April 2015

Girl tells how her life is ruined after sex assault

A TEEN subjected to an ‘unforgivable’ sexual assault has told how her life has been devastated.

The girl was 16 when Billy Joe Thorne took advantage of her and carried out the ‘humiliating’ and ‘demeaning’ assault in Fareham.

Thorne, 23, encouraged two teenage boys to film what he did, Portsmouth Crown Court heard.

Speaking to The News, the victim – who cannot be identified – said she wanted to see Thorne jailed but he was given a suspended jail term.

Now 17, she said the assault has changed her life and she carries a rape alarm and feels vulnerable near men.

She said: ‘Even when I see someone, I put a hand in my pocket and hold it just in case.

‘I never walk by myself. I never distrusted people but now I do.’

On the night of the assault she was screaming and inconsolable after a friend told her what had happened.

The next morning she was horrified to find the video had been shared and that people were talking about her online.

She said: ‘It was horrible, I felt anxious, I couldn’t stop crying. It was like I’d been betrayed by so many people.’

The girl’s mother added: ‘She was hysterical when she came home that night, she was shouting and screaming.

‘She doesn’t really go out or like being left at the house on her own now.’

Details of Thorne’s assault were given in court but are not being printed in The News.

Bravely sat in court the victim watched as Judge Sarah Munro QC handed Thorne a 12-month prison term suspended for two years.

‘I wanted Thorne to go to prison,’ she told The News.

‘He will think he can do it again and again and get away with it.

‘I just feel sorry for anyone he comes across, he’s just going to hurt them.’

The court heard the victim was drunk during the assault early last year.

Judge Munro said Thorne had taken advantage of her state. Addressing the dad-of-one, she said: ‘You, Mr Thorne, took advantage of her and treated her in a troubling and demeaning way.

‘You were showing off. The activity was filmed by one or more of the other young lads.

‘What was happening was demeaning, humiliating and unforgivable.’

She added the recording was distributed between the boys, Thorne and Ben Iles.

Iles, 19, was present and later admitted possessing an indecent image of a child after Thorne sent the video.

Judge Munro, who told Iles and Thorne she watched the video before sentencing them, said to Thorne: ‘You plainly saw her as a sex object.

‘You encouraged others younger than you to take part.

‘The fact you socialise with younger boys shows your immaturity.’

She added Thorne ‘thoroughly deserves to go to prison’ but suspended his jail term and gave him a curfew.

‘You will be a prisoner in your own home,’ she added.

Thorne, of Lower Bellfield, Titchfield, admitted sexual assault, encouraging or assisting the commission of an offence – the taking of the video – and possessing an indecent photograph of a child.

He must sign the sex offenders’ register for five years, take part in a sex offender programme and complete two years of supervision.

Iles, of Salterns Estate, Fareham, was given a 12-month community order and supervision requirement.

Two boys, 16 and from Fareham, were referred to youth offender panels at Fareham Youth Court after one admitted showing the video and the other admitted taking it.

Detective’s warning over video offences

DISGUSTING Billy Thorne preyed on a vulnerable drunk teenage girl.

Detective Constable Erica Leigh, who investigated the case, said the 23-year-old did so for his own enjoyment.

Det Con Leigh, from Hampshire police, said: ‘He took advantage of a vulnerable girl and encouraged others to film what he was doing purely for his enjoyment.’

She also warned that children were unaware sharing such a video was a criminal act.

‘Young people aren’t aware if they send videos of that nature they are committing offences,’ she said.

April 2015

Pervert who admitted sexually abusing two young girls told he faces a substantial jail sentence

Darren McCarron, 31, was charged with seven child sex offences but at Carlisle Crown Court yesterday a Crown Prosecution Service lawyer accepted his guilty pleas to just three of those allegations.

The prosecutor in court said it would not be in the public interest to pursue the charges McCarron denies.

McCarron, of Coronation Street, Maryport, admitted two counts of sexual activity with one girl and a third similar offence, a count of sexual assault, against another young girl.

The defendant committed all the offences he admitted in November and December of last year, the court heard. Neither of the victims he molested can be named for legal reasons.

Timothy Brennand, prosecuting, said that the circumstances surrounding the remaining allegations meant it would not be in the public interest to have a trial.

