July 2011

Man freed after indecent child images found

A MAN who had more than 1,000 indecent images of children has been freed by a judge.

John Hatton, of High Street, Stonehouse, was linked to 1,198 erotic images of children on a fake Croatian astronomy website in 2007.

On Thursday he was sentenced to a community order and told to add his name to the sex offenders register at Cheltenham Magistrates’ Court.

Prosecuting solicitor Louise Pinder said police had started investigating Mr Hatton, 55, after linking his address to the fake site.

She said: “Officers were carrying out a search warrant at the address and seized computer and media items.”

She said all the 1,198 indecent images found were category one, the least serious, which covers images of erotic posing, with no sexual activity.

She added: “The defendant was interviewed on two occasions and on each occasion he admitted possessing the pictures but he has denied receiving any sexual gratification from them.”

The court was told the images featured children who are believed to be aged between 10 and 12.

Gemma Bond, defending, said: “He is very remorseful and very sorry for what he has done.”

District judge Joti Bopa-Rai said it was important Mr Hatton received help.

She said: “These charges are serious because they involve children. They are lower-level but, nevertheless, they still come under the same legislation. In my view, it’s something you need to address quite quickly. We do not want this behaviour to escalate or be repeated.”

Hatton was sentenced to a 12-month community order, with 12 months supervision, and he was ordered to pay £85 costs.

February 2014

Pervert jailed for 10 years after pleading guilty to rape and sexual activity with a child

A rapist who forced himself on an underage girl has been jailed for 10-and-a-half years.

Arron Richardson’s crime was revealed when the schoolgirl told her father what he’d done to her.

She said they’d had sex and she’d told him to stop, Teesside Crown Court heard yesterday.

The girl, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was interviewed by police last August.

She said Richardson knew her younger age when he made sure they were alone together in a field.

She consented to kissing but made it clear she did not want to go further, said prosecutor Oliver Thorne.

Richardson, 21, replied: “Oh you can’t stop me now” and had sex with her without her consent.

She cried during the sexual attack, the court was told.

Richardson, who had learning difficulties, at first denied having sex with the girl.

Then he accepted they had sex but suggested it was consensual and instigated by her.

Richardson, of Willowbank, Coulby Newham, Middlesbrough, later pleaded guilty to rape and sexual activity with a child, in breach of a suspended sentence imposed in May 2012.

He accepted he pressured her into sex.

He and the girl went on to have sex again on other occasions. The prosecution accepted that he believed this was consensual.

The girl’s view of the other sexual encounters was “more acquiescence than consent, brought about by threat”, the court heard.

Richardson said he was surprised at the rape allegation as he believed they’d had consensual sex.

Graham Silvester, defending, told the court that although he was 21, Richardson suffered psychological problems, special education needs, dyslexia and global learning difficulties.

“Although in years he is 21, he is probably some age group below that,” he said. “We are not dealing with a 21-year-old man who is mature and an adult at that age.”

Mr Silvester added that Richardson knew the girl’s age: “He knows it was wrong at the time and continues to accept that.

“There was an element of a consensual agreement in terms of kissing but matters went beyond that.

“It is the next stage on and that puts him where he is and he knows that.”

Sentencing Richardson to 10-and-a-half-years, Judge Howard Crowson, said the defendant’s actions will have had “a big impact” on his victim.

“You forced yourself upon her,” he said.

“You were aware she was not consenting.”

Judge Crowson added that it was common for girls of her age to hope to be more mature than they are. “That is why we must protect them,” he said.

There were cries from the gallery as Richardson, who was also given a sexual offences prevention order, was led away.

October 2014

Stockton child rapist visited hospital’s baby unit despite ban on contacting children

A child rapist has admitted visiting the baby unit at a Teesside hospital – despite being banned from contact with children.

Jason Douglass, 25, is barred from unsupervised contact with under 18s but has defied the order “dozens of times”.

His latest breach took place when he visited the University Hospital of North Tees’s neo-natal unit in Stockton with friends in May this year.

Despite Douglass flouting the order, Judge Peter Bowers indicated the ban may be too tough – by barring him from contact with 16 and 17-year-olds – and could be appealed.

