March 2015

Aberdeenshire pensioner sexually abused young boys 40 years ago

An Aberdeenshire pensioner has been convicted of carrying out a “systematic campaign” of sexual abuse against four young boys more than 40 years ago.

William Brown befriended “vulnerable” children who grew to trust him and look upon him as a father figure.

The farmhand would lure the boys away from their families with the promise of having a ride in his lorry.

And once he had gained their trust he would take them back to his flat in Kintore and repeatedly sexually abused them over a period of more than a decade.

Yesterday the 77-year-old wiped back tears as a jury of six men and nine women found him unanimously guilty of four horrific charges and guilty by majority of a fifth.

Brown had initially gone on trial at the High Court in Aberdeen last week accused of six charges alleged to have been committed against schoolboys during the 1970s and 80s. However, one of the charges against him was dropped at the close of the Crown case on Tuesday.

He was finally convicted of two counts of using lewd and libidinous behaviour, one charge of indecent assault and two charges of having an “unnatural carnal connection” with two of his victims.

He had denied the allegations against him.

All four complainers, who are now grown men, gave evidence during the trial and told the court how they kept quiet about the abuse for so many years because they had been ashamed of what happened to them.

The first victim to give evidence said it was not until the Jimmy Savile scandal broke that he decided to go to the police.

He told the court: “Once it came out about Jimmy Savile I thought, the person who abused me is still alive so why should he get away with it?”

The same man told the court that the abuse he suffered at the hands of Brown had completely destroyed his life, leading him to a life of crime and drug addiction to try to forget what had happened to him as a child.

Another victim said that he did not realise what Brown was doing until well into his adult life. He said he trusted the “kind and gentle” man who offered him refuge from his physically abusive father.

Lord Burns placed Brown, formally of 1 Smithfield Kintore, on the sex offenders register and remanded him in custody.

He will be sentenced at the High Court in Edinburgh next month.

March 2015

Mum says paedophile who posted pictures of children playing near home on porn website is ‘sick’

A PAEDOPHILE who spied on children playing on the streets near his house and in a Chapelford playground is behind bars after posting pictures of the youngsters on a Russian porn website.

Warrington Crown Court heard on Friday William Ackers, who previously lived in Chapelford and now lives in London, was caught out thanks to an investigation by Australian police.

Officers found the 43-year-old had posted the photos online in an album entitled ‘Candid kids’ including images of a nine-year-old girl who had bent over wearing a dress and was showing her upper legs and of a seven-year-old girl in a playground with the comment ‘Love the sexy blonde’.

When Cheshire Police swooped in November 2013 they found Ackers had more than 1,000 indecent images on his computer collected between 2006 and 2013.

Matthew Jones, prosecuting, said: “The Candid Kids albums included a picture of a 13-year-old girl with the caption ‘Hope you like these pictures of a girl that used to live across the road from me, I would love to see her now. All comments are welcome.'”

Pictures of a 15-year-old girl sat on the London underground who had inadvertently exposed her knickers were also taken by Ackers to ‘satisfy his fetish for girls’ lingerie’.

The court heard searches on his computer also included ‘panties’ and ‘teasing schoolgirls’.

In a victim impact statement a mum said ‘everything changed’ when the defendant took the pictures and her daughter was now worried when she saw men in the park.

Ackers, who had previously been of good character, pleaded guilty to 13 counts of possessing and distributing indecent images of children and single counts of possessing extreme pornography and a prohibited Japanese-style cartoon.

John Banasko, defending, said: “A broken man sits before you. A man full of remorse and who was so ashamed of what he had done he contemplated taking his own life and couldn’t bring himself to tell his wife fully about the investigation.

“He has taken steps to address his offending behaviour.”

Judge Raj Shetty said uploading pictures to the internet had caused an ‘enormous amount of upset’ to the victims and their parents and said he had considered the effect of other people looking at the images.

Ackers bowed his head as judge Shetty said his punishment would be ‘immediate’ and sentenced him to 16 months behind bars and a 10 year sexual offence provision order.

Following a harrowing morning of evidence for one family, the victim’s mum sobbed ‘Thank you so much’ as Ackers’ sentence was read out.

Speaking outside of court, she added: “It’s disgusting and I broke down when I found out.

“It’s the worst feeling that any mother could ever possibly go through.

“I used to walk my dog down the street and say ‘Hiya’ to him and never in a million years would have thought someone could do that.

“It will always be on my mind and I want him to realise what he’s put me and my family through.

“I feel sick knowing the pictures he has taken can’t be taken down from the website and would warn anyone about outting pictures of their kids on Facebook as you don’t know what’s out there.”

March 2015

Paedophile slashed his neck with a razor in a dramatic confession to shocked wife

A rapist who sexually assaulted a young girl slashed his neck with a razor in a dramatic confession to his shocked wife.

Bloodied former RAF worker Anthony Bunn told her he wished he had cut an artery and that he wanted to die.

The 50-year-old, who was an upstanding member of the community who served with the air force during both Gulf Wars, has now been given an extended sentence of eight years prison, with four years licence to follow.

