April 2015

Barrow pervert caught with indecent images of a child

A MAN who was found to be in possession of indecent photographs of a child has had to sign the Sex Offenders Register.

Gordon Brown, 35, of Montague Street in Barrow, pleaded guilty at Furness Magistrates’ Court yesterday.

He was found to be in possession of the images after police carried out a search of his home.

Four of the images were classed as category C, which is the lowest on the scale. One image was classed as category B.

Brown will appear at Furness Magistrates’ Court for sentencing on April 9.

April 2015

Flitwick man sentenced after indecent images of children found on computer by carer

When Kenneth Murray had problems with his computer, he asked his carer to help him.

But the 59 year old, who was in poor health, hadn’t bargained on her finding his sick horde of indecent images of young children being abused.

Luton crown court heard that was what had happened when the carer came across tell-tale search terms he had been using to locate deprived images on the internet.

As a result of the discovery, police went to Murray’s home in Roman Way, Flitwick, where his computer was seized and he was arrested.

He pleaded guilty to six offences of making indecent photos of a child and one offence of possessing extreme pornographic images.

The court heard how Murray, who had a stroke 25 years ago and who now suffers memory loss, epilepsy and depression, was visited by his carer on 24 October 2013.

When he told her he was unable to open pages on the computer, she agreed to have a look, only to discover search terms he had been using to go to child abuse sites on the internet.

Judge David Farrell QC, hearing the case, was told that some of the images subsequently found included some of the very worst and his collection of extreme pornography ran to 813 images.

Passing sentence, Judge Farrell told Murray that by watching the depraved images, he himself was party to child abuse.

He said “Viewing this type of material is exactly that, because children are being sexually abused for your perverted sexual gratification so you can masturbate to it. It’s disgusting and horrific and you have got to mend your ways.”

He sentenced Murray to eight months imprisonment, which will be suspended for two years. He will also be under the supervision of the probation service and he was made the subject of a sexual harm prevention order.

His name will also go on the sex offenders’ register for ten years and the judge ordered that his computer should be destroyed.

“You must understand this type of behaviour will not be tolerated in the future. You must learn that viewing this type of material will result in significant custodial sentences if you do it again,” the judge said

April 2015

Convicted child abuser ‘will carry on teaching kids karate’

A FORMER music teacher and karate instructor has been convicted of four indecent assaults on two underage girls.

Dominic Shawcross, of Foxborough Hill, Woodnesborough, was convicted at Canterbury Crown Court on March 19 and must sign the sex offenders’ register.

The 44-year-old was bailed pending sentencing on May 8.

Shawcross was originally charged with nine counts of indecent assault and gross indecency. The jury failed to reach a verdict on the other charges.

He no longer works as a music teacher but says he will continue to instruct junior karate classes that are supervised by another tutor. This will not be in breach of his bail conditions.

Shawcross has taught karate classes throughout Dover district, focusing on areas in Deal, Woodnesborough and Sandwich.

He has also taught a variety of musical instruments alongside being a qualified archery instructor and reflexologist, according to his website.

Shawcross’ case relates to incidents in Deal and Sandwich, which came to light early last year.

Speaking after his conviction, Shawcross, who denied the charges, said: “The whole thing has destroyed my life. A 21-year career as a teacher has been destroyed. It is a nightmare.”

But a female who said she was one of his victims said: “It’s a relief. I’m very glad he’s been convicted.

“It had a massive impact on my younger years.”

The legal proceedings against Shawcross began in April 2014 at Folkestone Magistrates Court where details of the cases began to emerge.

The case was sent to Canterbury Crown Court, where then trial began in September 2014.

April 2015

Okehampton child abuser facing jail after being trapped by vigilante mum with smartphone

A child abuser is facing a long jail sentence after he was trapped into making a video recorded confession by the mother of his three victims.

Barry Midgley was found guilty of molesting the three sisters at his home in Okehampton after the jury at Exeter Crown Court were shown the smartphone footage of the confrontation.

Midgley abused the girls over a 13 year period.

Their mother only found out the truth once they were grown up and went with one of them to Midgley’s home to accuse him.