Those alleged offences were all said to have been committed by McCarron on dates between November 1 and December 14 last year.

Recorder Simon Medland QC ordered that the Probation Service should now prepare background reports on the defendant, who will remain remanded in custody until the date of his sentence.

He told McCarron: “The most likely outcome of this is a substantial sentence of imprisonment.”

The defendant, who in court spoke only to confirm his name and to enter his pleas, will be sentenced on June 5 at Carlisle Crown Court.

April 2013

Hearing to establish facts of the case finds paedophile with Dementia guilty of abusing daughters

Two sisters whose paedophile father raped them for 20 years wept after a judge freed him because he has dementia.

The women warned that other attackers could use the same legal loophole as their 79-year-old father Leslie Brookfield.

They have spoken out after the Crown Prosecution Service controversially decided Labour peer and former Leicester MP Greville Janner will not face trial on allegations of child sex abuse on the grounds of his dementia.

Brookfield, of Didsbury Street, Braunstone, was mentally fit at the time he raped his children – but the crimes were not reported to police until years later.

A judge at Leicester Crown Court has now ruled he is suffering from dementia and is not fit to face trial.

However, a hearing to establish the facts of the case, found he attacked his daughters repeatedly over two decades between 1962 and 1982.

But as Judge Nicholas Dean, QC, ruled he was not mentally fit to defend himself at a trial, no criminal conviction was made.

Daughters Helen, 49, and Ruth, 54, said they will never know justice.

Helen said: “We’re devastated that justice will never be served.

“I know that dementia is a very serious, debilitating illness. But does that mean people should escape prison?

“The law needs to look at how it can punish these offenders. Otherwise it’s an insult to the abused, who are made victims a second time when the offender walks free.”

The court heard Ruth was raped from the time she was a toddler. As she grew older her father would tie her hands with a chain during attacks.

She said: “He’d put our kittens and puppies in the washing machine and snap the necks of our rabbits. It was his way of showing he was the boss.”

The abuse only stopped when Ruth got her first boyfriend, aged 15. But Brookfield then turned his attention to Helen.

Ruth went to the police in 1993, but other family members called her a liar and Helen felt too vulnerable to back up her story.

The case was dropped.

When Helen made a complaint in 2012, police found Ruth’s original statement. By then doctors said Brookfield had dementia.

Helen said: “I wish I’d had the courage and strength when my father was still deemed of sound mind.

“There is a huge lesson to be learnt here. Victims of sexual abuse should go to the police as soon as they can. Don’t let the passage of time destroy your chances of getting justice.”

The family of Lord Janner denied the allegations against him, calling him “a man of great integrity and high repute with a long and unblemished record of public service”.

April 2015

Bushey man pleads guilty to possessing thousands of indecent images of children

A man from Bushey has pleaded guilty to possessing thousands of indecent images of children.

Gary Riley, of Sparrows Herne, appeared at St Albans Crown Court this morning via a video link, charged with 20 counts of marking, possessing and distributing indecent images of a child

The court heard how Riley was found in possession of 142,763 photographs and 844 indecent movies of children.

He pleaded guilty to 17 counts of making indecent photographs and movies of a child as well as distributing indecent photographs’ of a child between November 20, 2013 and January 10, 2014 via a website.

The 54-year-old also admitted two counts of possession of indecent images of a child on and before January 26, 2015.

Riley said nothing but “guilty” as each of the charges and counts were read out.

Judge Stephen Warner said: “A custodial sentence is inevitable for a such a crime.”

Riley, who is currently in custody at HMP Bedford, will be sentenced on Wednesday, May 20 at St Albans Crown Court.

April 2015

Fury as sex attacker who groomed & abused child under 13 yrs old is spared jail

THE mother of a sex assault victim has spoken of her fury after her attacker was spared jail.

Christopher Chu, 43, of Westmorland Close, Upton Priory, groomed and sexually assaulted the child.

At Chester Crown Court he was given a given a three-year community order after admitting five charges of sexual assault of a female under the age of 13.

Recorder John Gibson said while Chu’s actions had “a devastating effect on the victim and her family” the sentence reflected his need for help to prevent him being a danger to the public in the future.

But the victim’s mother has slammed the sentence as being too lenient.

She said: “There was no justice for my daughter.