Douglass, of Hartington Road, Stockton, is already serving a 12-month suspended prison sentence imposed in March after admitting talking to children and showing them a snake in an alleyway.

He also spoke to a 17-year-old girl while visiting an abstinence charity.

Douglass was banned from having unsupervised contact with under-18s with an indefinite sexual offences prevention order (SOPO) by magistrates in 2004.

Aged 14, he was given a supervision order for raping a younger boy.

But instead of sending Douglass to prison, Judge Bowers deferred sentencing for six months – and gave defence barrister Tamara Pawson permission to appeal against the ten-year-old order, which he believed “could be too onerous”.

Prosecuting, David Crook told Teesside Crown Court on Tuesday that Douglass had a “litany of breaches” of the order since it was imposed, with dozens resulting in a community order punishment from the courts.

He said the latest breach came on May 18 this year: “He was unsupervised. He attended with others as a visitor to see a new born baby.

“His partner had been the birthing partner of the baby’s mother. He went because the baby’s father had threatened to “stab him up” if he didn’t. There were four other premature babies on the ward.”

Mr Crook described how a member of staff on the neo-natal unit had been left “shaken and distressed” after finding out about Douglass’ order.

Mitigating, Miss Pawson presented two letters of support to the court, one from Brian Jones of the Moses Project – a Stockton charity helping men with drink and drug problems.

The charity said it would help Douglass to receive support and attend appointments, and help him keep a diary to help avoid breaching his order.

Judge Bowers said: “This order was imposed after a distressing and nasty case in 2004, when he was 14. There has been nothing else on his record apart from breaches of this order since.

“The age of 18 seems to be too high. If he spoke to a girl of 16 or 17, it could be said they are old enough to make their own decision.”

Judge Bowers deferred sentencing for six months – and imposed a new condition to his order, to stay away from hospitals and GP practices unless there was a medical emergency.

January 2009

Retired policeman from Guisborough jailed over child abuse

A former Cleveland police officer who raped two young sisters has been jailed for 10 years.

Joseph Sample 62, abused his victims for six years while serving in Ormesby and Redcar 25 years ago, Teesside Crown Court heard.

Sample, of Hereford Road, Guisborough, pleaded guilty to seven rapes and 12 charges of indecent assaults.

One of the girls was put into care because Sample had initially denied the charges, the hearing heard.

The other girl made an attempt to kill herself, the court was told.

In 1997 his victims again reported what had happened to them but Sample accused the girls of lying and maintained his denials until his court appearance on Friday.

Anne Zimbler, defending, said Sample, who joined the police in 1979, could not explain why he had carried out the attacks.

She said: “The only thing that he could do to show his remorse was to plead guilty.”

Judge George Moorhouse told Sample: “It is quite clear that you took advantage of these two young people and the consequences of your actions have adversely affected their whole lives.

“Your behaviour was so abhorrent that a custodial sentence for a long time was inevitable.”

May 2008

Pervert groomed schoolgirl for sex

A pervert who groomed a 14-year-old schoolgirl for sex has been jailed.

The court heard Gavin Dennis James of Kettering (dob 9/3/76) had groomed the schoolgirl with sweets, cigarettes and on a few occasions alcohol over a number of years before sexual contact took place.

Sexual activity took place this year (2008) when the girl was 14-years-old after James had manipulated her into thinking he loved her. 

Sexual activity took place on a number of occasions.

At his hearing on 12 May, 2008 at Northampton Crown Court, 38-year-old Gavin James pleaded guilty to sexual activity with a female child who was aged under 16-years-old.

James has showed no remorse for the offences he committed.

Gavin James was sentenced to 18 months imprisonment and his name has been placed on the sex offenders register and will remain on it for a period of 10 years

May 2015

Former Justice of the Peace has been jailed for 9 months after being found guilty of abusing a child

Rodney Hannam, of Ashley Heath in Ringwood, was convicted of indecent assault on a girl under the age of 16 on a date between April 1997 and April 1999.

The 83-year-old was acquitted of a second count of indecent assault, as well as two counts of gross indecency with a girl aged under 14.

Hannam, who uses a walker, plans to appeal his conviction on the grounds of “inconsistent verdicts”, his representative Nicholas Robinson told the court.