Bunn, of Ayrton Avenue, South Shore, had pleaded guilty to a total of eight sex offences – two of rape, two of sexual assault, one serious sexual assault and three of causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity.

Preston Crown Court heard how he made his dramatic confession last November after coming downstairs at home, with blood on his neck.

At first his wife thought it was fake or a joke.

Rachel Woods, prosecuting, said the defendant had earlier been out to watch football with friends and had been drinking. He fell asleep on the sofa at home and then went upstairs to go to bed.

A few minutes later he returned with blood across his neck. And it was then his wife realised he had cut himself.

Miss Woods said: “She immediately took him to clean himself up. In the bathroom he was repeatedly saying he wished he had cut an artery.”

His distressed wife asked why he had harmed himself and if he wanted to leave her, the court heard.

But Bunn then confessed: “It’s something I have done. I need to tell you something.”

He spoke of having touched a girl. He said he knew what he had been doing was wrong and wanted to die.

Bunn became more and more distressed while confessing to his wife and tried to grab hold of the blade again, but she took it off him.

The emergency services were called. A police officer escorted him to hospital after Bunn was banging his head on a wall. In the ambulance he admitted having done wrong.

Full and detailed admissions were made in police interview and he told officers he could not live with himself.

He had an impeccable previous character and is a former RAF technician, the court heard.

Fraser Livesey, defending, said Bunn’s life had been touched by tragedy at the age of 19 when he and his father were very seriously assaulted by a group of youths.

Bunn himself was seriously assaulted. His father had fatal injuries and the family had to decide to turn off his life support system.

But the barrister stressed: “He is not using any of the difficulties he has faced in life to explain his behaviour.”

Bunn had had an exemplary career in the RAF with an impeccable service record.

During his time in the forces he had come under fire in both Gulf Wars. He then went to work for seven or eight years at British Aerospace.

The revelation last November and what happened must have come utterly out of the blue, the barrister said.

Mr Livesey added: “He plainly has a strong moral compass, realised the repugnance of his actions and had no idea how to deal with them.

“The offending was very serious and will have had some effect upon the victim. The offending occurred very much out of the blue.”

Judge Pamela Badley told the defendant the way in which the offences came to light had been very dramatic.

It was a mystery why the offences had been committed. In every other way he had been a model citizen.

She told Bunn: “You started to fantasise and engaged with her in order for her to be made available for your fantasies.

“You are an intelligent man. You knew it was wrong. You were not able to stop. The only way was for you to harm yourself and make a dramatic disclosure.

“Although you have considerable remorse, you were not able to prevent your behaviour. That is something which concerns me.”

He will be on the Sex Offender’s Register for life, banned from working with children and subject to a sexual harm prevention order.

March 2015

Sports teacher who attempted to arrange threesome with two besotted schoolgirls is jailed

A supply teacher who was caught attempting to arrange a threesome with two teenage pupils has been jailed.

James Heathcote, 26, groomed two besotted schoolgirls and pestered them to fulfil his fantasy of having a threesome while working at St Helena School in Colchester, Essex.

The former sports coach even exposed himself to the girls on webcam whilst trading explicit messages referring to bondage and strip tease fantasies.

He was only caught when a fellow pupil reported the explicit messages before he could convince the teenage girls to go through with his perverted plan.

Heathcote, from Felixstowe, Suffolk, fought back tears in the dock at Chelmsford Crown Court as he was jailed for five months.

He had admitted two charges of inciting two girls to engage in sexual activity by a person in a position of trust at a previous hearing but denied a third charge of sexual touching, involving allegedly kissing a pupil, which will now lie on file.

Judge David Turner QC said: “Young women in school are entitled to be protected – even from themselves.

“You were the subject of some attention from female pupils and you may have found that flattering, but you should not have acted on it.

“You exchanged messages that were plainly, openly and explicitly sexual. You made references to bed, sex, intercourse, tying up and ‘banging’.

“The sexual nature of these messages is unmistakable. You had asked for a ‘threesome’ with the young women, which they refused.

“It needs to be understood that people in a school setting owe a duty of care to the young people in their charge.

“You have fallen far short in that duty.”

Heathcote joined the school as a part-time supply teacher in Spring 2013 before taking up a full time role in September 2013 and moving into a house on school property.

His flirty nature with pupils was noted by colleagues who warned him to discourage his young female admirers.

St Helena School in Colchester

He ignored the advice before swapping phone numbers with two schoolgirls in October 2013 when they complained about struggling with exam stress.

The messages soon spread onto social media sites, including Instagram and Facebook, where the exchanges became sexual in nature as he begged the girls to share intimate pictures.

On one occasion he even exposed himself to both girls on camera while chatting to them on FaceTime as they sat in their pyjamas.

Allan Compton, prosecuting, said: “Police went through some of the Facebook messages to one girl which did contain significant sexual content.

“The messages described fantasies about being tied up, strip tease, as well as fantasies about having a threesome.”

By January 2014, Heathcote had suggested a threesome to both girls and bombarded one with a staggering 242 text messages over a seven day period.

