December 2014

Vile monster convicted of raping under-age girls

A vile pervert has been convicted of raping two under-age girls young enough to be his granddaughters. 

David Ferguson, of Blamey Crescent, Cowdenbeath, denied all the charges and was earlier cleared of a further rape after the Crown withdrew the allegation.

The jury returned majority verdicts finding Ferguson guilty of two rapes and two indecent assaults on girls under 16, and one charge of lewd and libidinous practices towards a child aged between 7 and 11 years.

A jury at the High Court in Livingston found David Ferguson guilty of abusing the children for almost 12 years.

The 60-year-old – who never married – took advantage of the innocent schoolgirls when they visited him to borrow videos.

One of the girls, now aged 24, wept as she told how he groped and fondled her as she sat on his knee when she was just seven years old.

As the abuse escalated over the next six years, he indecently assaulted her then raped her repeatedly, after stripping her and pinning her to the floor of his video cupboard with his body.

He also raped her in his bathroom after asking her to clean a fish tank ornament and threatened to do the same to her wee sister if she told anyone, she said.

Giving evidence from behind a screen, the woman – who can’t be named for legal reasons – said she frequently went to Ferguson’s home to borrow movies for her gran because he was a friend of her family.

But she said she never returned to his flat after he raped her roughly and abusively when she was 11 years old and didn’t tell anyone what he had done to her until 2008 – five years later.

The second girl, now aged 20, told of her shock and fear when Ferguson stuck his hand down the front of her trousers and groped her, as he had done with the first victim.

She also related how he raped her after he took off her lower clothing and pinned her to the floor of his bathroom –a copycat version of the other girl’s experience.

She said the rape happened on her 15th birthday when she went to his flat to collect a present and card. She never went back.

The 20-year-old was persuaded to report Ferguson to police by her father, who she told about the abuse when she was contacted by him via the Child Support Agency.

Cops checked their records and discovered the other victim’s allegations – which could not be corroborated at the time – were still on file.

The Crown used the Moorov doctrine – under which victims of similar crimes can corroborate each other’s evidence – to secure the conviction.

Advocate depute Richard Goddard moved for sentence and revealed that Ferguson already had three previous sexual offences on his record for lewd, libidinous and indecent practices.

His most recent conviction was in 1985. Judge Lord Kinclaven adjourned the case for a criminal justice social work report on Ferguson’s background.

He told Gordon Martin, defending, that he would also welcome additional medical and psychological reports.

Ferguson was remanded in custody until sentence at the High Court in Aberdeen on January 23.

The judge ordered that his name be added to the Sex Offenders’ Register and his conviction notified to Scottish Ministers under the Protection of Vulnerable Groups (Scotland) Act 2007. 

March 2009

Disabled man walks free over nude under-age photos

A disabled man who took glamour-style nude photographs of two under-age girls has escaped jail at Gloucester Crown Court.

David Harber, 55, who walks with the aid of crutches, was given a three-year community order with supervision and ordered to attend a sexual offenders’ programme.

He was also given a sexual offences prevention order barring him from working, living or being in the company of children alone.

Harber, of Dunalley street, Cheltenham, who has previous convictions for indecent exposure and keeping a brothel, had admitted 11 offences of making indecent photographs of children.

Brendan Moorhouse, Crown Prosecutor said on December 8, 2007 police went to his bungalow in Dunalley Parade and seized a large number of photographs of adults and children.

“Many of them depicted people in provocative poses or naked. Many appeared to have been taken within his bungalow.”

Mr Moorhouse said one of the girls in some of his nude and topless shots was born in December 1990 and had signed a ‘contract’ with Harber when she was just 14.

The contract had been countersigned by the girl’s mother but she had specifically excluded Harber taking topless or nude pictures.

“We say that some of the photographs he took of her were naked. It was clear that her parents were unaware of the nature of the photographs he was taking.”

The other girl Harber had photographed was born in August 1991 and she had also signed a contract when she was 15. There was evidence she had been asked by Harber if she would take part in bondage, fetish or ‘girl on girl’.

Some pictures were taken of the two girls together, he said.

Harber told police they were genuine contracts and that the parents of one of the girls had been present when pictures were taken.

Mr Moorhouse said Harber had a Bebo account on which he described his interest in photography, starting as a hobby in 1989 but then becoming professional.

“He indicated it had become a successful business and that he was involved with top models,” said Mr Moorhouse.

“The Crown says there is limited evidence that there was any genuine attempt to advance the careers of the models.

“The pictures were highly unlikely ever to be used in a formal modelling contract because of the way he was trying to portray the girls.”

Mr Moorhouse said Harber had been cautioned for the same kind of offence in 2000.

Lloyd Jenkins, defending, referred the court to references for Harber from women he had photographed, who said he had always behaved properly and professionally.

One woman who had posed topless for him said “I hope he doesn’t go to prison. He is a good person.”

Mr Jenkins said that of the 20,000 photos seized only 234 had been deemed to be indecent.

Mr Jenkins described Harber as a lonely man easily taken advantage of by others, who had enjoyed only a few meaningful relationships.

“The only thing that gives him some element of empowerment is taking photographs,” he said. “But he overstepped the mark on this occasion.”

Recorder Nicholas Dennys QC, said: “I proceed on the basis that no particular distress has been caused to those young women. There is no evidence you profited from your activities.”

The Recorder said he also took into account Harber’s disability. He ordered the destruction of Harber’s camera.

December 2014

Community order for indecent images pervert

Lewis Mansell, aged 38 of Sayers Avenue, Malvern has been sentenced to a three-year community order after admitting two charges of possessing indecent images

Mansell as also made subject to a three-year supervision order and will have to take part in a community sex offenders group work programme

He will be placed on the sex offenders register for five years and has to pay £500 prosecution costs and £60 victim surcharge

He was sentenced at Hereford crown court on Wednesday, December 11, after admitting one charge of making an indecent picture of a child and possessing extreme pornographic images

December 2014

Exeter football coach faces jail for drugging and abusing young players

A football coach has been warned he faces a long jail sentence after being found guilty of drugging and abusing young players during the 1970s.