“The sentence handed down to Chu makes a mockery out of our family’s trauma and heartbreak and we feel let down by the police and the justice system.

“Chu pleaded guilty to these crimes and yet he has walked free.

“My daughter will never be free.

“She will carry the pain of what she has endured with her always.”

The court heard that father-of-one Chu, who ran a fish and chip shop on Westmorland Close in Upton Priory, ‘groomed and pursued’ his victim.

Prosecutors said Chu touched the victim’s leg and told her he loved her.

Chu also committed sex acts in her presence, the court heard.

He later became jealous when she spoke to boys and harassed her by text, the court heard.

Prosecutor Oliver King said police were called when the victim’s mother found text messages from Chu.

Barry White, defending, said Chu was ashamed of his actions.

As well as the community order Chu was given a Sexual Offences Prevention Order banning him from contact with children for 10 years.

He must sign the sex offenders’ register for five years.

The victim’s mother added: “The abuse my daughter has suffered has had a profound effect on her.

“Chu has robbed her of her innocence. She wants to bury the memories and make it go away.

“She has lost trust with all but her close family.

“It’s a mother’s worst nightmare.”

October 2005

Child molester’s sentence cut

A HALIFAX man who sexually abused two children and downloaded child abuse images from the internet has had his sentence cut by Appeal Court judges.

Mark Mountain, of Church Place, was jailed for four-and-a-half years at Bradford Crown Court in May this year after admitting indecently assaulting the two children – a teenage girl and boy.

The 36-year-old was also sentenced for 20 offences of making indecent photographs of children, which related to downloading child porn between 2000 and 2003.

Mr Justice Butterfield, sitting with Lord Justice Rose at London’s Criminal Appeal Court, said Mountain had abused two children some years ago and had a computer containing 792 indecent images of children.

But he said the sentence was excessive and cut it to three years and nine months.

 May 2005

A PAEDOPHILE has been jailed for four and a half years after indecent images were discovered on his computer.

Mark Andrew Mountain (36), of Church Place, Hopwood Lane, Halifax, admitted

1. Making 20 pictures of children

2. Four offences of indecently assaulting a 10-year-old boy

3. Three offences of indecently assaulting a 13-year-old girl

He was also found guilty of theft, after a trial at Bradford Crown Court.

Mountain, originally from Clifton, Brighouse, and a former pupil of Rastrick High, was made the subject of a two-year extended sentence so he will be on licence for longer than normal when released from custody.

Update: Now lives in Stoke on Trent

June 2005

Sex offender jailed

CONVICTED sex offender with a “deviant and sustained” sexual interest in young children was jailed for 18 months at Birmingham Crown Court after being caught with indecent photos taken from the internet.

In passing sentence on David Coughtrie, Judge Philip Gregory said he had a “formidable” criminal record which included indecent assaults on children.

He went on: “I am satisfied only a custodial sentence can be justified for the offences you have committed, which have been shameless and determined.”

Coughtrie, 37, of Lapworth Grove, Balsall Heath, who admitted 14 charges of possessing indecent images of children, was also ordered to register as a sex offender for 10 years.

Peter Cooke, prosecuting, said police became aware that indecent images of children had been found on the computer of a woman Coughtrie had had a relationship with.

As a result they raided his home in November 2003 and seized a computer along with two hard drives which were found to contain 61 illegal pictures.

Coughtrie was bailed but bought another computer and following a second raid a further 83 pictures were found. The court heard the images were of children ranging from the very young to around 14.

When interviewed Coughtrie admitted “nocturnal” use of the internet and going into chat rooms.

January 2012

Sex offender described as an ‘alarming risk to public’ is jailed

A MENTALLY-HANDICAPPED man has been jailed for eight years for sexually abusing children.

Richard Daniel Roe, 24, of Harlech Way, Grimsby, was jailed at Grimsby Crown Court for “public protection” after being convicted of three counts of rape, three counts of attempted rape, and one count of sexual assault, all on children under 13.

The court was told how his IQ was in the mid-sixties, giving him a mental age equivalent of between nine and 12.

The offences took place over a period of four years, beginning when Roe was aged 16.

He was convicted by a jury in July but the court waited for the advice of psychiatric reports before sentencing him.