Both had admitted during the exchanges that they would “bang him” separately but refused his request of a threesome.

The explicit messaging only ended when a fellow pupil reported her suspicions and police were called in. Heathcote was arrested and contacted both girls asking them to delete all messages in a failed bid to cover his tracks.

Mr Compton added: “The aggravating features of this offending include the use of grooming behaviour and the soliciting of sexual images from the girls.

“There is, within the last text, an element of cover up when he invites them to delete text messages.

“It would appear that arrangements had been put in place to escalate to full sexual activity but, thankfully, it did not.”

The court heard yesterday how Heathcote had been dismissed from a previous role as a school sports coach in October 2012 following an allegation of sexual harassment from an adult female work colleague.

Peter Barlex, mitigating, said his client had been working as a cover supervisor at the school full-time since September 2013.

He said: “This was a situation that got out of hand. It is something he bitterly regrets ever getting involved in. “

“This was a profession he had really set his sights upon but which has now gone.”

Heathcote was jailed for five months and was made to sign onto the sex offenders register for seven years.

He was also made the subject of a 10-year sexual harm prevention order banning him from unsupervised contact with under 18s without a guardian’s consent.

St Helena School is a secondary school in Colchester, Essex, with more than 1,000 pupils.

A spokesman for the school said: “Mr Heathcote is no longer an employee of St Helena School, having been dismissed in July 2014.

“The safety and wellbeing of students is the school’s top priority and the school followed all the correct and required procedures in its pre-employment checks.

“As soon as a safeguarding concern was raised, the school alerted the police and local authority immediately and suspended Mr Heathcote.”

March 2015

Man pleads guilty to 15 child sex offences

A 62 year old Eglinton man has been remanded in custody after pleading guilty to a total of 15 serious child sexual offences at the city’s Crown Court this morning.

Douglas Fredrick Ayton of Donnybrewer Road was remanded until May 18, when he will go on trial facing a further 21 charges related to incidents alleged to have taken place between January 1981 and December 1987.

The charges relate to three different alleged injured parties – and include three counts of rape, one of attempted buggery, one of attempted rape, 11 indecent assault and five of gross indecency towards a child.

Ayton pleaded guilty to a total of 13 charges of indecent assault – eight of which related to one of the injured parties and five of which related to a second injured party.

The charges of gross indecency to which Ayton pleaded guilty also related to the second injured party.

The court heard the trial against Ayton was likely to last more than a week.

Crown Court Judge Donna McColgan remanded Ayton in custody saying: “He has pleaded guilty to 15 very serious offences.”

March 2015

Pervert admits making indecent images of kids & animals

A ‘NOCTURNAL loner’ downloaded child abuse images and movies of women having sex with animals while his parents slept.

And when the police raided the family home they found indecent images of girls as young as six on Nicholas Liddell’s computer, a judge at Warwick Crown Court has heard.

Liddell, 47, of Combroke, near Kineton, at the time, had pleaded guilty to a total of 14 charges of making indecent images of children and possessing extreme pornography.

He was given a community sentence with supervision for three years and ordered to take part in a sex offender programme and to register as a sex offender for five years.

Prosecutor Tim Harrington said: “The pleas reflect the discovery of images on two computer items, a tower and a hard drive, following the execution of a search warrant.”

He explained that the warrant had been issued after it became apparent that Liddell’s internet address had been used to access indecent images of children.

Following the seizure of his computer tower and the hard drive, they were examined and found to contain images of extreme pornography as well as indecent images of children.

An analysis showed 21 movies classed as being in category A.

The youngest child in the movies was believed to be aged just six, although the majority were girls aged between 13 and 15.

When Liddell was first interviewed, he said the internet had been set up by his father, who has since died.

Mr Harrington added: “He did not seek to blame anyone else, but he said he had not deliberately downloaded any child pornography and was not aware of any images being on his system.

“Interviewed again in September, he was more frank and admitted he had knowingly downloaded indecent images of children using a file-sharing system out of ‘morbid curiosity.’”

Paul O’Keefe, defending, said Liddell had shown remorse and has been taking steps to address his offending.

“He was living with his mother and father, and step-brother in Combroke, which is a remote area.

“He was something of a loner, and nocturnal. He would get up at 4am to 4.30am and then, from seven in the evening to ten in the morning, he would drink and use the computer as company.

“Initially playing games, and then searching the internet – and one thing led to another and he was trawling for the type of material which has brought him before the court.”

Mr O’Keefe said it had begun when Liddell was drinking heavily, and he turned to drink even more following the deaths of his mother in July 2013 and his father four months later.

As a result he twice ended up in hospital, and following his arrest he went on a drinking binge which led to him being hospitalised, again suffering from peritonitis.

Mr O’Keefe added that Liddell, who ‘realises the part he has played in the whole child pornography process,’ has now moved to an address in Daventry and is drink-free.

Judge Peter Carr told Liddell: “The police executed a warrant at your home and found computer equipment which had on it a total of about 550 still and moving images.

“Whilst it may seem a large number, it is unhappily not as large a number as these courts often see in this type of case.

