candid with the police.

Lawrence will have to sign on a sex offender register for ten years and was made the subject of a sexual offences prevention order for the same period, which enables the authorities to monitor his future computer use.

December 2014

Redcar man admits series of sexual offences dating back more than a decade

A sex offender handed himself in to police to confess his crimes, Teesside Crown Court heard.

John Plews pleaded guilty to a string of sexual offences against a young girl – including rape – this morning.

The 53-year-old admitted six offences of indecent assault, three of indecency with a child and one of rape.

He committed all 10 crimes on an underage girl, who cannot be named for legal reasons, more than a decade ago.

Judge Howard Crowson adjourned sentencing on Plews, of Hill Crescent, Redcar, until January 5.

He told the defendant: “I’m going to grant you bail until then, which is unusual in a case like this.

“But I’m doing this because you handed yourself in, in order to admit these matters, you’ve attended court every time and I believe you will attend again.

“If you don’t you will simply be arrested and held in custody.”

He said a pre-sentence report would look into Plews’ personal situation and his likelihood of re-offending in future.

He added: “It won’t help the fact that you will receive a prison sentence, which I’m sure you know.

“You’re free to go on bail until that time.”

December 2014

59-year-old Ipswich man must attend internet sex offenders’ programme after downloading child abuse images

A 59-year-old Ipswich man has been told he must attend an internet sex offender treatment programme after admitting downloading indecent images of children.

David Ransome, of Kingsley Close, was also given a three-year community order with a supervision requirement at his Ipswich Crown Court sentencing.

Ransome was arrested by Suffolk police after a tip-off from the Child Exploitation Online Protection team at the National Crime Agency.

He was interviewed in May this year and admitted viewing and downloading indecent images.

Police found 88 movies on his laptop computer, two of which were at the most serious grading for child abuse images

A further three movies were discovered on a digital camera memory card.

Ransome was charged in October.

In addition to his community order and attendance at a sex offender treatment programme Ransome must also pay £60 to the victims’ fund.

December 2014

Blantyre man guilty of assaulting schoolgirl and placed on register

A Blantyre man was last week found guilty of sexually assaulting a schoolgirl at a house in the town.

John Laird, of Glenfruin Road, was also placed on the Sex Offenders’ Register.

He had gone on trial last week accused of assaulting the teenager by handling her breast over her clothing in June last year.

The 56-year-old had pleaded not guilty to a charge under section three of the Sexual Offences Act 2009.

However, Sheriff Carole Cunninghame found him guilty of the offence following a summary trial at Hamilton Sheriff Court.

Police forensic scientist Jamie Horsburgh had told Hamilton Sheriff Court last week he had been asked to carry out an examination of a Superman pyjama top by the procurator fiscal service.

Questioned by fiscal depute Lisa Lann, Mr Horsburgh said he examined the inside chest area of the top and the outside back of the top using special adhesive tape which is used to pick up material containing DNA.

Fiscal depute Lisa Lann asked him if anything was found in relation to the back of the top.

He said there was DNA “from at least three people” and this mix was therefore unsuitable for any “meaningful interpretation”.

There were three DNA strands on the inside of the top as well: Laird’s, the girl’s and a third person.

This material, he said, provided a better DNA profile. However, there was less material there for the third person and he was not able to identify that DNA.

Ms Lann asked Mr Horsburgh if Laird had touched the girl’s breast would there be a match found inside the pyjama top. He replied: “Yes.”

Under cross-examination by Laird’s advocate Tony Graham, Mr Horsburgh was asked if it was possible to identify if there had been a direct transfer of DNA from the accused to the inside of the pyjama top, or an indirect transfer (through DNA shed in the background).

He replied there was not, but added: “Direct transfer is still possible”.

Mr Graham put it to Mr Horsburgh that the amount of DNA allowed a scientist to express a preference (on the mode of DNA transfer).

Mr Horsburgh replied that it did, but he agreed that this instance was not one of them.

The girl had given evidence at the outset of the trial.

After returning her guilty verdict last Wednesday, November 26, Sheriff Cunningham deferred sentence until January 19 for a criminal justice social work report.

Laird was also placed on the Sex Offenders’ Register meantime.

December 2014

Pervert convicted of child abuse images offences breached his sexual offences prevention order 

A convicted paedophile who was exposed after his girlfriend suspected he was two-timing her has admitted having unsupervised contact with children.

John Penfold, of Fore Street, Ipswich, admitted breaching the sex offenders’ prevention order he was given in 2009 when he appeared before Ipswich magistrates.

The 41-year-old also pleaded guilty to two counts of failing to comply with the notification requirements of the Sex Offenders Register.

All the offences took place in the Suffolk Coastal area.

Penfold’s case was committed to Ipswich Crown Court where he will be sentenced at a date to be fixed.