The reports revealed he still poses a “serious risk” to the public, according to Judge David Tremberg, who described them as “most alarming”.

Roe would usually face a minimum sentence of 16 years for the offences but, because of his low IQ, Judge Tremberg used sentencing guidelines for youths to guide his decision – which recommends halving the jail time.

Prosecuting, Edward Bindloss, said very little to Judge Tremberg, who was familiar with the facts of the case, but described the attacks as “sustained” and mentioned “aggravating factors”.

Judge Tremberg said he had to consider imprisonment or admitting Roe to a hospital.

Mitigating, Craig Lowe suggested a sexual prevention order may prevent further offences if he was to be admitted to a hospital, but said it was “no surprise” to his client that a custodial sentence was being considered.

Judge Tremberg gave detailed reasoning for the sentence imposed. He said he had considered the harm caused to the victims, the culpability of the defendant, and the risk he posed in the future.

In closing, he said: “You caused serious emotional suffering to your victims – a burden they were forced to carry with them for fear of not being believed if they spoke up.

“Although you are not a person of normal intelligence, you knew that your victims did not want your sexual attentions and couldn’t care less.

“Four psychiatrists have submitted reports about you and their findings are most alarming. There is a significant risk of you causing serious harm to the public by the commission of further offences.

“You have shown no empathy, understanding or concern for your victims and have no inclination to understand why you have offended or to change.

“Custody will be a difficult experience as you are a vulnerable person in life, and you will be a vulnerable person in prison.”

July 1997

Child abuse images pervert jailed

Shamed Internet fan David Bullock was behind bars last night after more than 18,000 child abuse pictures were found in his computer.

Bullock, 31, who was once an Olympic ice skating hopeful, had images of one tot who was less than three years old.

The former computer firm boss, of Swindon, Wilts, was jailed for six months by magistrates after admitting possessing indecent photos.

Jonathan Carver, prosecuting, said: “Police discovered a staggering 18,761 pornographic images of varying gravity.”

April 2015

Nantwich man jailed for child sex abuse offences

A Nantwich man has been sentenced to 17 years in prison after being found guilty of sexually abusing a young boy he was babysitting.

Stuart Martin Bebe, 39, of The Beeches, was sentenced at Chester Crown Court after being found guilty at an earlier hearing of nine counts of child abuse, committed between 1994 and 1995.

DI Clare Coleman said: “The offences culminated in the modern offences of rape on several occasions, albeit the indictments were ones of gross indecency, incitement of a boy to commit gross indecency and attempted rape.”

Bebe, who was sentences on April 20, committed his offences while he was babysitting his victim when the boy was aged seven and eight.

DI Coleman said: “This was a blatant abuse of trust which has left a family devastated. I hope this result will bring some kind of closure to the victim who bravely came forward to report the abuse he has suffered.

“He and his family were supported throughout the case by dedicated officers and specialist support services. Cheshire police takes sexual abuse seriously and I would urge anyone who has been a victim to contact police.”

April 2015

Convicted sex offender found naked in flat with schoolboy

A convicted sex offender breached the terms of a court order by being in his flat with a teenage boy.

Preston Crown Court heard how the youngster, who was under 16, answered a knock at the door of flats on Church Street when police called round.

The defendant, Roger Fox, was found inside one of the flats, lying in bed, naked from the waist down.

By being with the boy, he was breaking the terms of a Sexual Offences Prevention Order (SOPO), which bars him from having unsupervised contact with anyone under 16.

The 67-year-old appeared for sentencing, having admitted two breaches of the SOPO.

Charles Brown, prosecuting, said the order had been made in May 2013.

Police went to the defendant’s address on Church Street on the evening of January 12 this year.

A teenage boy answered the knock at the door and took the officers to Fox’s flat, saying he had just come from there.

He said the defendant was in the bedroom.

Fox was found lying in bed, covered by a duvet over his naked lower half. Police traced a relative of the boy who indicated that no consent would have been given for him to be alone with the defendant.

In police interview Fox denied breaching the SOPO.

He said he didn’t know how the boy came to be in his flat.

He spoke of having got back home at 6pm and then going to bed.

Mr Brown said: “He maintained he had no idea the boy was in his flat when he was asleep.

“He claimed he was wearing his underpants in bed.”

He admitted having been with him on two occasions.