She made a secret video recording on a smartphone which proved to be vital evidence against him. He started off by denying everything but finally accepted what he had done and offered to apologise.

Widower Barry Midgley, aged 67, of Wonnacotts Road, Okehampton, denies 20 charges but was found guilty of one attempted rape, seven indecent assaults, and six offences of sexual activity with a child.

He was remanded in custody by Judge Phillip Wassall and told he faces a very long jail sentence.

The judge said:”You have been convicted by the jury of extremely serious sexual offences which will carry a very long custodial sentence.

“The sentence will have to reflect the incredibly serious offending which has had a profound effect on the victims.”

He adjourned sentence until Midgley’s barrister Mr Mark Jackson can prepare a plea of mitigation on his behalf.

During the week-long trial the prosecution alleged he touched the girls when they visited his home and they told their mother at the time they did not want to go back to his home because he was ‘weird and a bit of a perv’.

Their mother became suspicious after overhearing him making inappropriate comments in 2013 and went to his home to accuse him of abusing her three daughters.

Midgley told the jury he had never done anything inappropriate sexually to any of the girls and that his apparent confession recorded on the mother’s phone was not true.

He said he had met the girls regularly at a café in Okehampton and the British Legion Club and they had never mentioned their allegations before. He described their claims as ‘all this nonsense’.

Midgley said he was browbeaten into agreeing with the mother’s allegations when she came to his home with one of the girls in November 2013.

He said:”It really upset me. I did not know if I was coming or going. I could not believe they were saying these things. I did not know what to say. I kept saying no, no, no.

“In the end I said okay, just to get rid of them. I did not say it because it was true. I knew I had not done it. It felt like they wanted to pin something on me and put me away and that upset me.

“When I apologised that was me saying ‘for God’s sake, I’ll accept anything you want, just go. It was not me admitting it.”

April 2015

Telford father who killed baby son jailed for 10 years

A man has been jailed for 10 years for killing his 11-month-old son who died after suffering a skull fracture.

Paul Thomas, 29, from Telford, Shropshire, was acquitted of murder but convicted of the manslaughter of Oliver Sargent, who died in 2012.

His wife, Ashlea, 21, was cleared of murder and manslaughter at Birmingham Crown Court but convicted of causing or allowing the death of her child.

She was given a two-year jail term, suspended for two years.

Her son died in hospital in 27 July 2012 after sustaining the skull fracture during an assault. The court heard he had injuries consist with a 40mph car crash.

The pair were convicted by majority verdict after a five-week trial.

During the trial, Paul Thomas, a builder, had suggested his pet dog may have “accidentally” injured Oliver, who suffered a bleed on the brain after being shaken.

Post-mortem tests established that the boy, who had 13 separate marks on his body and face, had been subjected to at least one impact to the left side of his head.

Further medical investigations discovered historic injuries, including two fractured ribs and a broken collar bone, all of which had healed.

Oliver’s parents had allowed their child “to suffer unimaginable pain until the day he died” and described the case as “heart-breaking”.

The court had learned of texts sent four months before the death, where Mrs Thomas accused her husband of banging the child’s head but then accepted his explanation.

After initial hospital treatment, Oliver was transferred to Birmingham Children’s Hospital and while there, a nurse overheard Mrs Thomas ask her mother “how long do you think I am going to get?”

Thomas asked a police officer what sort of prison sentence someone might get for what had happened to his son.

Sentencing Paul Thomas, Mr Justice Nicholas Green told him he had killed his son “in a moment of unthinking madness”.

The judge accepted evidence that at times, Thomas could be “a good and loving father”, but he told him “you had a temper and a short fuse”.

The judge told his wife, a former nursery nurse, she was “genuinely concerned and cared for Oliver” but “never accepted Paul was a risk to Oliver and you repeated this assertion in court”.

He said: “It is impossible to say that had you raised concerns, they would have led to Oliver being alive today.

April 2015

Assistant Scout Leader convicted of 18 sexual offences

Robert Hepburn, 28, unemployed, of The Fieldings, Southwater, was convicted at Hove Crown Court on Monday (30 March) of 18 sexual offences, according to a statement issued by the police.