“The defendant pleads for the court’s mercy,” Mr Robinson said, adding it was an “exceptional case”.

“The defendant [has a] terminal illness. There is a very real risk he will lose his life in custody,” he said.

Judge Peter Johnson, who allowed Hannam to remain seated as he was sentenced, said: “[This case] brings no pleasure whatsoever to the court.”

He added: “You were a man of positive good character, having served your community in a number of roles, including that of a Justice of the Peace for many years in Southampton.

“You stood on trial and were convicted of by a jury of having indecently assaulted a child.

“This was a sustained incident, albeit only one, and I sentence you on the basis that this was an aberration on your part.”

The judge said Hannam maintains his innocence.

“There will be mercy, but not to the extent sought by your learned counsel Mr Robinson,” he said.

“Having regard to all that I have read about you it seems to me that this must be a case which involves an immediate custodial sentence.”

Before being lead to the cells, Hannam embraced his wife of 60 years.

He will serve around four-and-a-half months of his sentence before being released on licence, Judge Johnson said.

A justice of the peace (JP) is a judicial officer, of a lower or puisne court, elected or appointed by means of a commission (letters patent) to keep the peace.

May 2015

Police find 95,000 indecent images of children on Gloucestershire man’s computer

Moreton Valence man Edward Cramer had more than 95,000 indecent images of his children on his computer when police raided his home, a court heard.

Cramer’s home at Old Airfield Farm was raided by police as part of an international investigation into a Canadian porn supply firm

The majority of the images and films possessed by Cramer, 53, were the least serious category C but there were also dozens of Category A and more than a thousand in Category B, Gloucester crown court was told.

Cramer admitted nine offences of possessing illegal images of children. He was given a 12-month jail term, suspended for two years, and placed under supervision with a condition to attend 40 days of a sex offenders’ programme.

He was also fined £500, ordered to pay £500 costs and a five-year sexual harm prevention order was imposed.

Judge Jamie Tabor QC told him: “As far as I can tell there is absolutely no hint that you have been interfering with young children at all, throughout your life. There is no evidence that you pose any immediate risk to children.

“But you obviously do have an interest in pre-pubescent children, particularly girls. You have had that interest for a very long time. By downloading this material you have been encouraging the trade which is so pernicious and horrible.”

Prosecutor Janine Wood said that on October 21 last year police went to Cramer’s home as part of an ongoing investigation into people who had purchased DVDs from a Canadian adult movie firm.

On his laptop and hard drive officers found 52 videos and six still images at the worst category A; 130 videos and 1,264 still images in Category B and 742 videos and 93,036 still images in category C.

“Cramer is a man of previous good character”, she added.

Stephen Ritter, defending, described Cramer as a “lonely man.”

Passing sentence, the judge said he was aware Cramer had been married to a Thai woman who had sadly died and he was now a “very troubled man”.

May 2015

Man who says he looked at indecent images of children to ‘cope with stress’ spared jail

A man who looked at indecent images of children “to cope with stress” has been spared jail, a court heard.

Mark Pauley, of Cox’s End, Over, was found out after he applied for a Sexual Offences Prevention Order to be removed. As a result, police officers made an unannounced visit to his home on September 20 last year, and discovered the photographs on his computer.

The 48-year-old pleaded guilty to possession of indecent photographs at Cambridge Magistrates’ Court on March 23.

Sara Walker, prosecuting, told Cambridge Crown Court on Friday that Pauley became “nervous” and said “it wasn’t a good time” when the police arrived.

Five category C images and one category B image, showing Asian females under the age of 18, were discovered on the computer.

On January 10, Pauley spoke to the police again about the images – which included pictures of girls likely to be under 10.

The court heard how Pauley had suffered recent stress with the death of his mother.

Ms Walker added: “Pornographic material was his way of coping with stress.”

In 2008, Pauley was given a community order for possession and making indecent images, as well as voyeurism.

Melanie Benn, mitigating, said the 48 year old had still not come to terms with the death of his mother in 2013.

She asked the judge to issue a suspended sentence order in the community.

Ms Benn said: “Give Mark Pauley an opportunity to show that he is capable of changing.”

Judge Jonathan Haworth said: “Police officers smelt a rat and discovered child pornography on your computer.