Mr Brown added: “There is no suggestion that there has been any sexual misbehaviour with this boy”.

His previous convictions included a three-year community rehabilitation order, made in October 2003, for offences of indecent assault.

He also apparently had two convictions for breaching a SOPO.

Judge Michael Byrne decided to adjourn the case to obtain the dates of Fox’s previous orders, their terms and the conduct which prompted the orders being made.

Defence barrister Chris Hudson said: “This is a chap who ought to be dealt with sooner rather than later.”

The judge said: “This is a third breach and his fourth for sexual offending. It is a serious matter.”

Fox was remanded in custody for sentencing to take place on May 8.

April 2015

Pervert who sent sexual images to schoolgirl in Aberdeen faces prison sentence

A PERVERT who was convicted of sending a schoolgirl a sexual picture on Facebook has been warned it’s “inevitable” he will be jailed.

Ian Hay, 26, who has previous convictions of a “sexual nature” was found guilty after a trial at Aberdeen Sheriff Court of sending the girl, who cannot be named for legal reasons, a picture of a male’s private parts.

The offence took place at an address in Aberdeen on January 6. Hay had denied the charge against him, but the jury took around 40 minutes to unanimously find him guilty of the offence.

Sheriff Graham Buchanan told Hay, a prisoner at HMP Grampian, that he would be remanded in custody until sentencing so a background report could be compiled.

April 2015

Retired RAF & GCHQ employee who repeatedly sexually abused two sisters jailed

A retired RAF and GCHQ employee who repeatedly sexually abused two sisters when they were aged between six and 12 has been jailed for six and a half years.

David Churcher, 72, of South View, Pershore was found guilty by a jury of nine women and two men of 13 counts of sexual abuse.

The jury took just two hours to reach unanimous verdicts at Gloucester Crown Court.

Churcher remained impassive in the dock as the jury foreman read out guilty verdicts to all 13 counts, which included digital penetration, sexual kissing, touching of the vagina and making one of his victims touch his penis.

The assaults took place at two addresses in Gloucester between 1981 and 1991.

The two victims sobbed with emotion when the jury forewoman announced the guilty verdicts on Wednesday, April 22.

His Honour Judge Jamie Tabor QC said: “This type of behaviour leaves lifelong scars on the victims.

“They will be unable to rid themselves of them and they will be with them for the rest of their lives.”

Churcher targeted one of the sisters – the younger one – more than the other because she was “more loving and affectionate to him.”

The victims told their closest friends and other family members, including their brother and their mother, but nothing was done about it until recently.

April 2015

Paedophile caught when he accidentally left voicemail with victim’s mother while abusing her seven-year-old daughter

A paedophile was jailed for 10 years after he was snared when the mother of a seven-year-old girl heard him abusing her daughter on a voicemail message.

Charles Gregory was caught red-handed when he accidentally called the girl’s mother while he was with her daughter.

The horrified woman immediately called police after the shocking call on Christmas Eve 2012 and Gregory was arrested.

Police launched an investigation and specially trained officers interviewed the victim, who said she had been abused by Gregory several times.

Another girl also told officers the 40-year-old had touched her inappropriately.

When he was arrested, his computers were seized and officers discovered a video of Gregory installing a camera in a bathroom, plus a film of a teenage girl in the shower.

Police spoke to the girl, who said Gregory had abused her.

The paedophile admitted:

1. Four counts of sexual assault on a child,

2. One count of sexual activity with child aged between 13 and 15 

3. One count of voyeurism and

4. One count of installing equipment for voyeurism 

He was jailed for 10 years at Maidstone Crown Court

Formerly of Sittingbourne, Kent, he must serve at least two-thirds of his sentence in prison and will be on extended licence period.

He was also handed a sexual harm prevention order and must sign the sex offender register.

Detective Constable Richard Brown of Kent Police said: “Gregory’s actions were vile and deliberate.”

April 2015

Police hunt for cross dressing paedophile last seen in Lancashire

A cross dressing sex offender missing from West Yorkshire was last seen in Morecambe.

Keith Alexander Foster, who also goes by the name Kirstie, 60, is wanted for breaching his notification requirements by not informing police of his current address.