The statement said ten of the offences were of causing or inciting engagement in sexual activity, seven were of possession of indecent images and videos of children, and one was of possessing prohibited images.

The case was adjourned for sentencing on Tuesday 5 May. Hepburn currently remains on court bail.

Police said there was no evidence of direct physical ‘contact’ offending against children. A spokesman added: ‘‘There is no evidence to suggest that any children are currently at risk.’’

Detective Constable Phil Peadon said: “Hepburn was an Assistant Scout Leader. We arrested him in August 2013 after receiving information, and numerous indecent images and videos and some prohibited images were found on a computer we seized from his address. Thousands of Skype and MSN Chat Logs were also been found on the computer and a number of Skype User Ids and email addresses were created.

“He then used these Ids and email addresses to contact young boys and one young girl befriending them before exchanging indecent images and sexually explicit messages and in some cases watching them carry out indecent acts on webcam.

“We have had the fullest co-operation from the Scouts Association and from local authority Children’s Services throughout this investigation, and families of the boys concerned have been kept informed.”

April 2015

Scunthorpe man escapes prison over indecent images of children

POLICE found thousands of pictures of child abuse after raiding a former soldier’s home and searching his computer equipment, a court heard.

Daniel Howard, 61, of Edgemere, Scunthorpe, admitted eight offences of making indecent images of children and another of possessing them between October 1, 2010 and April 5 last year.

Tom Ledden, prosecuting, told Grimsby Crown Court that police investigated after a woman found many indecent images on a digital photo frame that had been used by Howard.

Police “raided” his home and seized two laptops and two computer towers. They found 3,280 indecent images of children.

Two bags of video cassettes were also found and there were 60 disks in a wallet under a sofa.

One had 456 images on it set to music and two other similar ones had 1,077 and 77 pictures.

Howard told police he made the collections out of boredom and claimed he was not attracted to children.

Craig Lowe, mitigating, said Howard admitted the other disks that were not analysed by police contained similar images.

He had not tried to blame others and had no previous convictions.

“He has expressed remorse for what he has done,” said Mr Lowe. “He is ashamed and embarrassed by his actions.”

Howard had served in the army, including in Ireland in 1972, where he was based in Londonderry during the Troubles and, during his four months of active service, three people he knew were shot and killed.

“He catalogued indecent images of children as a hobby,” said Mr Lowe. “He has now moved on.”

Unemployed Howard was given a one-year suspended prison sentence, a two-year supervision order, including a sex offender treatment programme, and a 10-year sexual offences prevention order.

He was told to register as a sex offender for 10 years and must pay £425 costs.

April 2015

Step-dad jailed after drilling hole into ornament to secretly film girl in the bath with spy camera

A teenager says her life has been ruined after she discovered her stepdad had been secretly filming her in the bath using a hidden spy camera.

Nicholas Faux, 47, admitted drilling a hole in a decorative shell in the bathroom to film his victim getting out of the bath.

Step-daughter Bronwyn, of Clacton, was horrified to discover seven videos, including two of herself, on a computer memory stick she found in a cabinet in February last year.

Police also found 921 indecent still images and videos of children on laptop computers, including 146 of the most serious level of child abuse images.

April 2015

Staffordshire man jailed for “campaign of rape” against schoolgirl

A Staffordshire man has been sentenced to 12 years in prison for raping a young girl.

Brian Jones, 67, of Sycamore Green, Cannock, led a ‘campaign of rape’, which took place 25 years ago, Stafford Crown Court heard.

The girl was subject to sexual assaults from the age of 11 and repeated rapes from the age of 12, the court was told.

Rebecca Wade, prosecuting, told the court that such assaults would happen on “at least three occasions some weeks”.

She said such abuse has had a “profound effect” on the victim’s life.

The court also heard Jones had apparently bragged to a friend of his abuse against the victim.

Sentencing Jones, Judge Paul Glenn told him: “You raped a child when she was 12 until she was 14, which must have been truly horrific for her.”