“When you came under stress you extended that to these pictures of children.”

Judge Haworth gave Pauley a four-month custodial sentence suspended for 18 months.

A new Sexual Offences Prevention Order was also issued which will last 10 years.

April 2008

Littleport man had 17,000 sickening images

A LITTLEPORT man was found in possession of more than 17,000 sickening images of child abuse during an operation by the FBI.

Mark Pauley, 41, of Friars Way, admitted 15 charges of making indecent pictures when he appeared before Ely magistrates.

The court heard that five of the images on Pauley’s computer had the highest severity rating of level five, showing children involved in extreme sexual practices, including a five minute video of four children being violently abused.

Pauley also admitted a charge of possessing the 15 indecent images, and an allegation of voyeurism, involving the filming of people in a state of semi nakedness through a window.

Prosecutor Matthew Bradbury told the court that the Pauley was arrested as part of the FBI’s Operation Predator, investigating child pornography.

Pauley was warned he was facing jail, and was committed for sentence at Cambridge Crown Court. A sex offender’s registration order was made.

May 2015

Nursery worker who tried to adopt child exposed as internet paedophile

A nursery worker was exposed as an internet paedophile and also came close to adopting a four-year-old boy, a court heard.

Bachelor , from Hednesford, had been cleared for adoption by social services – until police carried out a raid at his home looking for indecent images of children.

Officers seized a laptop and desktop computer that was found to contain more than 750 indecent photos and movies of children, including 142 of the most vile category A.

When questioned, Horne put forward the excuse that he was trying to catch paedophiles.

At Stafford Crown Court on Friday, Mr Alexander Barnfield, prosecuting, said: “Investigation of the laptop and computer revealed no attempt to do anything of the sort.

“What the computers did reveal was use of chat rooms, access to channels of photographs and evidence of searching for images of children, mainly young boys with sexual contact with adults.”

The chat logs showed Horne had sexual fantasies about being blackmailed and he also fantasised about taking his ‘made-up son’ to a model photo shoot.

The ‘son’ did not exist at the time but the reality was that in 2012, Horne, who lived with his parents, had applied to social services to adopt a child. His initial application was refused, only because of a lack of financial independence.

“Once social services had met his parents, he was approved as an adopter and put forward in July 2013,” Mr Barnfield added. “A four-year-old boy was considered for placement with him.

“Social services say in a statement they had no suspicions. That’s now changed and he has been removed from any such register.”

Horne, aged 30, of St Andrews Close, Hednesford, who admitted six charges of making indecent images of children, was given a three-year community order to undergo a sex offender treatment programme. He was also given a six-month curfew and ordered to register as a sex offender for the next five years.

Judge Jonathan Gosling told him: “It is extremely alarming to discover you were working at a nursery and expressed an interest in adopting a child but I am not here to sentence you for any offence of trying to involve yourself in adoption.

“This is serious abuse of children. You and people like you create a demand for it and if there weren’t people like you there would be no demand.”

May 2015

School caretaker jailed for grooming under-age girls by showering them with gifts and bribes

A school caretaker who groomed two underage girls for his twisted sexual motives, showering them with gifts and bribes, has been jailed

Former bus driver Stephen Sharkey, 63, took advantage of girls almost 50 years younger than him

He spent hundreds of pounds on gifts from sweets to clothes, meals and football matches as he persistently curried favour with the two girls, said a judge.

Prosecutor Paul Cleasby said: “The Crown say this was a deliberate course of conduct.

“He made his intentions clear to both of the young girls.

“It appears to be a specific targeting of vulnerable children.

“It’s obvious the children were manipulated by the defendant, who was sophisticated and knew exactly what he was doing.”

Sharkey told the girls if they were 16 they would be “his girl” or “his woman”, Mr Cleasby told Teesside Crown Court.

He gave the first victim money, chocolates, hair extensions and a bottle of champagne, reports the Gazette.

He expressed love for her in text messages, saying “morning beautiful” and “morning baby girl”, and sent her almost 100 texts over a Christmas period.

In one text he made emotional pleas and put pressure on her saying his “life wasn’t worth living”, added Mr Cleasby.

He bought her a designer watch but said she had to go into town with him for it. She refused.