Anthony Mitchell was brought to justice almost 40 years after assaulting two boys because on of his victims spotted him coaching young players again on pitches in Exeter.

A second victim was spurred to come forward when the Rolf Harris scandal re-ignited painful memories of his own childhood trauma.

Mitchell, now aged 78, ran a youth football club in Exeter for 26 years but used it as an opportunity to groom and abuse players in his teams.

He claimed to be a father figure to the boys but he carried out assaults that amounted to male rape after persuading the boys to join him in overnight trips in a converted ambulance which he used as a team bus.

He was a night worker at a newspaper distribution depot and persuaded his GP to prescribe him huge amounts of strong sleeping tablets to help him cope with the anti social hours.

He gave boys double doses of Mogadon in their bedtime drinks during the sleepover trips to his beach hut on Dawlish Warren and then abused them as they slept.

Mitchell made the boys sleep with him in a double sleeping bag and victims remember him touching them as they were falling asleep or waking up.

He was caught for the first time in 1980 when four boys complained and he was sent to jail for a year after admitted drugging and assaulting two of them.

He has now been convicted of abusing two other boys in the five years leading up to his earlier arrest and conviction and faces a lengthy jail term because the offences are more serious and sentences for child abuse have been increased in the intervening years.

Mitchell, of Foxhayes Road, Exeter, denied two serious sexual offences which would now be classed as male rape, one of assault with intent to commit a similar offence, and three indecent assaults.

He was found guilty of all counts and bailed to await sentence later this month. Recorder Mr Ignatius Hughes, QC, ordered he should not have any visitors aged under 18 at his home in the meantime.

He told him:”You have been convicted of very serious sexual offences against young children, albeit a very long time ago.

“The offences of which you have been convicted will inevitably lead to a substantial prison sentence.”

The Judge also asked the prosecution to provide more information from the police high tech crime unit which found evidence on Mitchell’s computer of a sexual interest in children.

He questioned why it had not been made available in time to form part of the case against him and asked for an explanation from the Crown Prosecution Service.

He said:”It is of concern in a case like this where the defendant is protesting he has no sexual interest in children and it seems there is material to debunk that which is not available.

“As it happens, he has been convicted without that but if he had been acquitted then the two complainants who have been through the ordeal of coming to court would be entitled to be annoyed at the very least.”

After the verdict Detective Constable Mark Uren, who led the inquiry, praised the courage of the two men who had come forward after so many years.

He said:”The police would like to commend the strength of the victims and their bravery in coming to court. We hope the outcome will help bring closure and allow them to move on.”

During a week long trial the prosecution alleged Mitchell was a serial abuser whose technique was to befriend boys in his team and assault them while on trips to Dawlish Warren.

One boy said he suffered a series of painful sex attacks in Mitchell’s converted ambulance while the other said he was also drugged and assaulted while on a team tour to the Isle of Wight.

He said he was told it was a privilege to share the ambulance with Mitchell rather than sleep with the other boys in a marquee but was then given tablets and assaulted.

He said he woke up to find himself in a trance like state and unable to move but naked and bent over a makeshift massage table in the van.

Mitchell denied any inappropriate sexual activity. He even denied the offences which he pleaded guilty to in 1980. He claimed he was like a father to the boys and would never hurt them.

Sports officials in Exeter have reviewed safeguarding procedures as a result of the case. Mitchell was able to return to coaching at a senior club but his role gave him access to some teenaged boys.

Police say there have been no complaints about his behaviour in this.

December 2014

Sex-abuse pensioner jailed for 14 years

A pensioner aged 73 has been jailed for historic sex offences after a judge heard he began abusing his victim when she was only seven during visits to his home.

Jailing Rodney Thornton for 14 years and four months, Judge Geoffrey Marson QC said he had committed the offences for his “own perverted sexual gratification”.

“It is perfectly apparent you have ruined your victim’s life,” the judge told him.

“She has carried this all these years and will continue to carry it throughout the rest of her life.

“You did not stop of your own volition, it only stopped because she ceased to visit.”

Thornton, of Lea Farm Road, Leeds, admitted 14 charges of indecent assault and two of attempted rape.

Joseph Spencer, prosecuting, said the offences would happen when the girl visited Thornton at his home.

She remembered he was working away in Saudi Arabia and would come home for two to three weeks at a time.

“She said it started off as a game of I-spy, then some cuddles before he would put his
hand up her clothes and start groping her,” Mr Spencer told the court.

The offences became more serious in spite of her telling him she did not want what he was doing, but he told her he loved her. When she was 11, she stopped visiting him.

The court heard the girl regularly had nightmares and flashbacks but said after the abuse was reported to the police, she finally felt as though she was fighting back.

Tim Jacobs, representing Thornton, said he had saved the girl the ordeal of giving evidence in court by his guilty pleas.

December 2014

Man Guilty Of Berkhamsted Rapes

A masked man who raped three teenage girls in Berkhamsted 30 years ago has been found guilty thanks to advances in DNA.

Paul Drinkwater, 52, raped a 15-year-old virgin after holding a knife to her throat and ordering her to strip on a school playing field.

Just under three weeks later, he forced two 18-year-olds into another field at knife-point, where he also ordered them to strip.  They were made to perform oral sex on each other before Drinkwater is alleged to have raped one while ordering the other girl to kiss her as he did.

He kept saying: “I hate slags, tarts and lesbians,” St Albans crown court heard.

Prosecutor Ann Evans told the jury of six women and six men: “This is a case about every woman’s worst nightmare. There are two separate incidents which date back to the end of 1984 and remained unsolved until this year.

“They are knife-point rapes where the perpetrator wore a balaclava and took young girls off the street late at night.”

The 15-year-old had been out with friends at the Rex cinema in Berkhamsted, Herts to see the film Company of Wolves.  After a non-alcoholic drink at the Crown pub she walked home with two friends. Her house was the farthest away and for the last part of the journey at about 11.10 pm she walked alone.