Jones will serve half of his sentence in custody, and will be placed on licence for the remainder of his sentence.

April 2015

Hull teaching assistant jailed over 200,000 ‘disgusting’ images of children

A TEACHING assistant has been jailed for 18 months for making or possessing more than 200,000 “disgusting” images of children, and sexually assaulting a child

Lee Burnett, 47, worked in schools across Hull before his arrest following an international police operation.

He was caught after information provided by Canadian police relating to the sale of DVDs was passed to the Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre (CEOP).

Burnett claimed he had “given up” looking for indecent images on the internet two years before his arrest, but Hull Crown Court heard this was impossible to prove.

His offending spanned eight years to January 2014, and during that time he worked at a number of primary and secondary schools.

Between 2000 and 2010, he was a paid learning mentor at Archbishop Thurston secondary in Hopewell Road, east Hull, which became Archbishop Sentamu Academy in Preston Road, east Hull, in 2008.

Burnett was a volunteer study supervisor at the former Kingswood College of Arts between 2012 and 2013, when it became Kingswood Academy.

He worked as a teaching assistant at Newington Academy, a primary school in Dairycoates Avenue, west Hull, between November 2013, and February last year.

Burnett, of Carol Dickson Court, west Hull, admitted 12 counts of making or possessing indecent photographs of children, one count of possessing extreme pornographic images, and one of sexual assault on a child under 13.

The assault victim cannot be identified for legal reasons.

In total, he had more than 200,000 indecent images of children, about 3,000 extreme pornographic images, and about 1,000 extreme pornographic films.

Jailing Burnett for a total of 18 months, Judge Michael Mettyear told him: “The images were numerous and disgusting and they were kept on a number of different devices.

“Thank goodness there was no distribution or sharing of the images.

“So far as those images are concerned, it’s not suggested you were the person actually carrying out the abuse, but even viewing can encourage those that are abusing to continue what they are doing, because they know that there is a market for people like you.

“You claimed there was no new material downloaded for a period of two years – it’s impossible to prove that one way or the other.

“It’s quite clear there was major activity right up to the time that you were arrested.

“It’s clear that you are an isolated, somewhat lonely man, and the written evidence put before me shows that you are liked by those close to you.

“Your problem is that you have a sexual attraction to children.”

Burnett was ordered to sign the sex offenders’ register for ten years.

In a statement, Kate Munson, interim independent chair of the Hull Safeguarding Children Board (HSCB), said: “The HSCB and its member agencies work together to ensure that people who are employed to work with children and young people who commit such offences are brought swiftly to justice.

“Mr Burnett was working at Newington Academy at the time of his arrest.

“He has previously worked at two other schools in the city.

“As soon as he was arrested by the police he was suspended from duty.

“He is no longer employed by any local school”

June 2010

Pervert jailed for sexual activity with schoolgirl

A man from Bellingham has been jailed after luring a schoolgirl to Hexham for a sex session on Tyne Green.

At 29, Lee Golden was almost twice the age of the 15-year-old he groomed for sex over social networking internet site Facebook.

Golden, of Hillside, appeared at Newcastle Crown Court on Wednesday, where he admitted charges of meeting a child following sexual grooming and having sexual activity with a child.

Judge David Hodson heard that after exchanging mobile phone numbers and explicit messages, Golden arranged to meet the youngster in November last year.

They met at Hexham bus station before heading to a wooden shelter at Tyne Green and engaging in activity which stopped short of full sex.

Prosecutor Tim Gittens told the court: “During the autumn last year they were using the social networking site Facebook.

“During October and November last year the defendant began to talk to her via the site and at one stage sent her some sort of chainmail survey indicating he rated her as a 10.

“This indicated he wanted to have full sex.

“Following that survey, there were a number of messages between the two which became progressively more sexually explicit.

“This eventually resulted in them exchanging mobile phone numbers so they could be more secret.

“The pair continued to keep in contact but the police became involved before they could have a second meeting after the girl’s mother discovered some of the explicit texts.”

Defending, Alec Burns, told the court the survey was not initiated by Golden, but was sent to everybody on the girl’s Facebook list.