She said she thought he was nice and kind at first but became unnerved and scared of him.

She since feared bumping into him again and struggled to sleep and eat properly.

The second girl said she thought Sharkey was a “perv”.

She told how he once took her for a meal where he made sexual remarks while wearing a T-shirt with naked women on it.

She said she felt guilty at first for getting him into trouble, even though he was in the wrong.

“Having heard his plea, I’m happy that I may have prevented him doing anything much worse to someone else,” she said.

The girls, who cannot be named for legal reasons, both said now they were older they realised how Sharkey had taken advantage of them.

He did so despite at least two warnings about inappropriate conduct in the past, as well as training in his work.

When he was arrested he denied any wrongdoing, claiming he was a benevolent man who only wanted to help children.

Sharkey, of Malling Walk, Pallister Park, Middlesbrough, admitted two charges of meeting a child following sexual grooming.

He came to court with a bundle of glowing references from friends, family and colleagues, and had no relevant previous convictions.

Robert Mochrie, defending, said: “There can be no excuse or blame laid at the feet of the victims.

“He accepts now that his behaviour in general was wholly inappropriate.

“This didn’t actually lead on to any physical sexual assault.

“It’s almost inexplicable that he should have chosen to behave in the way he did.”

He said Sharkey struggled to come to terms with his actions but was now remorseful and accepted he might need help.

The judge, Recorder Tim Gittins, said the girls’ willingness to give evidence “has prevented something much more serious from happening”.

He added: “They are to be commended for that courage.”

He told Sharkey: “It’s clear that you are otherwise seen as a reliable, trustworthy and entirely devoted father and grandfather, and it’s all the more saddening to see your fall from grace.

“But the fact is that there is another side to your character.”

He described Sharkey’s actions as he groomed the girls for sexual offences as prolonged, calculated, sinister and insidious.

He added: “That was obviously surreptitious to gain their favour without them realising what you were ultimately up to.

“You continued up to the last minute to deny that you had distorted thoughts about these young girls and that your behaviour was sexually motivated.

“I’m quite satisfied at present you remain potentially a high risk to young children and females.”

Sharkey was jailed for two-and-a-half years and given a seven-year sexual harm prevention order banning him from contacting girls under 16.

He will be on the sex offenders’ register indefinitely.

May 2015

Teacher banned for child abuse images possession

A teacher who filled his girlfriend’s laptop with indecent images of children after telling her he was going to fix the computer has been banned from Britain’s classrooms for life.

Gary Duggan, 53, borrowed his ex-partner’s laptop in summer 2012 because of a broken keypad, and offered to pass it on to a third party for repair.

Technology teacher Duggan returned the computer weeks later, but to his partner’s horror the browsing history was full of images of child sexual abuse.

She checked the dates on which the images were downloaded and discovered they must have been accessed by Duggan, the National College for Teaching and Leadership heard.

While searching Duggan’s home police later found two laptops which contained nine movies, including one of children in swimwear, and pornographic images of children and bestiality.

Duggan worked as a technology teacher at Kenton School, Newcastle upon Tyne, since 2010 but resigned after a disciplinary hearing.

He had been suspended in 2012 when the school first became aware of his arrest for possessing indecent images of children, although the police took no further action

Subsequent forensic examination of that netbook by Witness A revealed a number of images including:  

1. 4 level 1 images (Images depicting erotic posing with no sexual activity)

2. 63 nudism photos (Witness A indicated that nudism type photos are photos of children in an obvious setting of a nudism camp, with nude adults also present)

3. 9 teen website banners

4. 403 indicative “teen” images

5. Words typed into the search engine such as “teen art”, “teen nudism”, “find teen bodies” and “panties”

May 2015

A FORMER school caretaker is to be sentenced after being convicted of 18 counts of sex offences against children.

Pensioner William John Skelton was found guilty of three counts of gross indecency and 15 counts of indecent assault on two young girls between 1966 and 1977 in Barrow.

The 71-year-old – who has worked as a caretaker at the then named Newbarns Junior School and the former Alfred Barrow School during the 1970s and 1980s – will be sentenced on May 11 at Preston Crown Court.

He was found guilty of 18 of the 19 charges on March 30 after a week-long trial.

They do not relate to any school he has worked in.