“It is an aggravating feature that some of the images were moving and depicted a large number of children – not as young as some this court sees, but nevertheless young enough.

“But if I were to impose a custodial sentence it would be of eight months, which would cost the public a lot of money and, more importantly, you would be coming out of prison without the real problem having been addressed.”

March 2015

Paedophile pleads guilty to sexually assaulting a child under 13

A HAMPSHIRE man today admitted sexually assaulting a child and possessing child abuse images

Timothy Waterman, 32, spent five minutes answering “guilty” to 23 allegations put to him at Winchester Crown Court.

Wearing a grey pullover, purple shirt and dark trousers he hung his head and closed his eyes as he pleaded to two allegations of assaulting a child under 13 years between January 1 2010-January 1 2013 and 21 charges of making indecent photos of a child between January 1 2011-May 25 2013.

The court heard that each assault charge contained about ten separate incidents.

Waterman, of Humbers View, Kings Somborne, sat in the dock resting his head on his hands.

Karen Dempsey, defending, said: “This is an unusual case. The defendant has made very frank admissions in interview.”

Judge Susan Evans QC ordered a pre-sentence report.

She adjourned the case for sentencing on April 23 at Winchester and released Waterman on unconditional bail.

March 2015

Norwich man jailed for sexually abusing young girl

A Norwich man has been jailed for more than two years after being convicted of sexually abusing a young girl.

Anthony O’Rourke, of Capps Road was sentenced yesterday at Norwich Crown Court after previously being found guilty of three counts of indecent assault.

The offences involved a girl under the age of 16 and took place between 2000 and 2002.

O’Rourke was convicted by a jury on Friday, February 13 following a five-day trial.

The victim, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, contacted police in late December 2013 to report the abuse and a police investigation was launched resulting in O’Rourke being arrested in January.

O’Rourke was sentenced to 30 months in jail by Judge Bacon QC.

He was also placed on the Sex Offenders Register and will be subject to a Sexual Offences Protection Order (SOPO).

Detective Constable David Rawlings of Norfolk Constabulary’s Child Abuse Investigation Unit, said: “The fact O’Rourke pleaded not guilty meant the victim had to relive her ordeal in court which took an enormous amount of courage.

“We hope such a sentence will help give the victim a sense of closure so she can move on positively with her life.”

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

Norfolk’s Sexual Assault Referral Centre (SARC), The Harbour Centre, operates a 24-hour service for victims of sexual abuse and can be contacted on 0845 456 4810, or call police on 101 to report a crime.

The SARC opened in September 2010 and aims to empower victims by allowing them to report their abuse and undergo medical examinations without prompting a police investigation.

March 2015

Ex-youth club leader jailed for string of sex attacks on boy in north London during 1970s

March 2015

Schoolgirl’s attacker was on parole from nine-year term for hammer attack

A MAN who terrified a 15-year-old York girl by attacking her in the grounds of her own school was on parole from a nine-year sentence for a hammer attack, a court was told yesterday.

James Colby had arrived at Southview probation hostel in Boroughbridge Road, York, only 24 hours before he came up behind the girl and grabbed her from behind on November 18, York Crown Court heard.

In 2010, Colby was jailed at Hull Crown Court for nine years, together with another man, for their hammer attack on a third man in a block of flats.

He had been released from that sentence in mid-2014 and was being supervised by the probation service when he attacked the girl and left her hysterical and crying on a footpath in the grounds of her school.

A jury at York Crown Court yesterday convicted him of causing her actual bodily harm. They heard she had been walking home and listening to music on her headphones after staying late to do some work.

Judge Colin Burn told him: “It wasn’t clear what your motive was.”

Colby called out angrily that he was now serving an extra three years behind bars as a result of being arrested for the assault.

The judge told the jury that Colby’s parole had been revoked and the guilty verdict meant that he would now serve the rest of his nine-year sentence behind bars. He passed a six-month jail sentence for the offence of actual bodily harm.

Colby, 28, of no fixed address, had denied the charge.

The jury saw CCTV footage of him making his way towards the school past a busy junction and a row of shops and heard evidence from a motorist who saw him jump over a fence into a field and another pupil of the school, who saw him walking towards her inside the school grounds.

They also saw CCTV footage from the school of him running past its bike sheds after the attack.

Colby claimed he just wandered around York getting lost that afternoon after street drinking with another hostel resident in the city centre and getting drunk.

March 2015

Gateshead sex offender bragged of false hooligan links in order to groom boys

Behind the bravado and banter, fake football hooligan Kane Hutchison was hiding a dark secret.

The 24-year-old exaggerated links to Tyneside’s notorious soccer ‘firms’ to groom youngsters and fulfil his sick sexual fantasies

Hutchison would falsely claim to be associated with the Newcastle Gremlins to either impress or intimidate his vulnerable potential victims.

And the former football coach would also brag of links with agents and offer youngsters the hope of a soccer career to lure them under his control.

But now Hutchison has been exposed as a predatory paedophile after a court lifted reporting restrictions over his crimes.

Hutchison was jailed for three years last August for sexually assaulting a 13-year-old boy after offering to take him to watch a football match.