Mr Burns said: “He responded entirely inappropriately.

“He thought it was a joke at that stage but accepts things developed in the way they should not have done and just kept developing.

“This is a young man who understands he has done wrong.”

Golden was jailed for nine months on each charge, to run concurrently, and must sign the Sex Offenders’ Register for seven years.

Following the hearing, the mother of the victim said she was shocked the sentence was not more severe.

April 2015

Convicted paedophile says his ‘conscience is clear’ – Guilty of abuse of 3 boys

A paedophile declared “my conscience is clear” despite being unanimously convicted of sexually abusing three young brothers.

The Newry Crown Court jury of seven men and five women deliberated for just over four and a half hours before convicting 38-year-old Jason Paul Magill on 26 offences by unanimous verdicts.

Magill, from Moody Park, Scarva was found unanimously guilty of:

1. Six offences of inciting a child under 13 to engage in sexual activity

2. Three of possessing indecent images of children

3. Six counts of causing a child to watch a sexual act

4. Five of making threats to kill the three boys and their mother

5. Five counts of sexually assaulting two of the children

6. One offence of sexually grooming his nine-year-old victim

The jury did, however, find Magill unanimously not guilty of three further charges of sexually assaulting his 10-year-old victim.

As he was lead to the cells, the paedophile was overheard telling prison officers “my conscience is clear”.

Magill committed the offences on various dates between 1 February 2012 and 26 July 2013 when his victims were just nine, 10 and 11 years old respectively.

The offences came to light when the boys’ parents discovered that Magill and the 10-year-old boy had been exchanging explicit images and messages with each other.

It was when the concerned parents spoke with their sons that they disclosed Magill had touched two of them inappropriately, had forced them to touch his private parts and had shown all three sexually explicit images of adults engaging in sex acts.

The day after that disclosure, police seized Magill’s Ipod and laptop and uncovered that he had tried to delete a sexually explicit video of the 10-year-old schoolboy “touching himself in a sexual way” saying he wanted to have sex with depraved Magill.

Magill threatened to kill them if they told anyone about what he was doing.

Magill gave evidence on his own behalf and denied the offences, claiming he had done nothing wrong.

Trial Judge Patricia Smyth ordered Magill to sign the police sex offenders register.

Remanding him back into custody and adjourning passing sentence until 8 May, the judge ordered both victim impact and probation 
presentence reports to be compiled.

Speaking outside the court, a relative of Magill’s victims said: “It’s been a few years of hell but there’s light at the end of the tunnel from this pervert who had victimised these kids.”

April 2015

Man admits possessing indecent child images on laptop

A man admitted having indecent photographs of children on his laptop.

Forfar Sheriff Court heard that Jason Tonner’s laptop contained 148 indecent images of children and one video.

The images were mostly of girls aged from infant up to 14. The 40-second video clip was of children aged 12 to 14.

Tonner, 36, now of Accrington, admitted having indecent photographs or pseudo photographs of children at St Abb’s Road, Arbroath, between November 11 2011 and October 31 2013.

Depute fiscal Joanne Smith said Tonner had been in a four-year relationship with a woman before he moved out. He left a Toshiba laptop behind and she found thumbnail images of a young girl on it.

She called the police. The laptop was searched and the images and video were found.

Sentence was deferred until April 30 for reports.

April 2015

Married man set up fake Facebook profile to send explicit pictures to girl, 13

A 42-year-old husband set up a fake Facebook profile pretending to be someone much younger – and who sent dirty pictures of himself to a 13-year-old girl has escaped a prison sentence

Anthony Dobbs persuaded the teenager to become his internet friend after setting up the fake online profile, whilst pretending to be much younger.

“He even posted pictures of a young male, saying it was him”, prosecuting counsel Rebecca Griffiths told Cardiff Crown Court.

“He talked about other youngsters he was aware the girl knew, in order to get her to accept him as a ‘friend’.

“And within a month or so, he had sent her the first picture of himself while sexually aroused.

“Other pictures, some with him exposed, others in his boxer shorts, followed.”