The pensioner now lives at Summersgill Road, Lancaster, after leaving the Barrow area but he still has family living locally.

A friend connected to the case said that she was pleased to see that justice had been done.

The woman, who does not want to be named, said: “I have seen the turmoil this has caused.

“It has been a nightmare. It’s just something that never goes away for those involved.

“It’s made worse by all the recent high-profile cases on television that have brought memories to the surface.

“I have seen the repercussions of his actions.

“It was only two years ago that what happened was reported to the police and they have been brilliant throughout the whole process.

“Even with support it is a very stressful process for everyone involved.

“I went to court and he didn’t once show any remorse and just laughed and joked with his partner. Even when he was found guilty it was like he didn’t believe it.

“I am just glad it’s all over and hopefully he will be given a decent sentence.”

May 2015

Teacher at elite boys’ school pleads guilty to possessing & making thousands of indecent images of children

A former teacher at an elite boys’ school is facing jail after pleading guilty to possessing and making thousands of indecent images of children.

Anthony Fuggle was a classics master at Colet Court, the junior division of St Paul’s Preparatory School in Barnes, south-west London, whose alumni include Chancellor George Osborne.

The 58-year-old admitted six counts of possessing indecent images of children, and seven counts of making indecent images of children on or before September 10 2013.

He was found to be in possession of more than 1,000 still and moving images of children.

Investigations also revealed that he had downloaded almost 2,000 images of youngsters – some as young as 12 – which included topless boys in shorts, boys on a beach, and naked straddling boys.

Four counts of making indecent images of the most severe level, Category A, were left to lie on file after he pleaded not guilty to them.

Fuggle appeared at Kingston Crown Court for a brief hearing and the case was adjourned until June 5 for sentencing.

Jane Humphryes QC asked for the matter to be put off for reports, saying: “He has been seeking help for a number of months now – there is a limit to actual help he can find at this stage.

“He has been seeing a therapist at least once a week.”

Fuggle was released on bail on the conditions that he does not go to Colet Court school, or be in the company of anyone under the age of 16 unless supervised.

The former teacher from Sutton in Surrey is reported to have resigned from his post at the prestigious school after he was arrested in September 2013.

He was the first person to be charged under the Metropolitan Police’s Operation Winthorpe.

The investigation was set up to investigate allegations of historic sexual abuse and misconduct at St Paul’s and Colet Court.

May 2015

Paedophile who sexually abused 11-year-old boy jailed for 11 years

A paedophile who groomed and sexually abused a vulnerable boy was jailed for 11 years.

Terence Grant-Hanlon, 39, of Bloomfield Green, Sefton Park, was found guilty of molesting the child when he was aged between 11 and 14.

Liverpool Crown Court heard that the pervert – who was 10 years older than his victim – abused him after he was left in his care in the 1990s.

Gerald Jones, prosecuting, said the defendant groomed the boy before regularly molesting him.

Grant-Hanlon, wearing glasses, a blue suit and waistcoat and grey shirt in the dock, looked the other way as the man read from a victim personal statement in court.

He described how he had a difficult childhood, which Grant-Hanlon exploited by giving him lots of attention, sweets and presents.

He said the paedophile made him feel special and thought they were in a loving relationship.

The victim said: “Looking back as an adult I can clearly see that Terence groomed and abused me.”

He said that he quit school and has since found it hard to form friendships and relationships and trust people.

He added that he has also suffered from obsessive behaviour such as concern about his cleanliness, but has found the strength to help other victims of child sex abuse.

Grant-Hanlon was found guilty of 12 counts of sexual offences including indecent assault.

The court heard he was handed a community order by magistrates for sexual activity in a public toilet in 2008.

He had other convictions for dishonesty matters and being drunk and disorderly.

Anthony O’Donohoe, defending, said his client would find prison difficult to deal with.

He said Grant-Hanlon had suffered tragedy in his life, including the death of his brother and the murder of his dad in 2002.

Mr O’Donohoe said: “He was also the victim of a savage attack, which left him in a coma for two months.”

Judge Norman Wright jailed Grant-Hanlon and told him to sign on the Sex Offenders Register for life.

He said: “If ever there was someone who was vulnerable, it was your victim. You took advantage of that.