Mrs Evans went on: “A long way in front of her she noticed a man walking in the same direction as herself, and then noticed him disappear and she assumed he had turned left into a side road. As she passed the turning, she was startled to see a man leaning against a gate, wearing a balaclava over his head – it just had holes for his eyes and mouth. He did not say anything or move.

“She started to walk more quickly, there was no one else in sight. She then realised the man was behind her and was catching up on her fast. He reached her and grabbed her around the back of her shoulders and placed his hand across her mouth and pulled her close to him.

“She could see he was holding a knife which he held against the left side of her throat and told her to be quiet. He pushed her across the road. She was too frightened to scream or struggle. He made her climb the gates of Westfield School where he pushed her against a grassy bank and whilst still holding the knife to her throat ordered her to take all her clothes off, which she did. He then exposed his penis, force her legs apart and raped her.”

In a statement read to the court the victim said her attacker smelt of alcohol: “I said ‘You are hurting me.’ He said ‘Good.’ I was too scared to fight because of the knife.” She said she had never had sex before or even a boyfriend.

After raping her he got her to turn out the pockets of her dress and stole £3. He told her he needed three minutes to get away and she had to stay still for five minutes.

The girl ran to a house with a light on and the police were called.

Just under three weeks later, two-eighteen-years old left a party at the Old Mill House in Berkhamsted at half past midnight. They were unable to get a lift and were walking home towards Hemel Hempstead from Berkhamsted. There were no street lights and it was quite foggy.

As they walked past a lay-by near Bullbeggars Lane, one heard someone running behind them and looked around to see a man brandishing a knife and wearing a balaclava with only the eyes and mouth showing.  He pushed the girls onto a grass verge and made them crawl into a field.

Mrs Evans said he told them to strip and told them make love to each other while he waved the knife around near their faces. He got one girl to perform oral sex on the other while he indecently assaulted her. Then he made the second girl perform oral sex on her friend.

He told the first girl to lie on the grass and shut up or he would slit her throat. He raped her while telling the other girl to kiss her as he was doing so.

After the rape the first girl tried to push him away and he punched her in the face. He kept saying: “I hate slags, tarts and lesbians.”

He then took their money and left them naked. He made them run in opposite directions before he disappeared at the bottom of a field. The girls picked up their clothes near a fence and managed to flag down a passing car.

Mrs Evans said the investigation was not closed and on January 14th this year a DNA profile from Paul Drinkwater was provided to a forensic scientist. A swab relating to sperm found on a vaginal swab taken from the 15 year old victim was “seven million more times likely to come from Paul Drinkwater, rather than a person unrelated to Paul Drinkwater,” she said.

Samples taken from the trousers worn by the 18 year old rape victim matched Drinkwater. “The likelihood of this sample coming from someone unrelated to the defendant was put at 1 in 43 million,” she said.

Mrs Evans said Drinkwater was local to the area the time, living with his girlfriend in Woodland Avenue, Berkhamsted.  His named had been linked to the crimes since 1984.

“However as the offender had disguised himself with a balaclava, these girls were not able to identify their attackers. The breakthrough in the investigation didn’t come until this year, when on a further review of the evidence in the case and through advances in DNA analysis, forensic scientists were able to match the DNA from these two crimes to this defendant,” she said.

On June 5 Drinkwater was arrested in Maidenhead. He made no comment to police questions.

Drinkwater, of Haywood Gardens, Maidenhead, Berks., denied seven charges. He pleaded not guilty to the rape and robbery of the 15-year-old girl in Durrants Lane, Berkhamsted on November 25 1984 and having an offensive weapon, a knife. He also pleaded not guilty to raping an 18-year-old woman and indecently assaulting another 18-year-old woman on 16 December 1984. He denies robbing the woman he is said to have raped of cash and cigarettes and having an offensive weapon, a knife, in Bullbeggers Lane, Berkhamsted.

He was convicted on all charges on Friday.

Judge Marie Catterson remanded Drinkwater in custody for sentence on 30 January.

Detective Inspector Pushpa Guild from the Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire Major Crime Unit led the investigation and said: “The victims of these truly horrifying attacks have today seen justice. I would like to thank all of them for bravery and courage in supporting the prosecution, which has helped to secure this conviction.

“I am sure that Paul Drinkwater thought he would never face justice but thanks to the work of the Cold Case Review team and subsequent inquiries by my team we were able to arrest and charge him.

“Cases such as these, where no charges are brought initially, are never closed and I would like to reassure victims that we will regularly review such investigations and apply any new or advanced forensic techniques available to us now when possible.”

February 2010

Hethersett pensioner was ‘addicted’ to child abuse images

A pensioner who claims he was addicted to viewing indecent child images was found to have built up a collection of nearly 4000, a court was told.

William Bradbeer, 67, who works in IT, started downloading the images over a 10-year period, and when police searched his home in Hethersett and seized his computers, a total of 3988 images were found, Norwich Crown Court heard.

Kevin Eastwick, prosecuting, said the images featured young boys under the age of 16 and he told police that he had an obsession for collecting the images.

“He realised since police arrested him he needed to take action for his addiction.”

Mr Eastwick said that Bradbeer had sought help through the church he attended.

Bradbeer, of Lakeland Way, Hethersett, admitted possession of indecent images and was jailed for six months.

He was also placed on the sex offenders’ register for seven years and made subject to a sexual offences prevention order.

Jailing him Judge Nicholas Coleman said that the images of young boys in a variety of poses were “particularly distasteful” to those who did not share his “deviant obsession.”

“It is described as an obsession or addiction. The evidence is that over a period of 10 years you satisfied your desire by downloading a sizeable collection of these images.”

However he accepted that Bradbeer had not shared or distributed any of the images and had not used his IT skills to destroy or hide what he had done.

“You have recognised that you have a problem and have engaged in ways of addressing it. I think you have learned your lesson.”

Jonathan Goodman, for Bradbeer, said that he realised he had an obsession for these images, which was brought to an end by the intervention by the police.

“It has in effect woken him up to the harm that is caused by merely viewing images which are so readily available on the internet”

He said that Bradbeer worked in IT and said: “There is no evidence at all that he used his technical expertise to remove evidence of what he had been doing.”