Dobbs who at the time had been in a relationship with his wife for 13 years and married for three years, later told the girl he could not reveal his true identity because he had too much to lose.

But eventually he did tell her who he was and she recognised him.

Ms Griffiths said: “The messages continued even then, although the girl told him to stop what he was doing and said she knew he had a wife and children.

“There were suggestive messages like ‘would have met you at the bus stop and given you one’”

When the contact eventually came to light and Dobbs’ wife was shown the pictures, she confirmed his identity although his face couldn’t be seen.

“She said she felt physically sick.”

Dobbs, of Wern Road, Sebastopol, Pontypool admitted to police he set up the false Facebook account just to contact the girl saying he “didn’t know where his head was” at the time.

His mother had been diagnosed with cancer and had since died and the girl made him forget what was happening in his life.

He claimed it had just been a laugh and a fantasy and he would never have actually intended to meet her for sex.

Defence counsel Hilary Roberts said: “He’s been a hard working man and was leading a seemingly ordinary family life.

“But this has put his life in turmoil and he’s been dismissed from his job as a result.”

Pre-sentence reports on Dobbs, who admitted a charge of inciting a child into sexual activity, claimed he wouldn’t face up to what he had done.

Judge Thomas Crowther QC told him the law was in place to protect children from adults like him and rejected as “ludicrous” Dobbs’ claims that it had been only fun and not sexually gratifying for him.

“She was a child and it is disturbing you were harbouring sexual thoughts.

“It is also worrying see from the report that you were previously arrested in relation to serious allegations involving an older young person, a matter which was not pursued.”

The judge said it was his duty was to protect the public and that was best done by imposing a three-year sex offender intensive treatment programme.

The alternative was a short prison sentence and release after just a few months, with no follow-up intervention.

Dobbs name was put on the Sex Offenders Register indefinitely and a Sexual Harm Prevention Order was imposed to restrict his future contact with young people.

April 2015

Man admits possessing indecent images of children.

Harvey Mulcahy, 29, entered guilty pleas to a total of 11 charges when he appeared at Carlisle Crown Court today.

Mulcahy, of Brampton Road, Alston, made more than 100 indecent still and moving photographs of children, one of whom was aged just seven years. The offences took place between August, 2007, and October, 2013.

The case was adjourned until April 30, when Mulcahy will return to the crown court for sentence. Background reports will be prepared in the meantime.

Mulcahy was remanded on bail. One of the conditions states that he must not have any unsupervised contact with any children aged under 16.

Judge Peter Hughes QC told him: “You are now subject to notification requirements of sex offender registration. You must provide details of your address at all times and cannot leave the country without notification or authorisation.”

April 2015

A Sex offender who “groomed” vulnerable schoolgirl for sex while he was living at an Ipswich probation hostel has been jailed for six years

Anthony Bridgestock, 29, had been living at the hostel in Fuchsia Lane for a few weeks last September when he approached the 15-year-old girl in Ipswich and asked her how old she was, Ipswich Crown Court heard.

He text the girl, met up with her and walked her to school as part of a grooming process, said Andrew Thompson, prosecuting.

On September 23, Bridgestock simulated sexual intercourse with the girl while she was lying in a park and touched her intimately under her clothing. He later had sex with the girl on three occasions.

Bridgestock admitted two offences of sexual activity with a child, two offences of breaching a sexual offences prevention order and two offences of penetrative sexual activity with the girl.

Jailing him for six years, ordering him to sign the sex offenders’ register and making him the subject of a sexual harm prevention order until further notice, Judge David Goodin said Bridgestock met the girl and “groomed” her for sex within a few weeks of avoiding custody for sexually assaulting a girl aged 12.

Mr Thompson said that on September 2, Bridgestock formerly of Kings Lynn was given a community order for sexually assaulting a 12-year-old girl and came to live at a probation hostel.

“Within a very short period of time he was having contact with the victim who was a vulnerable 15-year-old girl,” Mr Thomson said.

Andrew Shaw, for Bridgestock, accepted his client had herpes when he committed the sexual offences.