He was released on conditional bail until then.

Penfold was given a three-year community supervision order and placed on the sex offenders register in March 2009 at his crown court sentencing. He was also ordered to attend a sex offenders’ treatment programme.

Penfold had previously admitted 16 counts of making indecent images of children. He had also pleaded guilty to possession of indecent photos of a child.

Penfold, then of Stoke Park Drive, Ipswich, had 26 images of children on his mobile phone including two hardcore photos of young girls in a form of bondage.

He was caught out when his then-fiancee suspected he was seeing someone else and checked his mobile phone for other women’s numbers.

It was said during the court case that Penfold had always been very sensitive about his mobile phone and never left it behind when he went out.

However, his secret was discovered when he went to see someone but forgot to take his mobile, which he had been re-charging.

Twenty-four of the images found were Level One, the lowest level assigned to child pornography at the time. Two of the images were Level Five, the most graphic level of child pornography.

He was subsequently arrested by police, who checked his computer and DVDs, but no further sexual images involving children were found.

December 2014

Man jailed for sex with girls in Didcot

A “MANIPULATIVE” 19-year-old has been jailed for four and a half years for having sex with two teenage girls in Didcot.

Dalton Joyce-Kent, of Elderberry Bank, Lychpit, Basingstoke, pleaded guilty to two counts of sexual activity with a child and two counts of breaching a Sexual Offences Prevention Order (SOPO).

Stephen Shay, prosecuting, said the defendant had been made subject to a SOPO for five years in January last year, banning him from unsupervised contact with children.

He told Judge Patrick Eccles at Oxford Crown Court the order was made after the teenager admitted one count of having sexual activity with a child. The barrister said he was also made subject to a 15-month suspended sentence order in October last year for making threats to kill

Mr Shay said his latest offences, carried out against two 15-year-olds, who cannot be named for legal reasons, put Joyce-Kent in breach of both court orders.

He said the serial offender met up with one of the girls 13 or 14 times and they had sex in a wooded area in Didcot.

Thomas Evans, defending, said his client was “immature” and had had a very difficult upbringing, but had accepted his behaviour was wrong.

He said: “He has talked to me about seeing violence his whole life, particularly towards his mother.”

Judge Eccles said on Monday the teenager had “wilfully and calculatedly” breached his SOPO and in his view was a dangerous offender.

He sentenced him to 54 months in prison, of which he will spend at least two thirds in custody, with an extra three years on licence.

Joyce-Kent will also have to pay a £120 victims’ surcharge.

December 2014

Cheddar man, James Paul, sentenced for rape, assault and GBH

A CHEDDAR man who raped a teenage girl and then her mother as they held hands has been jailed for 13 and a half years after a judge described the offence as “harrowing”.

Twenty-four year old James Paul, of Hythewood, was high on cocaine and alcohol when he attacked the women on Friday, June 13, and left them “completely traumatised”, Taunton Crown Court was told.

He held the younger victim by her throat, bound and gagged her and threatened to mutilate her with a knife.

Then he dragged her mother into the room and subjected her to a brutal assault, said Judge Geoffrey Mercer QC.

Sean Brunton, prosecuting, said it was a shocking case and the teenager became almost uncontrollably-fearful for her life when he told her he had always wanted to cut someone.

He told her he was going to rape her mum, forcing a tea-towel into her mouth to stop her screaming, and she could see he was deriving sexual satisfaction.

He attacked her mother, leaving her “covered in blood” with black eyes and swollen cheeks.

Her daughter held her hand, mumbling to her while she was being raped. Paul then forced the daughter to perform a sex act on him.

While in custody, he said he could not believe what he did.

Patrick Mason, defending, said there was no evidence of mental illness and he had never given any indication of behaving that way.

“The heart of the problem is drug dependency – cocaine was having an effect on his mood and drinking on top of it made matters even worse.

“Without the heavy use of cocaine and intoxication, he would never have done anything like this. He was tearful on hearing the effects of what he did,” he added.

Paul, a former Kings of Wessex student, pleaded guilty to rape, assault and causing grievous bodily harm and was also handed an extended sentence of four and a half years on licence after the judge said he was a danger.

You subjected her (the mother) to a quite brutal assault, leaving her face grossly swollen and with serious facial injuries which required subsequent operations. Happily, she’s made a substantial recovery,” the judge added.

If anything you have read in this court case affects you, contact Rape Crisis for support on 0808 802 9999 or visit http://www.rapecrisis.org.uk.

December 2014

St Austell man jailed for 22 years for rapes on young schoolgirl in the Newquay area

A ST AUSTELL man has been sentenced to 22 years in prison after he was found guilty of a series of rapes and sexual assaults on a young girl.

Mark Robinson, aged 49, denied the offences which took place over a number of years on a girl, aged under-16 in the Newquay area.