He said that having realised his problem was out of control Bradbeer had sought help.

“He has made strenuous efforts of his own accord.”

He said that he had told his church he attends and was getting help through a course. He said Bradbeer’s wife was standing by him.

“This is a man who truly needs help and by engaging with that help perhaps it will avoid a repetition in the future.

December 2014

A married father-of-one has been jailed for 21 months after he took a teenage girl to a hotel and engaged in sexual activity with her.

Naveed Hanif committed the offences more than two years ago, but the abuse of the 15-year-old, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, only came to light during a wider police inquiry.

Hanif’s lawyer Rachim Singh submitted that his client’s case was a one-off incident and it was disputed that there was any “grooming” involved.

He said the offences involved “consensual acts”, but he added:”The defendant was older…he should have known better and stopped.

“When she asked him to stop he did do so.”

Bradford Crown Court heard that the teenager had a troubled personal history and was in the habit of drinking alcohol, taking drugs and being in the company of older males.

“It is apparent that she falls into the category of a vulnerable young girl who, without much thought for her own safety, was leading a life which was causing her considerable unhappiness,” noted Judge Jonathan Durham Hall QC.

The judge added that in reality any “grooming” of the girl had taken place before the offences committed by Hanif.

Prosecutor Caroline Wigin told the court that on the night of the offences the girl had been picked up in Hanif’s car and taken to the hotel.

In the hotel room Hanif sexually touched the girl and she performed oral sex on him. Hanif, of Hopwood Lane, Halifax, was said to have told the teenager he was only 22 when in fact he was over 30. The now 34-year-old, who has served long jail sentences for drugs offences in the past, admitted the sexual activity with a child offences at a previous hearing before Judge Durham Hall.

Mr Singh urged the judge to consider imposing a suspended jail term with various requirements including a sex offender treatment programme, but Judge Durham Hall said it would be completely inappropriate to suspend the prison sentence.

Judge Durham Hall said he had no reason to disbelieve the girl’s claim that they shared cocaine in the hotel room, but he accepted that it been “a consensual evening”.

As part of the sentence Hanif will now be subject to a sexual offences prevention order for five years, which bans him from making contact with the complainant, and he must also register with the police as a sex offender.

Speaking after the case, Detective Inspector Craig Lord of the Calderdale Safeguarding Unit, said: “Today’s result shows how seriously we take such allegations and follows a long and detailed investigation by the Calderdale Safeguarding Unit. The judge recognised this work by commending the work of officers.

“It is vitally important that victims of sexual offences have the confidence to come forward and tell officers what has happened to them. I can reassure victims that they will be listened to and they will be taken seriously. The conviction of Hanif shows we will always take positive action against the perpetrators of this crime.

“I would like to praise the victim in this case who had the strength to come forward and tell us what happened and allow us to bring Hanif to justice.”

December 2014

Convicted paedophile ‘purposely targeted Hamelys to touch children’ just days before Christmas

A convicted sex offender ‘purposely targeted’ youngsters in Hamleys toy shop just days before Christmas, a court heard.

Peter Grant, 61, admitted groping a nine-year-old girl’s bottom while she and her brother played with remote control cars at the world famous store in London’s Regent Street on December 22.

Her horrified grandmother, who was taking photos of the two trying out the toys, spotted Grant and confronted him.

Store detectives were alerted and then police were summoned to arrest Grant.

A search of the scene revealed a biro pen concealing a USB stick, which police suspect could be used to a recording device.

A laptop and other equipment were discovered in Grant’s bedroom at the EasyHotel near Heathrow Airport.

Prosecutor Kate Shilton told Westminster Magistrates’ Court: “The nine-year-old victim was on trip with her brother and grandparents in Hamleys on Regent Street in the afternoon.

“The children were playing with some remote control cars and the grandmother was taking pictures of them on her camera.

“As she looked at the photos, she became concerned she could see a male standing directly next to the little girl and could see that this man had his hand on her grand daughter’s bottom.

“She went straight over to him, pulled him away and said ‘How dare you touch my granddaughter!’, to which Grant said ‘I’m sorry ma’am’.

“Security and then police were called, and in a search of the area a USB stick in the shape of a ball point pen without a lid was found.”

Grant, of Coniston Court, Swadlincote, Derbyshire, was found with a lid matching the pen when he was taken into custody, the court heard.

A laptop, power cables and other USB pen devices were found in his hotel room, Ms Shilton added.

The equipment is being tested as police believe it may have been used to record images.

Grant, who has previous convictions for indecent assault in 1983 and making indecent images in 1999, admitted intentional sexual touching on a girl under 13.

Ms Shilton added: “The Crown say this offence is pre-planned and Grant has purposely targeted a children’s toy store at Christmas and planned the presence of children at the time.”

District Judge Tan Ikram adjourned the case for pre-sentence reports on January 9.

Remanding balding Grant in custody, Judge Ikram said: “This is a most serious offence where it is suggested you have targeted these premises and a child.

“You have ongoing issues and I have substantial grounds to believe that if I release you you will commit further offences.”

December 2014

Pensioner likely to die in prison after getting 15 years for raping a girl over seven years

A pensioner from Hove has been jailed for 15 years for raping a girl over seven years.

Patrick Foley, 83, of Prinsep Road, Hove, was found guilty of seven counts of rape by a jury at Lewes Crown Court on Monday (22 December).

Foley knew his victim. He raped her between 1968 and 1975 when she was between the ages of 11 and 18, the court was told.

Judge Anthony Scott-Gall sentenced him to 15 years in prison.

Detective Constable Holly Hallahan said: “The victim has had to live with this for the last 40 years and this is a fantastic result for her.

“She has shown enormous courage in coming forward and talking to us about what she endured, and now she has the justice she deserves.

“I would urge anyone who has suffered any form of historic abuse to also have the courage to come forward.”

March 2008

Probation for man who sexually assaulted girl (15)

A PERTHSHIRE man who picked up and sexually assaulted a 15-year-old girl has escaped jail.