Now he has been found guilty of inciting two teenage boys to engage in sexual activity on the internet, abusing his position for his own gratification.

Hutchison had played for a local amateur team and had coached youngsters there.

He said: “He played for a local team to a reasonable standard in local leagues and has coached children from that club as well.

“He has offered children private coaching sessions at his home address.”

The sexual assaults happened in April last year when he invited a youngster to attend an away match between Gateshead and Macclesfield.

Hutchison, who was banned from going to football matches after taking part in a pitch invasion in 2011, invited the boy to stay over at his home, saying they needed an early start.

He told the boy they would have to share a bed and soon announced it was bed time. Within minutes he began molesting the terrified youngster in the bed, the court heard.

The boy later reported to his mother what had happened and Hutchison was arrested within hours when police found him hiding in the loft.

Hutchison denied two counts of sexual assault but was found guilty after a trial. As well as the three years prison sentence he was told to sign the sex offender register indefinitely and was made subject to a ten-year sexual offences prevention order.

Hutchison, formerly of Field House Road, Gateshead, has now also been found guilty of inciting two other boys on the internet when they were just 13 and 14.

The first victim knew Hutchison played for a football club in Gateshead and was looking into joining the same club.

Hutchison made contact with the boy on Facebook, where he was advertising for players, and they began to communicate.

Prosecutor Alec Burns said: “From the defendant’s point of view the communication became more and more sexual.

“He told him he could earn money making pornographic films, he said £350 an hour.

“He asked (the boy) to send pictures of himself.”

The boy told police Hutchison had communicated with him on ‘face tag’ and the pervert appeared on his computer screen via a webcam committing a sex act on himself.

He encouraged the victim to do the same and made him swap intimate pictures.

Hutchison also tried to meet the youngster in a car park, the court heard.

The offences started in the summer of 2013 and lasted until March last year.

It came to light last August when the boy’s family checked his Facebook account and saw the messages from Hutchison.

He had targeted another boy, aged 14, in a similar way between April and August last year.

Hutchison lied about his age and started asking the youngster to meet him, offering him £20 to do so.

He also sent him intimate pictures of himself on Facebook and Snapchat and encouraged him to do the same.

It came to light when the boy’s mother read about a previous court appearance by Hutchison and recognised him as one of her son’s Facebook friends.

Sentence was adjourned on the latest convictions until next month.

Judge John Evans told him: “Having been convicted of these offences I’m going to adjourn sentence now for a pre-sentence report to address the issue of dangerousness.

“You know only a custodial sentence can follow in relation to these matters.”

The trial heard Hutchison had been “struggling with his sexuality” at the time and has been on a sex offender programme in prison.

March 2015

Paedophile who tried to blame his identical twin brother for indecent images of children jailed

A pervert who tried to blame his identical twin brother for indecent images of children found on his computer has been jailed for 18 months.

Robert Grave continues to maintain his brother “set him up” over the hundreds of images, despite being convicted by a jury in February.

A judge described it as “a particularly unpleasant feature” and branded it “mean spirited and nasty”.

Grave, of Langley Road, Sittingbourne, denied six charges of possessing indecent pictures and movie clips of children. One included a young girl in a sexual pose with a dog.

The 49-year-old lorry driver’s brother, who lives in Norway, refuted the claims by TV link to Maidstone Crown Court.

Grave insisted after his arrest in February 2013 that search letters PTSC and PTHC meant pro team streetcar and pro team hot car, not pre-teen softcore and pre-teen hardcore.

Prosecutor David Harounoff said Grave made “complete denials” that he had anything to do with the images.

“There was no hint in any of his answers that the computer belonged to somebody else,” he said

But he later declared that he realised the computer had been used by his brother.

He accepted he had searched adult pornography and admitted he had seen some indecent images of children.

Analysis of the computer revealed references to eight to ten-year-olds.

Two files containing the indecent images were found. One was headed “Paedo collection 2012”. Grave accepted he set up and used the account.

Alexia Zimbler, defending, said Grave had attended court prepared to go to prison. His relationship had broken down and he had no home to go back to.

“It sounds like a sob story but those are the facts,” said Miss Zimbler. “I suspect he will continue to maintain his innocence.”

Although there were images at the most serious level, she said, it was not a “top-of-the-range” case.

Judge Jonathan Carroll said they were “particularly unpleasant” and the offences were serious andgrave.

“I absolutely reject your account,” he told Grave. “You were positively seeking out material of young children.

“A particularly unpleasant feature is the way you sought to pass the blame to your brother, irrespective of any ill-feeling that has existed between you.

“It was sheer mean spiritedness and unpleasantness. You told the probation officer you were angry about the verdict.

“It shows me there is not one flicker of remorse for what you have done and have no insight into your offending.”

Grave’s name will appear on the sex offenders’ register for 10 years and a sexual harm prevention order was made for the same period.

After sentencing, DC Karl Brett, of Kent Police’s child exploitation investigation team, said: “Despite overwhelming forensic evidence, Grave sought to point the finger of suspicion at others including his own family members.