April 2015

Prison for paedophile whose child abuse images were ‘among worst police have seen’

A PAEDOPHILE who collected and distributed some of the most disturbing films and images of child abuse experienced police officers have seen has been jailed for three years.

Police raided Alan Haggie’s home in Frome Road, east Hull, on November 12, 2013, and seized computer equipment.

They found 3,758 indecent films and images of children, and 94 extreme pornographic images of people having sex with animals.

He was arrested and interviewed, and other than stating that his wife could not use the computers, made no comment.

Haggie admitted:

1. Three counts of making indecent images of children

2. Two counts of making indecent images and movies of children

3. Two of distributing indecent images of children

4. Six of possessing extreme pornographic images

Hull Crown Court heard the films showed men abusing children as young as two years old.

Two examples were read out in court, but the details were too distressing to publish.

Judge Michael Mettyear said: “Experienced police officers were horrified by the degree of depravity shown in these movies.”

Emails were also found, in which Haggie claimed to have had sex with children aged nine and 11.

In later interviews, when Haggie was asked about a “story” he had received about a child aged nine being abused, he replied: “It’s just a story.”

He claimed he was “against sex with children”.

When he was asked how that view was compatible with the material in his possession, “he did not have an explanation”, said Chris Dunn, prosecuting.

Richard Thompson, defending, said: “It’s clear from the pre-sentence report that the defendant has had difficulty taking full responsibility for the downloading and sharing of these images.

“He has taken the first step with his plea of guilty.”

Sentencing Haggie, Judge Mettyear told him: “Police officers, who as part of their duty had to look at these images and videos, were shocked and appalled at what they saw, describing them as among the worst they had ever seen.

“This was shocking and disgusting behaviour. Only immediate custody can be justified.”

Haggie was made subject to a five-year sexual harm prevention order and must register as a sex offender for ten years.

April 2015

Pensioner who sexually abused children in the 1970s and 80s is jailed for 22 years

An “evil” pensioner has been sentenced to 22 years in prison for a campaign of rape and sexual abuse in the 1970s and 80s.

Bradford Crown Court heard today (Thursday) that 74-year-old Anthony George had helped more than 20 children as a foster carer and also had links to a local scout group, but Judge Jonathan Durham Hall QC said any previous good character or contribution to the community had been marred by the extent of his offending.

Last month George, of Burnley Road, Luddenden Foot pleaded guilty to a series of offences including two rapes, buggery and indecency with a child in relation to three complainants who cannot be identified for legal reasons.

The victims, a man and two women, were in court to see George jailed for the crimes he committed against them between 1975 and 1987.

Prosecutor Mark McKone said George started to abuse the male complainant, who was only 10 at the time, after telling him he was going to teach him about sex.

The court heard that all three youngsters were abused repeatedly and in various locations and Mr McKone summarised their victim personal statements which outlined the severe effects of George’s activities.

One of the female complainants, who was raped on two occasions, said she had been “emotionally scarred” by his crimes and felt very angry towards George.

Judge Durham Hall described George’s offending as “a very grave campaign” of sexual abuse and he agreed with the victims’ description of the defendant as evil.

The judge highlighted the courage shown by the victims who he said had been the “survivors” of George’s behaviour.

Judge Durham Hall said all three victims were vulnerable at the time and he told George: “You committed these offences and must be punished for them regardless of the years that have passed.”

He said George, who has problems with diabetes and arthritis, would have to serve at least half of the 22-year sentence adding: “If you survive that long.”

A sexual offences prevention order was imposed which bans George from having any contact with his victims for the rest of his life and he will also be registered as a sex offender with the police.

Barrister Jeremy Lindsay, for George, said there was no excuse or explanation for why a man who had done so much good turned into the kind of repulsive monster that the press and public vilify.

Mr Lindsay highlighted the fact that his client had admitted the 17 offences at a hearing last month and that had spared the complainants of having to relive the events during a trial.

“This man has not offended since the late 1980s and 27 or 28 years have elapsed,” said Mr Lindsay.

“There is no evidence that he presents a threat now to any child.”