Rikki Tainsh (24) took the “scantily clad” 15-year-old home after spotting her doing a fake pole dance, while he was touring the streets of Perth with two younger friends in his car, Perth Sheriff Court heard.

After giving her vodka, on top of three bottles of beer she had downed earlier, the girl was so drunk he had to carry her fully clothed to his bed.

After vomiting she came to her senses and found Tainsh performing a sex act on her.

At an earlier hearing, Tainsh, of Creagalmond, Tibbermore, admitted a charge of using lewd and libidinous practices towards the teenager at his home on August 4 last year.

Depute fiscal Chris Macintosh told the court that Tainsh gave vodka to the girl and another, older female, but one of his friends was “very uncomfortable” with the situation and went to bed.

The fiscal said Tainsh neither asked nor was given – or refused – permission to carry the drunk girl to bed.

“She was frightened and didn’t know what to do,” said Mr Macintosh.

“She didn’t say anything and didn’t struggle.”

The two girls left the house in the early hours and the 15-year-old contacted the police on her friend’s mobile.

When officers arrived, the girls were sitting on a grass verge at Tibbermore.

His solicitor Ian Smith said the girl had likely been sexually active before the incident.

“I don’t think it is fair to say this was a very vulnerable person,” he said.

“She was nearly 16 and behaved as if she was over 16.”

Imposing probation for three -years and a 275-hour unpaid work order, Sheriff Lindsay Foulis hit out at the “peer pressure” that puts teenagers at risk.

“Effectively young people who are still children are involved in activities which they are not ready for, such as the consumption of alcohol and sexual intimacy,” he said.

Tainsh’s name was also added to the Sex Offenders’ Register and he will have to attend a rehabilitation course.

December 2014

Paedophile avoids jail despite sexually assaulting a four-year-old girl on multiple occasions

A PAEDOPHILE pensioner has avoided jail despite sexually assaulting a four-year-old girl.

Andrew Lister, 74, admitted five counts of indecent assault and two of indecency with a child committed during the Seventies.

He was sentenced to two years at Chelmsford Crown Court, but it was suspended for two years.

Lister, of John King Court, High Street, Brightlingsea, carried out sexual acts on a child and forced a child to carry out sexual acts on him.

Marc Brown, prosecuting, told the court police were told of the historic sex offences in November last year and earlier this year Lister admitted what he had done.

Lister, who is frail and ill, was only released from hospital on Monday and did not speak during the hearing.

Frank O’Toole, mitigating, said: “He accepts without question the facts presented by the prosecution.

“He accepts what he did was wrong and is disgusted.

“He said he must have been mad and was in the wrong.

“He said God is punishing him with ill health.”

Lister is blind in one eye and partially sighted in the other.

He suffers regular seizures and is paralysed down part of his left side.

Judge Patricia Lynch QC said: “It is appalling, outrageous and horrible behaviour to perpetrate on any child.

“I find this a difficult sentence.

If I was dealing with you today for offences recently committed, my starting point would be four years in prison.

“I would have had little or no hesitation into putting you into custody. You are a man of frail health. There have been no offences since 1980.

“You made the best admissions you could. You also have multiple disabilities. You were a man of good character.

“If I send you to prison, the likelihood is you will die soon and some would say that is what you deserve.

“But, as a judge, I do not do what the public want but what the public understand.

“This is an unusual course.

“It is not because I feel sorry for you, I don’t feel sorry for you at all, it is because I have considered all the facts in this case.”

Lister will also be placed on the sex offenders’ register for ten years.

Mark Rowntree is a British spree killer who was committed to a mental hospital after he admitted killing four people at random in the town of Bingley, West Yorkshire, during late 1975 and early 1976.

On 31 December 1975, 19-year-old Rowntree stabbed widow Grace Adamson to death, then celebrated with a beer at the local pub. 4 days later on 3 January 1976 he killed sixteen-year-old Stephen Wilson at a bus stop in Eastburn, West Yorkshire.

The victim died in hospital, although he was first able to give a description of his attacker to the police.

On 7 January 1976, Rowntree visited part-time model Barbara Booth at her home and stabbed her to death, along with her three-year-old son Alan.

By the time he returned home, the police were waiting for him, armed with the description given by the second victim. Rowntree gave a full confession to his crimes and complained that he had not managed to reach five victims — the body count of his hero, Donald Neilson.

Diagnosed as suffering from schizophrenia, Rowntree pleaded guilty to four counts of manslaughter on the ground of diminished responsibility at Leeds Crown Court in June 1976.

He was ordered to be committed to Rampton Secure Hospital for an indefinite period, but is now based at the Hutton Unit, a secure mental health facility based at St. Luke’s Hospital in Middlesbrough.

He is now one of the longest serving patients in any British psychiatric/secure hospital.

January 2004 – Chilling threats of a killer…

Mark Rowntree was locked up indefinitely 28 years ago for killing four people chosen at random in crimes that shocked the nation. In 2004 he appeared in court to admit making threats to kill again.

THE highly intelligent teenager had shown signs of disturbed behaviour before – but nothing that suggested he would carry out the savage attacks that left four people dead and shattered the lives of many others.

Mark Rowntree was adopted by wealthy parents soon after his birth in 1956 and lived with them in Guiseley, near Leeds.

He was expelled from one public school in Leeds, completing his studies at Rishworth School, near Halifax, and showed bouts of violence as a boy, but only in hindsight was it realised that these were indications of the slide into severe mental illness that had such catastrophic consequences.

Aged 19, he was waiting to begin university when he knocked on the door of 85-year-old widow Grace Adamson’s home in Bingley on New Year’s Eve 1975.

She suffered multiple wounds in a frenzied attack that horrified detectives.It was followed three days later by the stabbing of Stephen Wilson, of Keighley, as he waited at a bus stop in Eastburn, Keighley.

Rowntree then struck in Leeds, where he stabbed model Barbara Booth to death before going on to kill her three-year-old son Alan at their home in Burley.

Rowntree denied four counts of murder but pleaded guilty to manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility when he appeared at Leeds Crown Court in 1976.