“I am glad that the jury were able to see through his tissue of lies, and that this has been reflected in the sentence he now receives.

“Make no mistake, the material Grave deliberately sought out and downloaded were images and videos of real children suffering appalling abuse.

“People like Grave have no understanding of the gravity of their actions, and must face the consequences.”

March 2015

Falmouth man admits sex crimes against schoolgirl

A 44-year-old man from Falmouth will be sentenced at Truro Crown Court next month, after pleading guilty to sexual activity with a child.

David Anderson admitted to two sexual offences involving a schoolgirl, and cannot be named for legal reasons. He also admitted attempting to pervert the course of justice after persuading the female to withdraw her complaint.

Anderson was arrested by Camborne and Falmouth officers in November 2014 after he resumed contact with the female. He had already been charged with sexual activity with her, following an earlier allegation. Those earlier charges have been allowed to lie on file.

Anderson, who is currently on remand, will appear at Truro Crown Court for sentencing on 30 April 2015.

March 2015

Convicted paedophile wrote schoolgirl sick pen-pal letters from jail

A convicted sex offender serving time at HMP Bure, at Coltishall, who was banned from contacting children, wrote a letter from his prison cell to a Norfolk schoolgirl after taking a “shine” to her when he saw her photo

Michael Jerome, 33, who was an inmate at the specialist sex offender prison, managed to send the letter despite being monitored by police and wardens, a court heard

Jerome, originally from St Albans, Hertfordshire, had served three other custodial sentences for sex offences dating back to 1999.

These included indecent assault against teenage girls, gross indecency with a child and possessing indecent images of children and extreme pornography.

Chris Youell prosecuting, said Jerome, who repeatedly breached his court order banning him from contacting anyone under 16, wrote a letter on prison paper to the schoolgirl asking her what she liked to do for fun and requesting she send him a photo, Norwich Crown Court heard.

Chris Youell, prosecuting, said Jerome had called the girl “Hun” and asked if she like meeting new people and wrote: “I hope you don’t mind me writing to you.” He had signed off with a number of kisses.

He also told her he bet she had a “cute smile”

Mr Youell said when Jerome’s cell was searched there were other letters he had written to underage girls.

Mr Youell said Jerome had managed to get the letter past prison security and said Jerome said he had written to the victim after seeing her photo in a newspaper and had taken a shine to her.

“He was in prison so his opportunities to have contact with under-16s were limited. It is difficult to imagine a more blatant and deliberate breach of such an order.”

Jerome also admitted he had written to other girls under 16 but had not sent them as he did not know their addresses. There was also a phone book which he had used to look up addresses.

Mr Youell said that Jerome had repeatedly breached court orders banning him from contacting anyone under 16 and one of his previous breaches had been for writing to a 12 year-old girl, again while he was an inmate in prison.

He had also served other custodial sentences for sex offences dating back to 1999.

Jerome, who represented himself, admitted breaching his sexual offences prevention order and a charge of attempting to breach the order.

Jerome, told the court that he was sorry for what he had done and said: “I know I need help to stop me doing theses offences in future.”

Asked if he was receiving any help in HMP Bure, he replied: “None at the moment” but said he was due to go on a course.

Jailing him for an additional three years, Recorder David Pugh told him: “It is difficult to imagine what that girl must have thought, and the fear and concern that must have caused her and her parents.”

After the case the girl’s father described it as “every parent’s worst nightmare”.

He added: “I was really shocked,”

March 2015

Man found guilty of FIVE child rapes against 5-year-old girl

A WIGAN child rapist has been told to expect to spend a long time behind bars after a jury convicted him of a series of vile sex crimes.

Father-of-three Karl Croston was found guilty of raping and sexually abusing a schoolgirl in the 1990s.

The 42-year-old, who was both a highways worker and DW Stadium steward, struck while his victim was asleep on a settee.

And he was also convicted of repeatedly raping and sexually assaulting a second girl during the 2000s which Liverpool Crown Court heard started when she was just five years old and continued until she was 13.

Croston, of City Road, Kitt Green, was unanimously found guilty of five rapes, five indecent assaults and one count of assault by penetration after a five-day trial.

The judge ordered the jury to find him not guilty of one further rape allegation.

Recorder Mr Simon Medland refused an application for bail and warned Croston he faces a lengthy spell in prison.

Croston was remanded in custody and is due to be sentenced on April 15.

The trial heard the offences came to light after Croston was confronted by his second victim outside his family home.

The victim, who is now an adult, later broke down and told her mother of her ordeal.

Croston had pleaded not guilty to all charges.

March 2015

Man tried to abduct child from Croydon primary school for sexual abuse

A teenager who tried to abduct a child from a primary school so he could sexually abuse her has been locked up for 18 months.

Bahader Hassankhail, 18, pretended to be the cousin of an 11-year-old he had groomed online in a bid to take her from her school in Croydon on July 21 last year.

Hassankhail, of Wychwood Avenue, Thornton Heath, bombarded the girl with sexually explicit messages in the months before the attempted abduction, which only failed because she refused to leave with him.