“You showered him with gifts and affection, you groomed him, so that he, as acknowledged in his victim personal statement, believed you loved him and he loved you.

“He believed there was a relationship. You inculcated him in your sexual practices for your own gratification.”

May 2015

Jail for Leeds teaching assistant who downloaded over 13,000 child abuse images

A TEACHING assistant who filmed young boys at swimming baths and was found to have downloaded over 13,000 child abuse images has been jailed.

A court heard police discovered boys’ underwear and pictures of youngsters in a safe went they went to Matthew Dick’s home in Leeds.

Dick, a teaching assistant at Swinnow Primary School, was jailed for three years and four months.

The 27-year-old also worked as a volunteer for the Barnardos children’s charity, which enabled him to have unsupervised access to vulnerable children

Dick pleaded guilty to 20 offences of possessing indecent images of children, two of taking indecent images of children and two offences of voyeurism.

Leeds Crown Court heard police went to the home Dick shared with his parents on Cherry Tree Crescent, Farsley, on April 27 last year.

Officers entered the property and saw Dick trying to delete items on his computer.

Computers and equipment were seized and were found to contain 13,768 illegal images.

James Lake, prosecuting, said 694 of the images were at category A – the most serious level of offending.

Footage was also found of boys under the age of ten getting changed at two different swimming pools in Leeds.

Films were also found of children which he had followed while they walked around with their parents at a Wicks hardware store.

Two pairs of boys’ underpants and two photographs were also found in a safe.

Mr Lake said Dick was a qualified teacher but was working as a teaching assistant at Swinnow Primary School at the time of his arrest.

Dick was also part of the fostering and mentoring team for Barnardos.

Michael Walsh, mitigating, said Dick had been open about his offending since his arrest.

He added that Dick had developed an obsession for accessing the images on the internet.

Judge Sally Cahill, QC, told Dick that he had showed determination in obtaining the images.

She added: “This is a case in which only custody is an appropriate sentence.”

Jane Held, independent chair of the Leeds Safeguarding Children Board said: “We are aware that a man, who had several roles working with children in Leeds, has been imprisoned for serious offences.

“We have been in close communication with all organisations with which Mr Dick was involved, either through employment or on a voluntary basis and I can confirm that as soon as they were made aware of the allegations all organisations took immediate action to end any contact this individual had with children.

“Children’s safety in Leeds is our paramount concern and we are satisfied that all of the organisations carried out rigorous checks including the relevant CRB/DBS checks prior to him working or volunteering with children.

“We understand that there is no evidence that any child Mr Dick had contact with during his employment or voluntary work in Leeds has been harmed in anyway. However if anyone has any concerns they are advised to contact West Yorkshire Police or Leeds City Council’s duty and advice team on 0113 3760336.”

May 2015

Winsford paedophile jailed for 15 years

By Kenny Lomas

A PAEDOPHILE from Winsford has been sentenced to 15 years imprisonment after being found guilty of a string of historic sexual offences against a child.

Shaun Wilson, 33, formerly of Grampian Way, was sentenced at Chester Crown Court on April 13.

Wilson was convicted of four counts of gross indecency, five counts of indecent assault and one count of rape.

The offences, which occurred between 2001 and 2012, mainly occurred when the victim was in her early teens.

Wilson was brought to justice after the victim decided to come forward and report his crime’s to police.

For original article follow this link – Winsford paedophile jailed for 15 years

May 2015

Child abuser jailed for five years for indecent assault

Dennis Fenton has been jailed for five years after pleading guilty to indecent assault.

Fenton (27/09/1949) of Hartsop Drive, Middleton was sentenced today, Tuesday 5 May 2015, at Minshull Street Crown Court.

Between 1/1/86 and 31/12/87 Fenton babysat for a girl who was 14-years-old at the time, in the Altrincham area.

Over that period of time he indecently assaulted her on seven occasions.

Detective Constable Nicola Graham said: “Fenton not only betrayed the trust of the parents of the victim but he betrayed the trust of someone he should have been making sure was safe.

He took advantage of a young girl who has lived with what happened to her for many years.

“Thankfully she took the very brave step of contacting police so we could launch an investigation and ensure Fenton paid for his crimes.