He was detained indefinitely after the court heard he had “insatiable desire to kill” and had been motivated by voices in his head.

He had chosen his victims at random as he attempted to beat the body count of Donald Neilson, the Black Panther from Bradford, who killed five people.

He was diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia and has since spent time in the high-security Broadmoor, Rampton and Ashworth hospitals before being moved a dozen years ago to the secure unit at St Luke’s Hospital in Middlesbrough.

Yesterday at Teesside Crown Court, Rowntree, who has since changed his name to Evans, admitted three charges of making threats to kill his social worker Kath Cogley.

In a chilling letter sent to the Yorkshire Post ahead of his court appearance, he warned he was prepared to kill again.

And in further telephone calls he said his threats to Ms Cogley were real.

He said he had threatened to kill her for telling a mental health tribunal that he showed no remorse whatsoever for the killings.

He said he would never be able to forgive the social worker because her comments had “hurt and wounded” his mother, who was sitting in the tribunal at the time.

In his letter to the Yorkshire Post, Rowntree claimed he did have a “terrible inner turmoil” about his offences and referred to the period as “that hideous first week of 1976″.

He added that anyone who dared speak about him in the way his social worker did would be “walking continually on very thin ice”.

“Now, I am not at all angry, nor am I disturbed or mad; I feel quite rational, balanced in mind and calm. You don’t need to be insane or evil in order to end life,” he said.

He said he was able to “transcend any moral feelings of responsibility or obligations” and could “so easily” carry out another stabbing.

Rowntree will now be assessed and is likely to be sent back to St Luke’s. He is detained under the Mental Health Act and can only be discharged, given leave or transferred with Home Office approval.

Ten years ago there was outrage when he was released for five days to go on a holiday. The then Home Secretary Michael Howard admitted it was wrong for Rowntree and two other killers to be allowed to go to a Northumberland beauty spot on an adventure park holiday at taxpayers’ expense.

He remains at St Luke’s to this day.

October 1999

Life for ‘evil’ killer

A man who raped and murdered a 17-year-old student an hour after watching a strip show has been jailed for life.

Swimming instructor Michael Ramsell, 20, killed Rebecca Groves as she walked home from a night out last March.

He was told by Mr Justice Astill at Leicester Crown Court: “Your brutality has deprived a wonderful and trusting young woman of her right to live.”

Ramsell, of Brooks Lane, Whitwick, Leicestershire, pleaded guilty to the murder at a hearing last month.

The court heard on Monday that Rebecca died of asphyxiation, while there was evidence that she had been raped either as she passed out or died.

Mr Justice Astill said: “She trusted you to take her home. You repaid that trust by killing her and feasting your sexual and beastly appetite.”

Rebecca, who was training to be a beautician at Coalville’s Stephenson College, had been attending a 40th birthday party in the Hare and Hounds pub near her home in Thringstone, Leicestershire.

Ramsell was also at the function and had been seen by drinkers shouting encouragement at a stripper.

Michael Stokes QC, for the Crown, told the court that Ramsell had told police that he had gone outside with Rebecca and had unprotected sex with her at her suggestion.

“But that was a lie,” said Mr Stokes.

He said the dead girl had been saving her first sexual encounter for a long term relationship, which at that time she had not had.

Mr Stokes said evidence suggested that Ramsell had offered Rebecca a lift home, but had then attacked her and subdued her by placing his arm around her neck.

He assaulted her when she lost consciousness and then dumped her body, which was found near her home by her stepfather the following morning.

James Hunt QC, defending, said while Ramsell had never admitted to the police he had committed the crime, he told guards about the crime once remanded to prison.

Mr Hunt said: “He admitted to one officer the murder, but said he could not remember the details about what had happened.”

He said Ramsell always maintained Rebecca had consented to sex with him.

After the court hearing, Detective Superintendent Graham Thomas read a statement from the dead girl’s family.

He said: “No matter what sentence is handed out to her killer, nothing can bring her back.

“Ramsell is a brutal and evil man. There is no celebration here today, but justice has been done.”

February 2010

Bebo sex monster duped mum-of-two

A HORRIFIED mum-of-two told last night how she was duped into dating an evil paedophile after meeting him on Bebo.

Sex monster James Bryson, 33, wooed her on the social networking website — just two months after being freed from jail for molesting a five-year-old.

The fiend — who hid his twisted past by using a false name — then moved in with the woman and her two little daughters. But he’s now back behind bars for breaking the terms of his release.

Last night the young mum said: “He’s wrecked my life. My family had a lucky escape.

“I love my girls more than anything and couldn’t have gone on if he had harmed them. He pulled the wool over everyone’s eyes. I’m angry he was able to. Someone should have been watching him.

“He should never be allowed out of prison.”

Bryson — who used the name Jamie Davie — met the mum on Bebo in August 2008 and moved in last September.

But he was rumbled after one of her pals recognised one of his relatives at a function.

He was jailed for 18 months at Dumbarton Sheriff Court two weeks ago for failing to notify the authorities of his whereabouts. He was initially caged in 2005 for sexually abusing a five-year-old girl.

July 2008

Family disown pervert who abused young girl

THE family of a child sex pervert freed to live near his victim claim they have disowned him.

Pub bouncer James Bryson – who was originally charged with repeatedly raping the girl when she was just five – was now free.

And the girl’s mum was horrified to be told by social workers she could not use her local shops at the weekend – because he was allowed to go shopping then.

Council officials claimed Bryson, who admitted an appalling catalogue of abuse against the girl, needed to be in Clydebank to be supported by his family.

But his relatives in Clydebank yesterday said they wanted nothing to do with him.

Stepmum Janet, wife of Bryson’s dad Jim, said the 31-year-old pervert was living alone in Clydebank.

She added: “We are definitely not supporting him and his mam’s passed away. He doesn’t stay here. It’s only me, my man and my son Charles that stay here.

“I’ve got a grandkid who’s four years old. And I’m sorry but my grandkid comes first.

“I wouldn’t even have him in the house because I’ve got a grandkid here.