Prosecutor Sam Main told Croydon Youth Court on Thursday: “There was conversation about having children – not just about having children but about how they would have sex.”

After an abortive attempt to meet the girl at Tesco in Thornton Heath, Hassankhail went to her school and told the receptionist he had been sent to collect her by her mother, who he claimed was his aunt.

Mr Main said: “[The girl] was brought through to the reception area.  Even at some distance it was clear that she was a very young child.

“Even having seen her seen here and being confronted with her age, Bahader continued trying to take her from her from the school.”

He added: “It was only [the girl’s] refusal that kept her safe and secure in the premises.”

School staff reported the attempted abduction to the police, who issued an appeal in a bid to trace Hassankhail. He was arrested after an officer spotted him on a bus on August 14. 

Detectives seized his mobile phone, on which they uncovered chatroom messages to a 14-year-old who he repeatedly called “sexy”. 

Mr Main said Hassankhail’s web history showed “an inordinate and unusual amount of pornographic material”, including searches for girls aged under 18 and videos depicting sex between parents and children.

Hassankhail was found guilty of attempting to take a child from a person having lawful control following a trial at Croydon Youth Court on December 10.

At a sentencing hearing on Thursday, his lawyer Tamsin Ryder, said in mitigation that Hassankhail was “extremely vulnerable” and had suffered “quite horrendous experiences” throughout his life. 

She told the court the Afghan teenager had lost most of his family at a young age, suffered “attempted brainwashing at the hands of the Taliban” and had lived an isolated life without any responsible adults. 

Miss Ryder appealed for Hassankhail to be spared a custodial sentence, which she said would put him at great risk.

But district judge Peter Greenfield said Hassankhail, in denying the charge, had forced the 11-year-old girl to give evidence at his trial and “relive in some respects what you did that day”. 

He dismissed the teenager’s claims that he thought the girl had been a 16-year-old Croydon College student, pointing out her school was clearly signposted as a primary school and had a children’s play area visible from outside. 

He said: “Nevertheless you proceeded to take her away from her lawful custody.” 

Judge Greenfield said he was “not quite clear what would have happened to [the girl] that day”, but added: “Your attempt at meeting the girl at the school was clearly for some sort of sexual relationship.

“I have come to the clear conclusion that your attempt to abduct her was sexually motivated.”

He sentenced Hassankhail to a 18-month detention and training order, of which he will serve half in custody.

March 2015

UPDATED: Four men guilty of child prostitution offences involving a vulnerable 16-year-old girl

A vulnerable teenager was forced into prostitution after getting picked up by an older man who found her sitting alone and dejected on the pavement.

The 16-year-old was raped by one man and sexually assaulted by another after she went home with 27-year-old Christopher Kayla-Joseph following a row with her father. Both men handed over cash. 

Today four men were convicted of conspiring to arrange the prostitution of a child, the first case of its kind in Sussex, after the girl, from Brighton, told her healthcare worker and police were contacted.

Kayla-Joseph, of Elphick Road, Newhaven, had sex with the girl and gave her alcohol and drugs in order to “acclimatise” her for what was to follow, jurors at Hove Crown Court heard.

The abuse in May and June 2013 culminated in one evening when she was raped at a Newhaven flat by a man nearly 40 years her senior to whom she had been introduced with the words: “She’s for you.”

Prosecutors described Kayla-Joseph as the “prime mover” in the exploitation, but said all four were complicit.

They said he slept with her repeatedly and gave her drugs and alcohol in the days before taking her to the home of Mohammed Kamali, 46, in Harper Road, Newhaven.

There Khosrow Sobhanieh, now 56, raped her once and tried to rape her again before giving Kayla-Joseph £60. Stephen Daramola, 48, sexually assaulted her and then gave her £40, which Kayla-Joseph took from her.

This morning jurors at Hove Crown Court convicted all four men of conspiring to arrange the prostitution of an under-18-year-old. Two other men were cleared.

Kayla-Joseph did not face any charges over his sexual intercourse with the teenager, which prosecutors said she complied with so as not to upset him.

Sobhanieh, of North Lane, Guestling, near Hastings, denied any sexual contact with the teenager but was convicted by a majority verdict of one count of rape and unanimously of one count of attempted rape.

Daramola, of Park Lane, Eastbourne, also denied any sexual activity with the girl, but was convicted by majority verdict of one count of sexual assault.

Kayla-Joseph was also convicted of two offences of supplying cocaine – one by himself and one with Kamali, now of Wilimington Gardens, Eastbourne, and Daramola.

Richard Barton, prosecuting, said the case was a “vivid illustration of how a young, vulnerable girl can be exploited so very easily by older men for their own sexual gratification and monetary gain”.

Giuseppi Carella, now 19, of Brighton Rd, Newhaven, was cleared of one count of conspiring to prostitute a child, one count of rape, and one count of being concerned in the supply of class A drugs.

Khalid Del-Rosario, 45, of Upperton Rd, Eastbourne, was cleared of one count of conspiring to prostitute a child and one count of being concerned in the supply of class A drugs.