He was originally convicted at Lancaster Magistrates Court on September 11th 2013 for possession of indecent images of children. He received a conditional discharge but was made subject to a Sexual Offences Prevention Order following his conviction.

Foster is described as 5ft 2ins, slim build, short grey unkempt hair and speaks with a North West accent. He often wears female clothing.

DS 1666 Alan Acheson from the West Dangerous and Sexual Offenders Unit said: “We take any breach of notification requirements very seriously and I would urge anyone with information on where Foster might be to get in contact with us.

“I would also urge Keith himself, if he sees this appeal, to hand himself in to the police.”

Foster is thought to have links to the Lancashire, Cumbria and West Yorkshire areas but was last spotted in Morecambe on Tuesday 14 April 2015.

Anyone with information about Foster’s whereabouts should contact police on 101.

April 2015

Angus man found guilty of possessing indecent child images

A former company director from Angus has been found guilty of having indecent images of children.

Alasdair David Chalmers was convicted at Forfar Sheriff Court today by a unanimous jury verdict.

The 60-year-old, of West Steading, Mains of Gagie, Kellas, faced an indictment alleging that between March 20 2005 and April 26 2011, at his home address and elsewhere, he took or permitted to be taken or made indecent photographs or pseudo-photographs of children.

Chalmers was also charged with possessing indecent photographs or pseudo-photographs of children at his home address and elsewhere between March 20 2005 and January 31 2014.

The trial previously heard how a variety of computer equipment, memory devices and mobile phones were among items seized by detectives who executed a search warrant at the accused’s home on January 31 last year.

The court heard a team of officers arrived at the property, described by one witness as a “large” converted farm steading, shortly after 8am.

Detective Constable Pauline McDougall said she was part of the CID proactive unit and had been carrying out inquiries specifically in relation to possession of indecent images of children.

DC McDougall told procurator fiscal depute Joanne Smith a search of a number of rooms in Chalmers’ property was carried out, including the kitchen, from which an iMac, Macbook, iPhone 5, Samsung and Sony mobile phones, a pen drive, camera and passport were taken by officers.

From the study, a MacPro desktop computer and three USB sticks were removed by officers.

Witness PC Stephen Gray also confirmed the recovery of a CD entitled “I Love Ze Frankfurters Ja”.

Chalmers was formerly a director with DP&L Group.

Sentence was deferred until June 22.

April 2015

Devon man jailed for schoolgirls abuse

A businessman has been jailed for sexually abusing two schoolgirls more than 20 years ago.

Richard Burton, 49, of Barton Cottages, Huntsham, near Tiverton in Devon, denied six charges of indecent assault.

He was found guilty of four of the offences by Exeter Crown Court and sentenced to three and a half years in prison.

During the week-long trial the jury heard how one of the girls developed a crush on him and was a willing partner.

The court heard a sexual relationship started when she was 14 and continued after she had turned 16 until she moved away from the area.

Of the five charges relating to this girl, Burton was found guilty of three.

A sixth charge related to Burton touching another girl’s breast after taking her for a ride in his car.

Burton, who runs a business in Cullompton, told the jury he had a short sexual relationship with the first complainant, but everything was consensual as she was 17.

He denied any sexual contact with the second complainant and said the allegations had caused him a great deal of distress and were completely untrue and invented.

Nicolas Gerasimidis, defending, said Burton had lived a blameless life for 20 years and was a devoted father. He said his business would probably fold while he was in jail.

Recorder David Bartlett said: “I cannot accept you did not realise this girl was vulnerable. It must have been clear she was a troubled individual and there was a disparity of age between you.

“I have no doubt she was infatuated with you and a willing participant but you were 17 years older and should have exercised self-restraint to resist her obvious sexual drive until she was at least 16.”

April 2015

Huntsham man found guilty of indecent assaults during the 1990s

A MECHANIC has been found guilty of abusing two girls almost 20 years ago after a jury rejected his claims that he had been framed.

Richard Burton was convicted of having a sexual relationship with one girl who developed a crush on him when she was 14 and of groping another teenager after giving her a lift in his car.

He said the two women had colluded to get him into trouble and that he only had contact with one of the girls, and that happened when she was 17 and consenting.

A jury at Exeter Crown Court took almost a day to convict Burton of abusing the girls during the 1990s when they were aged in their mid teens and he was in his early 30s.