“The only time we’d hear from him is by phone. His dad’s not in contact with him. He doesn’t want anything to do with him.”

Janet added Bryson’s younger brother Gary, 26, lived in Milton, Glasgow, and also wanted nothing to do with him.

The pervert is believed to be staying in a flat in Clydebank which was arranged by social services.

Bryson was originally charged with raping the girl on “various occasions” between January and June 2004.

At the High Court in Edinburgh in 2005, the rape charge was dropped when he agreed to admit sexually abusing the child, who is now 10.

He was released from Peterhead Prison last week after serving 40 months of a five year sentence and is meant to be supervised in the community until 2013.

The victim’s mother, who is in her 20s, was visited by social workers from West Dunbartonshire Council before Bryson’s release.

They warned her he would be living in the Clydebank area, minutes from where the mum and daughter live in Glasgow.

They advised her to steer clear of the Clyde Shopping Centre in Clydebank at weekends because Bryson would be doing his shopping then.

A council spokeswoman said: “No offender would be accommodated with their family were they unwilling to have them back.”

July 2008

Victim told to stay away from mall so child sex fiend can do his shopping

A MUM has been told to stay away from a mall so the child sex pervert who abused her daughter is free to do his weekend shopping there.

James Bryson – who had charges of raping the five-year-old dropped when he pleaded guilty to other horrifying sex attacks on her – was freed on Thursday.

The girl’s mum was horrified to find he was moving near her family and social workers had agreed he could have “shopping access” to her local centre at weekends.

Last night, the furious mum said she had been told Bryson, who served 40 months of an five-year sentence, had to have his human rights protected.

The woman, who cannot be named to protect the identity of her daughter, now 10, said: “It’s bad enough he’s out.

“But then I found out he was living just five minutes away from us.

“And I was told his conditions allowed him to use the local shops at weekends so I was advised not to go there or I risked meeting him.

“It’s a horrific situation for us and makes me feel sick.

“The social worker who came to my house said it was to do with his human rights. I couldn’t believe what I was hearing.”

Former pub bouncer Bryson, 31, originally from Possil, Glasgow, was released from high-security Peterhead Prison this week.

He was originally charged with raping the five-year-old on “various occasions” between January and June 2004.

At the High Court in Edinburgh in 2005, he agreed to admit a string of gruesome sex attacks on the girl.

He is meant to be supervised in the community until 2013.

The mum and her daughter moved from their former home in Glasgow – where the abuse took place – to the city’s Drumchapel area to escape the memories of the abuse.

But the 26-year-old mum has been told Bryson is now living with family in Clydebank, five minutes away, where she gets her groceries at the giant Clyde Shopping Centre complex.

She said: “He ruined our lives and my daughter still has nightmares. We thought we would move to get away from it all only to be told he was moving in close by.

“He is banned from Clydebank shops during the week but is allowed to use them at weekends.

“I use those shops and the weekend is obviously my main shopping time so we are at an inconvenience in order to suit him.

“We were not happy with him being out of jail so early. The whole thing stinks. They said although he is only five minutes away, I am in Glasgow Council area’s while he is in West Dunbartonshire, so there was nothing they could do about it.”

The mum added: “I don’t see why he had to come to Clydebank. He’s not even from here.

“I use Asda at the centre for my main shop. I also take my daughter to the cinema on a Saturday for the kids’ club because it’s only s1.

“I won’t be able to do that any more. Running into him is my worst fear.

“The guy from social services told me out of the blue it wouldn’t do me any good speaking to a newspaper about this.

“They said he needed the support of his family and it would make it difficult for him to get back on his feet if all this appeared in the papers.

“They made out he was the victim. But what about us? “

A West Dunbartonshire Council spokeswoman said: “The impact on the victim of an offence is always considered when arrangements are being made for an offender’s release.

“This can include alerting a victim to situations where they might inadvertently come across the offender if they did not have that information.”

December 2014

Wirral holiday park worker spared jail despite grooming schoolgirl and contacting her younger sister

A wirral pervert who groomed a schoolgirl he met while working at a Cornwall holiday park was spared jail – despite also contacting her younger sister.

James Johns, 25, had worked with children at the White Acres site in Newquay for a number of years when, in the autumn half-term of 2011, he had sex with the 15-year-old girl.

Truro Crown Court heard that Johns had met the girl when she came to the site on family holidays and then contacted her on Facebook when he was aged 21 and she was just 14.

Sean Brunton, prosecuting, said the pair began exchanging text and Johns asked her for a naked picture of herself. She agreed and he sent her images of himself.

Some time later, the girl visited the park where Johns worked as an entertainer and ran a club for children aged 11 to 15.

Mr Brunton said: “She said to the police that while she was at the holiday park the defendant had effectively come on strong to her.

“He ultimately persuaded her into having sex with him.”

The girl reported the matter to police when Johns began sending her younger sister messages on Facebook.

Mr Brunton said in early 2013, Johns asked the younger girl for her phone number and asked how old she was.

He asked if she had a webcam and told her not to tell anyone that he was contacting her, as he could get into trouble.

Johns, of Norwich Drive, Upton, was suspended from his job and arrested after the family reported the matter.

He accepted that he had sex with the girl

At an earlier hearing he admitted one count of sexual activity with a child.

Ramsay Quaife, defending, said Johns, who was supported in court by his pregnant partner, was remorseful and “scared witless”.

Johns was sentenced to 15 months in prison, suspended for two years. He was ordered to be under the supervision of the probation service for two years, carry out 120 hours’ unpaid work and sign the sex offenders’ register.

Judge Christopher Harvey Clark, QC, said: “Yes, he was running the youth club but I don’t think abuse of trust arises.”

2014

Man admits having child abuse images

A Beaulieu man has admitted having indecent photographs of children

Window cleaner Antony Donoghue (42) indicated guilty pleas to nine separate charges when he appeared before Southampton magistrates 

There are five levels on the scale used by courts to determine the indecency of images of children – Level 5 being highest and worse – and Donoghue of Bunkers hill, Hatchett lane admitted two offences of possessing level four photographs in December last year 

As well as the level 4 charges he admitted three charges of possessing level three photographs, two of having level two and one involving a level one picture.