Speaking outside court, Mr Del-Rosario thanked jurors and said he was pleased to have his name cleared.

The case has been adjourned for sentencing on Monday.

Detective Chief Inspector Mark O’Brien, speaking at the conclusion of the case, said: “This is a landmark case, sending a clear message that anyone who sets out to exploit vulnerable young people in this way can expect to be subject to investigation, and can be brought to justice.

“We also wish to pay tribute to the girl herself, whose evidence, resolutely given with the help of special measures including a screen protecting her from the defendants’ view, was key in ensuring this outcome.

“We also thank the Crown Prosecution Service, and prosecution counsel Richard Barton, for their hard work and the professional and compelling way in which the case was presented.”

March 2015

Man to be sentenced in court for serious sexual offences against 14 victims in Bristol

A MAN is due to be sentenced on Monday morning (March 30) for a string of serious sexual offences against 14 victims.

David Mace, 59, from Bristol, has pleaded guilty to four counts of rape, two counts of indecent assault, two counts of sexual assault, seven counts of voyeurism and one count of sexual activity with a child.

These offences took place in the Bristol area between 1996 – 2013.

Also due to be sentenced alongside Mace will be Kenneth Gavens, 62, who has pleaded guilty to one count of sexual activity with a child and one count of possessing extreme pornographic images.

Both will be sentenced at Bristol Magistrates’ Court on Monday morning at 10.30am.

March 2015

Paedophile fined £25,000 over child abuse images

A man who downloaded indecent videos and photographs of children has been fined £25,000.

Simon Austin, 45, also known as Simon Austin Hamilton, admitted 12 counts of making indecent images at a previous hearing at Guildford Crown Court.

He received suspended jail terms for each offence, which happened between 2007 and 2009.

Austin, who lived in Rustington, Sussex at the time of the offences, was told to attend a sex offenders programme.

He was also ordered to be supervised for two years, sign the sex offenders register indefinitely, and he was given a sex offenders prevention order.

He now lives in North Roe, Shetland.

Austin had also denied seven counts of outraging public decency by making indecent videos of women in secret on the London Underground, and one count of failing to disclose a password, but the prosecution offered no evidence on those charges.

March 2015

Pervert jailed for 10-years for sex attacks against schoolboys

A 72-year-old former Merchant Navy seaman has been jailed for 10 years after being found guilty of a series of sex attacks on teenage boys more than 30 years ago.

John Michael Kendrew, of Galphay, preyed on two teenage boys when he was in his mid-30s and living in Pateley Bridge.

The former travelling salesman’s crimes went undetected for years but came to light when the two victims, now middle-aged, made separate allegations against him.

York Crown Court heard that Kendrew’s sexual abuse of the victims – neither of whom can be named for legal reasons – had resulted in them both suffering severe psychological trauma in their adult years.

Both boys were under the age of consent while being groomed by Kendrew.

Kendrew was arrested in January last year after the victims plucked up the courage to report his crimes, which happened in the 1980s.

He was charged with seven counts of indecent assault, five counts of gross indecency and one count of buggery between 1982 and 1985.

Prosecutor Gerald Hendron said Kendrew – who is married with a family – would drive the boys to isolated spots such as Silver Hill, near Pateley Bridge, where he would park up in quiet lanes and persuade them to look at pornographic magazines, before sexually assaulting them and getting them to perform lewd acts on themselves.

He also lured them to his home where he abused them while his wife was out.

Following his arrest on January 20, 2014, he claimed the allegations were pure “fabrication and fantasy”.

But at his trial at York Crown last month a jury found him guilty on all 13 counts.

Kendrew appeared for sentence on Friday, when Mr Hendron read out a statement from one of the victims who said the abuse had made his life a “living nightmare”.

Defence barrister John Greig said that since Kendrew had been remanded in prison awaiting sentence, his wife had had to leave their home and move into a smaller property because of financial difficulties resulting from her husband’s incarceration.

Jailing Kendrew for 10 years, Judge Stephen Ashurst told him: “You enjoyed a reputation as something of a character in the Pateley Bridge area and you were well known because of your motorbike activities and the like, but today it is revealed that you are someone with a past, and a past which involves the serious abuse of two teenage boys.

“What you did to these boys has had an enormous impact on them as grown men.

“You groomed them over a period of time by introducing them, in your car, to pornography.

“You told both these boys not to say anything, that they wouldn’t be believed. It’s affected them deeply and affected their health.

“In the intervening years, you have had the benefits of enjoying your liberty and your reputation in town. All that is now tarnished and you are going to have to live your later years in disgrace.”

As well as the jail sentence, the prosecution asked Mr Ashurst to make a Sexual Harm Prevention Order to impose further restrictions on Kendrew including a ban on him having anyone under the age of 16 at his home.

Mr Ashurst said the best time to consider such an order would be when Kendrew is released from prison.

However, he made an immediate order under the Sex Offenders Act, which requires Kendrew to notify the authorities about any change in his circumstances for the rest of his life.

The judge told Kendrew: “I’ve come to the conclusion that you are a somewhat arrogant and selfish man, and you only have yourself to blame.”