At the time he was running a car body repair business in Dulford, near Cullompton and the main complainant said he abused her after picking her up from school and when she visited his home near Tiverton.

The second victim said she was sexually assaulted only once, when she was about 13 or 14, and he groped her breasts after giving her a lift in his car.

Burton, aged 49, of Barton Cottages, Huntsham, near Tiverton, denied five indecent assaults against the first girl and one against the second.

He was found guilty of all but two of the charges, which alleged assaults on the first victim when she was 12 and 13.

During the week-long trial the jury heard how the girl developed a crush on him and was an enthusiastic and willing partner in all the sexual acts.

She told how they started a countdown to her losing her virginity which was originally meant to end when she was 14 but actually resulted in them having sex days after her 15^th birthday.

Burton told the jury he had a short sexual relationship with the first complainant but everything was consensual and took place when she was 17 and well over the age of consent.

He denied any sexual contact with the second complainant. He said the allegations had caused him a great deal of hardship and distress and were invented.

Mr Nicolas Gerasimidis, defending, said there was no point in the court ordering a pre sentence report because Burton maintains his innocence.

He said:”There will never be a time when he accepts these allegations. Quite the contrary. Work is still going on in relation to the relevant dates with the aim of establishing an alibi. He will never accept he had sexual relations with her before she was 17.”

April 2015

Former Black Country teacher repeatedly molested schoolgirl aged 9

A former Black Country teacher has been jailed for indecently assaulting a young female pupil almost 40 years ago.

Wyn Lloyd Davies repeatedly molested the girl – who was nine-years-old at the time – when he worked at Pool Hayes Primary School, Willenhall, in the 1970s.

The woman, now 47, reported the attacks to West Midlands Police in October 2012 having been inspired to secure justice by high-profile ‘historic’ sex abuse cases such as the Jimmy Savile investigation.

Detectives trawled council records from 1977-78 but found no mention of the name provided by the victim – which she struggled to recall exactly – but managed to identify Davies from an old school yearbook album with help from the then headteacher.

Police computers showed a complaint made against the 63-year-old from 2004 and, from that, officers tracked him to an address in Aintree Road, Blackpool, where he was arrested at the end of 2013.

He admitted teaching at the school but denied abusing the girl – but detectives showed that accounts provided by the woman and the headteacher corroborated the allegations and a jury found him guilty on four counts of indecent assault.

And at Worcester Crown Court on Friday he was jailed for four years.

Investigating officer, Detective Constable Richard Boulter from the Public Protection Unit, said: “The abuse started with inappropriate touching but escalated to more serious assaults…the complainant told us how Davies would often assign her tasks that would isolate her from class mates. That’s when he carried out the assaults.

“We’ve seen a significant increase in the number of historic cases we investigate…victims may only feel ready to talk about abuse they suffered many years after the incidents and, whenever they do feel ready, the police and wider support services are here for them.

“We have Public Protection officers who are specially trained to deal sensitively and compassionately with sex offence victims; they are able to support and guide them every step of the way from initial report to court conclusion.

“And our message to offenders is simple: they cannot rest easily because we could come knocking at any time.”

DC Boulter said the victim believes she was singled out by Davies – who also worked as a private tutor for some time during the early 80s – but he’d like to hear from anyone else who may have suffered at his hands.

“We have a successful track record of bringing historic sex offenders to justice even if the crimes they’ve committed are many years, even decades in the past,” he added. “We’re determined sex offenders won’t escape punishment and we’d encourage any victims to contact us so that we can take action.”

DC Boulter can be contacted at West Midlands Police’s Public Protection Unit in West Bromwich police station on the 101 number.

April 2015

Paedo who repeatedly raped two babies & sexually assaulted a little girl is convicted

A PAEDOPHILE who repeatedly raped two babies and sexually assaulted a little girl in Edinburgh is facing a lengthy prison sentence.

Stuart Young, 37, preyed on the children – who cannot be named for legal reasons – between November 2008 and December 2013.

The High Court in Edinburgh heard how he began raping a little boy when he was just one day old. He continued to abuse him until he was aged three months.

Between November 2008 and December 2013, at various locations in the Capital, Young raped a girl who was aged just six months.

He continued to sexually assault her until December 2013 when she was aged just five.