Donoghue was given a suspended sentence

Donoghue was placed on the sex offenders register

December 2014

Jail for youth club pervert who abused boy

A youth club worker who ruined the life of a vulnerable teenager after sexually abusing him in the 1970s has been jailed for just 15 months.

On Friday 19 December 2014, Michael Ashmore, 68 appeared in Snaresbrook Crown Court to be sentenced for indecently assaulting a boy in the 1970s.

The 14 year old victim’s parents divorced when he was five years old and, at the age of 11, he moved from his family home in Durham to London to live with his grandmother.

She suggested that he joined the Shipman Youth Centre to make friends.  It was here that the victim met Ashmore, who befriended him and began to gain his trust by dropping him home after the youth clubs sessions.

Ashmore was employed by Newham Council at the Shipman Youth Club on Prince Regent Lane in Beckton, east London.

Ashmore soon began to take advantage of his position and the victim’s vulnerability by sexually abusing him.  The abuse continued over a period of approximately four years and stopped only when the head of the youth centre questioned the victim about Ashmore and he disclosed the abuse.

Ashmore regularly took children on holidays or day trips out of the city.

Ashmore molested the boy while the two of them shared a tent at a campsite in Epping Forest, and on another occasion while the two were sharing a tent in Cornwall. 

Unfortunately, no steps were taken at the time to report Ashmore to the police and he was simply allowed to move to another youth centre.

The victim reported the abuse to the police in December 2012 and the criminal trial took place in June 2014. 

Ashmore faced nine charges of indecent assault and indecency with a child and he pleaded not guilty to all offences.  

The victim had to give evidence in court and former colleagues of Ashmore were also called to give evidence.

The jury found Ashmore guilty of two offences of indecent assault but was unable to reach a verdict on the remaining seven charges. 

The judge decided on a retrial and in October 2014, Ashmore pleaded guilty to a further three offences of indecent assault and one offence of indecency with a child.

During the criminal trial, former employees from Shipman Youth Centre confirmed that Ashmore was dismissed from the centre on suspicion of indecent activities with a child.

It was also revealed in court that Ashmore had been convicted in 1996 for sexually abusing another young boy in the late 1970s, after leaving the Shipman Youth Centre, whilst working at a youth centre in West Sussex. For those offences, he was given a three year probation order and ordered to attend the sex offenders’ programme.

Ashmore’s barrister referred to his previous conviction, stating that he found the sex offenders’ programme very difficult as it “brought home how wrong his behaviour was”. 

He also pointed out that Ashmore had not offended since he was in his late 20s and early 30s and therefore there should be an assessment of whether he would still be considered a high risk offender.

Sentencing Ashmore to 15 months imprisonment, Judge Ian Darling told Ashmore that: “it is apparent that you ruined his life for your own self gratification”.

Judge Darling acknowledged the fact that Ashmore also suffered abuse as a young child but went on to say that this: “is an explanation of how those who have been abused may become abusers themselves but it is not mitigation”.

Finally, Judge Darling told Ashmore that he: “took advantage of a vulnerable young boy who was a misfit in London. He trusted you and you breached that trust and abused him in complete impunity”.

The police believe there may be many other victims of Ashmore who have yet to come forward.

March 2006

Sex case shame of healer

A CONVICTED sex offender is working with children as a hands-on healer at a Liverpool church.

Michael Ashmore, 59, from Oxton, performs one-on-one sessions with youths at the Spiritualist Church in city centre Daulby Street.

Police say he was placed on the sex offenders register when he was convicted of the offence against a 14-year-old boy.

They are investigating whether Mr Ashmore is breaking the law through his work with the church where Ashmore carried out healing sessions with boys as young as 11.

The sessions involve placing his hands on the teenagers’ shoulders or, in some cases, the part of their body needing to be healed.

Divorced Ashmore became involved with the Liverpool spiritualists’ national union (SNU) seven years ago and was recently made head of healing for all SNU churches in the north west.”

Ashmore carried out the sexual offence against the teenager in 1985 while working at a care home in London.

It was only when the boy grew up and became engaged that he confided in his fiancee who persuaded him to tell police.

Ashmore was convicted in 1996.

When Ashmore was confronted outside the church he said: “I have worked for a carer for 30 years and I am much loved by people at this church.

“These rumours are a result of evil, malicious people trying to ruin my reputation and that of the church.

“It is the good work the church does that I’m concerned about. I can just disappear if these allegations go public but the church will suffer.

“I am not a child molester and I would never touch a child in any way that was inappropriate.”

Charles Coulston, general secretary of the SNU, said he was aware of the situation but refused to comment. He said: “We have procedures for matters like this and it is not appropriate for me to discuss a private matter with a newspaper. It is unfair on the people involved.”

December 2014

Pervert avoids prison over of images of children that were of the ‘Worst possible kind of obscenity’

A man caught with sickening child abuse images has walked free from court

Ian Bradley, 39, of Camberwell, South London was caught with 784 videos with 44 movies at the worst possible kind of obscenity

His home address was searched following a police operation to check where indecent images of children were being sent and received.

Bradely showed them where the files were kept, even pointing the officers to a laptop they had missed.

He was placed on the sex offenders register, and his computer equipment was destroyed

December 2014

Dundee University scientist admits having hundreds of indecent pre-teen images on Hospital computer

A prominent Dundee University medical scientist has admitted having indecent images of children on his computer at Ninewells Hospital.

The sheriff court heard that Dr Michael Boylan of Priory Road, Newport-on-Tay, Fife amassed over 1200 images of abuse — some at the most severe scale — over a period of almost six years.

The 45-year-old, who has been suspended from his role, trawled websites with titles including “top 100 pre-teen” before being caught by police acting on intelligence.

Boylan was the manager of the Flow Cytometry Core facility in the school of medicine.

Boylan, who tried to disguise himself from waiting photographers with a hood and scarf, will return to court next month to be sentenced.

He was placed on the sex offenders register by Sheriff Tom Hughes.