“This case highlights no matter how long ago the offence took place and when the report is made, those responsible for spreading misery will be caught and brought to justice.”

May 2015

Photographer faces prison over indecent pictures of children

A PHOTOGRAPHER who secretly “took extra pictures” of girls while they were changing for photo shoots has been warned he faces a prison sentence.

Stephen Oatway, 56, of High Street, Owston Ferry, admitted two charges of making indecent photographs of a girl in 2006.

He also admitted five offences of possessing indecent photographs of children on or before November 12 last year. They included individual charges involving 84,869 images, 36 images, 82 moving images and 74 moving images.

Simon Hirst, prosecuting, told Grimsby Crown Court that the offences were committed while Oatway was working as a photographer, taking photographs of three girls “getting undressed” or “changing” for shoots.

He set up a web cam, or something similar, and was supposedly checking the camera was working properly when the offences were committed, said Mr Hirst.

Judge David Tremberg said it seemed Oatway was “surreptitiously taking extra pictures” while the girls were changing.

Defence barrister Richard Butters said it was a serious case and Oatway was expected to plead guilty to further offences of making indecent photographs of children.

Sentence was adjourned until June 26 and Oatway was further remanded in custody. There was no application for bail.

Judge Tremberg warned Oatway: “I am sure you are fully aware of the seriousness of your position.”

He added the judge at the next hearing would be “considering an immediate prison sentence”.

A pre-sentence report had already been prepared on Oatway and a possible draft sexual harm prevention order was also expected to be served, the court heard.

May 2015

44-year-old Exeter man has admitted making and possessing indecent pictures of children and teens

Richard Rees, of Hamlin Lane, Exeter, pleaded guilty to six charges of possessing and making 1,720 images of youngsters.

Exeter Magistrates’ Court heard the aggravating feature of the case was that it involved vulnerable children aged eight to 12 and 13 to 15 years.

A handful were of the most serious category

The JPs sent Rees to the crown court for sentence by a judge in June.

May 2015

RAF serviceman asked young girl to do homework naked on webcam

An RAF serviceman has admitted having under-age girls strip off for him on online chat services from his room at a military base.

Chesney Wallbank, who worked at RAF Leuchars in Fife, was caught after he was accused of falsifying documents that would allow him to be involved in the physical training of air cadets aged 13 years and up.

The 23-year-old had a series of young girls pose via webcams after approaching them on Skype, Yahoo Chat and Windows Live Messenger.

He now faces jail after a sheriff branded the case “worrying” and “troubling”.

Wallbank turned up to court flanked by a commanding officer and could face being dismissed by the RAF after he is sentenced.

Fiscal depute Vicky Bell told Dundee Sheriff Court: “His room was searched by RAF police in relation to an internal matter concerning him allegedly falsifying documents in order to allow him to be involved in physical training of air cadets.

“His laptop was seized and examination revealed indecent images within.

“The images were found within a temporary storage area used by Windows Live Messenger.

“Chat logs were recovered and show the accused asking for ‘pics’ and asking for ‘pics of young girls 12-13′.

“He also asked an unknown person to do their homework naked whilst streaming through a web cam to him and during these chats there appeared to be trading of images.

“A total of ten indecent images were found. There are comments in the chat logs from girls saying ‘I’m only 14′ and ‘I don’t want to do that’.

“He had not been allowed to do the air cadets training due to concerns other than this.

“It allegedly transpired that he had falsified documents in order to facilitate involvement with cadets and that is what ultimately led to the finding of these images.”

Defence solicitor Iain Flynn said: “He is due to be transferred to RAF Coningsby in England later this year if he is still a serving member of the RAF.

“He had a previous incident where he received a financial penalty under the Armed Forces Act for wearing corporal’s stripes when he wasn’t a corporal.”

Wallbank, whose address was given as RAF Leuchars, pleaded guilty on indictment to a charge of taking or making indecent images of children between April 21, 2011, and June 5, 2013.

Sheriff Alistair Brown deferred sentence until June for social work background reports and released Wallbank on bail in the meantime.

The sheriff said: “It is troubling that this is a true case of production in which he has requested people to pose effectively.

“The interest he has shown in the physical training of air cadets is worrying.”