In July 2013, he abused a girl aged nine-years-old at an address in the city’s Stenhouse area.

Young was finally caught after police learned about his practices. They arrested him after collecting enough evidence to bring him to court.

On Thursday, following a week long trial, a jury took just two hours to convict Young on two charges of rape and another of sexual assault.

Following conviction, temporary judge Paul Arthurson QC deferred sentence for the court to obtain reports about Young’s character.

The judge warned Young, who lived in Sighthill, to expect a lengthy prison sentence.

Judge Arthurson – who usually sits as a sheriff in the city’s sheriff court – warned: “You have been convicted of some truly depraved and despicable crimes.

“You should expect a sentence to reflect your level of criminality.”

Young, who has previous convictions, spent a week denying any wrong doing. He had entered not guilty pleas.

Following the conclusion of proceedings, Judge Arthurson said the nature of the evidence meant that jurors would be excused from serving on a jury for five year period.

He told them: “Ladies and gentlemen, it is said that serving on a jury at the high court is the greatest service that a citizen can perform in peace time.

“I have decided to excuse you all from jury service for five years. You will not be getting any citations through your door for that period of time.

“I thank you for your service and I hope you have gained some insight into the work that is done here in the high court.”

Defence solicitor advocate Ian Paterson told the court that his client realised that he was going to be sent to prison.

He added: “Mr Young expects that a substantial period of imprisonment will be imposed upon him.”

Sheriff Arthurson deferred sentence and Young was taken to the court room cells.

Young was also placed on the Sex Offenders Register. He will be sentenced at the High Court in Edinburgh on May 28.

April 2015

Coventry paedophile had stash of most serious child abuse images

WHEN police examined a Coventry man’s computer they found a staggering 60,000 indecent images of children, some of them as young as 18 months and some in obvious pain and distress.

And a judge at Warwick Crown Court said that James Hewitson’s hoard included ‘every conceivable kind of disgusting and degrading photographs of the young.’

Hewitson (66) of Carlton Gardens, Warwick Avenue, Earlsdon, was jailed for 20 months and ordered to register as a sex offender for ten years.

The retired warehouseman had pleaded guilty to six charges of making indecent images of children, six of possessing indecent images of children, one of distributing them and one of possessing a prohibited image.

Prosecutor Siobhan Collins said that in March last year the police executed a search warrant at Hewitson’s home after they had intelligence that he was involved with child pornography.

His computer tower and an external hard drive were seized, and he was arrested and interviewed.

He claimed that while downloading other material he had been ‘exposed to’ child pornography, but that he had not searched for it or deliberately downloaded it.

But when his computer was examined by police experts they found, despite encryption software Hewitson had installed, more than 60,000 indecent images and movies of children.

And Miss Collins pointed out that, proving they were not there by accident, they had been saved by Hewitson in folders with various titles such as ‘schoolgirls’ and ‘Lolita desires’ and hidden using the encryption software.

There were 116 movies and more than 3,600 stills classed as being in category A – the most serious category – which Miss Collins said covers children subjected to penetrative sexual acts or activities involving animals or sadism.

There were 68 movies and more than 2,300 still in category B showing children involved in non-penetrative sex acts; and a staggering 56,600 category C still and 270 movies showing other indecent images of children.

And Hewitson had specifically searched for such images using searches such as ‘pre-teen’ and Lolita.

Miss Collins said some of the children in the images were as young as 18 months to two years old, and there were scenes where the children were clearly in pain and distress.

She explained that the distribution charge arose because Hewitson used a file-sharing site, and by downloading the images they became available to more people, rather than him actively distributing them.

Interviewed a second time and confronted with the police findings, he agreed he had deliberately downloaded files he had found using specific search terms.

Jailing Hewitson, Recorder Mainds told him: “I have listened to all that has been said on your behalf and have taken into account all I’ve read in the pre-sentence report and that, save for this, you have led a blameless life.

“But consider what one would view if one was standing there while these images were being made, with the pain and suffering and tears of the child involved.

“That is the seriousness of these offences, the fact that young children are abused and degraded.

“This kind of behaviour has a long-standing effect on them; and no doubt cases will come before these courts in the future of people whose lives have been ruined by such images being taken of them and viewed by people like you.”