Speaking after the case, Inspector David Shaw, of Calderdale Safeguarding Unit, said: “This substantial sentence sends a clear message that those who sexually abuse others will not be tolerated.

“The victims in this case have been incredibly brave in giving their evidence, and now George will now almost certainly spend the rest of his life behind bars.

“I hope this also sends a positive message to others that no matter how long ago an offence took place, we will still thoroughly investigate allegations and encourage victims to come forward.

“Anyone who may be a victim, or knows someone who may be a victim of a sexual offence can contact Calderdale Safeguarding Unit via 101.”

December 2005

Paedophile who posed as teen in internet chatroom to groom 13-year-old girl is jailed

Pervert Nigel Kingsley tricked a 13-year-old into emailing him nude pictures of herself – under the threat of revealing her secrets to her parents and blackmailed another 13-year-old girl.

Pretending to be an 18-year-old, Kingsley, who lives with his mother at Malthouse Way, Barrington, wheedled his way into the youngsters’ confidence with the aim of indulging in “cybersex”, Cambridge Crown Court was told.

The 35-year-old former factory worker, who has been jailed for two years, ensnared the girls when he appeared uninvited in an MSN chatroom they used to communicate with other teens.

It was not long before he had elicited some of the girls’ personal secrets and persuaded them to give him their mobile phone numbers.

Kingsley began blackmailing the first girl – warning he would tell all to her parents if she did not do as he asked.

The frightened youngster did as she was told while perverted Kingsley listened over a mobile phone.

The coercion continued with the girl’s friend, who Kingsley persuaded to part with intimate details about herself.

He threatened to pass on her secrets to her parents if she refused to send him photos of herself naked.

The youngster emailed six pictures in a bid to stop him carrying out his threat, Hugh Vass, prosecuting, told the court.

When the worried children finally told their parents what had been happening, Kingsley, who had given the girls his name and address, was arrested and his computer seized.

His mobile phone was proof of his threats.

One of his texts read: “Answer your phone or I will be telling your parents. It is good to talk. It is payback time.”

Kingsley, who, it was revealed, is blaming the girls for what happened and is “harbouring resentment” against one of them, pleaded guilty to inciting the first youngster to commit an act of gross indecency and also admitted asking the second girl to provide the photos.

The charges relate to a “course of conduct” Kingsley carried out in relation to the girls in 2002 and 2003. He told police he had stopped entering chatrooms because he had heard people were “getting into trouble”.

But even after he was arrested in March last year, police found he had bought a second computer and was in contact with a woman in another chatroom – using the same methods he had used with the 13-year-olds.

And when the woman, shocked at Kingsley’s suggestions, pretended she was under 16, he persisted.

Now ashamed and depressed, Kingsley, who has lost his job, is inadequate and needs help, urged his counsel, Michael Duffy.

But Judge Jonathan Haworth rejected an appeal for a community sentence and told Kingsley: “When you were interviewed, you denied being a paedophile. By your guilty pleas you acknowledge that is exactly what you are.

“This court has a duty to protect young children from your attentions by punishing you and by passing a sentence to make clear that deceptive and coercive behaviour towards young girls will not be tolerated.”

The judge said he regarded Kingsley as a risk and in addition to two years’ jail added an extended three-year licence, prohibited him, indefinitely, from working with children and imposed a Sexual Offences Prevention Order banning him from accessing any internet chat- room for the next 10 years.

April 2015

Bestwood woman (38) jailed for sexual offences with under-age schoolboy

Rebecca Stirk, 38, of Landcroft Crescent in Bestwood was found guilty of sexual offences, 1st April 2015 at Nottingham Crown Court, after it was discovered she had been having a sexual relationship over a period of months, with a 15 year old boy.

The offences took place at her home in Bestwood.

She was sentenced to 30 months in prison, issued with a sexual offences prevention order (SOPO), and has been put on the sex offenders’ register for life.

DC Neil Beddoe, who investigated the case said: “This woman manipulated a young boy into having a sexual relationship. Her actions have ruined his life, and he has to deal the emotional trauma of the events of 2014. Stirk should have known better and will now serve time behind bars for what she has done.”