May 2015

Essex pensioner jailed for 15 years after being convicted of sexual abusing under-age girls

Alan Bright, 79, denied the charges of rape, indecent assault, and inciting underage girls to commit gross indecency. The abuse spanned a period of 20 years from 1970 to 1990 but the offences only came to light in May 2013.

He was convicted on Monday following a three-week trial at Chelmsford Crown Court and jailed today (Tuesday, May 19. He was also made subject of a sexual harm prevention order.

The judge described Bright, of Almond Way, Colchester, as cunning and manipulative and said he had taken advantage of his victims.

Investigating officer DC Cornelius Bowen, who was commended by the judge for his work on the case, said afterwards: “Bright has never shown any remorse or admitted his crimes.

“He put his victims through hell and the distressing ordeal of giving evidence and undergoing cross-examination in court. It has personally been one of the hardest cases I have dealt with.

“I am happy with the sentence handed down to Bright and just hope that when he sits in his prison cell, he remembers the ordeal he put those girls through.”as cunning and manipulative and said he had taken advantage of his victims.

May 2015

Sex offender ‘haunted by his crime’ handed himself in

A man has been jailed after he handed himself into police nearly 20 years after he ruined a young girl’s life.

Leigh Henry Smith, now 35, was 16 and the victim was eight when he sexually abused her, York Crown Court heard.

His barrister Tom Gent told York Crown Court: “His behaviour has haunted him throughout his life.

He has at times throughout his life been suicidal and struggled to come to terms with what he did.

Yes, he was under pressure from others, but principally, he could not live with himself any more.”

David Bradshaw, prosecuting, said the girl’s family had become aware of his crimes and were preparing themselves to tell the police when Smith handed himself in.

“She takes the view the abuse has ruined her life,” he said.

The victim was in court to see Smith jailed for two years and three months and put on the sex offenders’ register and made subject to a sexual harm prevention order imposing tight controls on his access to children. Both will last for ten years.

Smith, formerly of Clifton Caravan Site, Water Lane, Clifton, pleaded guilty to five charges of indecent assault committed in the 1990s.

“Although these events happened a long time ago, the memories have stayed with the victim all these years. I am satisfied from what I have read in her victim impact statement, she has suffered very considerable distress and she thinks your selfish behaviour has had a major effect on her enjoyment of life,” the Recorder of York, Judge Stephen Ashurst, told him.

The judge said he took into account when passing sentence that the police did not know about the sexual abuse until Smith told them.

But he added: “It was probably a close-run thing as to who would go to the police first.”

Mr Bradshaw said the offences occurred in a tent, a caravan and a house.

Mr Gent said Smith did not accept that any offences happened in a tent. At the time of the offences he was immature sexually and in his experience of life.

May 2015

Sex Offender Sentenced to Seven Years

On Monday 18^th May 2015 Derek Sharpe aged 75 from the Sleaford area appeared before Judge Sean Morris via video link at Grimsby Crown Court.

He was sentenced to seven years imprisonment for a series of historic sexual assaults against two young girls in the 70’s and 80’s.

The investigating officer was Detective Constable Michelle Adamson, she said, “The two victims in this case have suffered over a prolonged period.

Initially they had to cope with the assaults and then they had to wait many years before the matter was brought to the attention of the police and the offender was brought to justice. The investigation has been ongoing since 2012.

Sharpe was convicted after pleading not guilty and subjecting his victims to the ordeal of reliving their experiences in the witness box. He can now reflect on his behaviour in prison.

The victims have been very brave and have fully supported the police throughout the investigation, hopefully they can now move on with their lives.

This case once again highlights the fact that Lincolnshire Police and other forces will pursue offenders years, sometimes decades, after they have committed their offences and will prosecute them successfully.

Paedophiles who commit such offences should be aware of that and every knock on their door could be us coming to arrest them.  ”

May 2015

Convicted paedophile back in court after another victim come’s forward

A convicted sex offender from Castledawson who abused an 11-year-old boy is to be sentenced in court later this week.

Allen Arrell had been jailed in the 1990’s for abusing seven young people.

At the time he gave police the names of almost thirty boys and girls he abused, although admitted there could be up to 40 victims.

The 63-year-old was jailed for five years and was released from prison in 1994.

A further victim reported similar abuse to police in July last year.

Arrell, of Annaghmore Road, Castledawson, Magherafelt, pleaded guilty to seven charges of indecently assaulting the boy between January 1982 and January 1986.

The victim was aged between 11 and 14 at the time of the abuse.

Derry Crown Court heard that the boy had an interest in CB radio’s and was part of a group that would communicate over the radio.

Allen, who was around 30 at the time, was also part of this group.

The court was told Allen met up with the boy and would take him places where the radio signal was better.

He abused the boy in his car on a number of occasions.

Allen also took the boy to his home and abused him there.

He would touch the boy underneath his clothes and on the last occasion also tried to kiss him.

The court was told the boy told him to stop and they had no further contact.

During police interview, Allen initially denied the allegations but then said he thought he had ‘cleared everything up’ during the last prosecution.

Defence counsel Dean Mooney said the 63-year-old ‘recalls befriending the injured party and meeting him on a number of occasions he has no specific memory of the offences’.

The barrister said this was due to the passage of time and the ‘catalogue of offending’ Allen committed at the time.

Mr Mooney added his client accepts the injured party’s account and knows these are ‘very serious offences’.

The court was also told Allen accepts there was an ‘element of grooming’ in the abuse.

Mr Mooney said his client has ‘found it very difficulty to come to terms with his offending’.

He added that Allen has not committed any further offences since he was released from prison.

Judge Phillip Babington adjourned sentencing until Friday and released Allen on continuing bail.

May 2015

Stowmarket’s Oakwood School child cruelty pair change pleas to guilty

Michael Watts (left) and Gerald West

Two former staff members at Stowmarket’s Oakwood School have changed their pleas on child cruelty charges to guilty

Gerald West, the deputy head at the boarding school, and Michael Watts, who worked as a child care officer, had spent the past six weeks on trial at Ipswich Crown Court after pleading not guilty.

But today, West, 71, of Martins Meadow, Gislingham, and Watts, 59, of Netley Abbey, Southampton, each pleaded guilty to two offences of cruelty to a child aged under 16.

The prosecution said that no further evidence would be offered in respect of eight similar charges against West and five against Watts.

The pair are due to be sentenced on Friday (May 22).

During the trial the jury had heard allegations of beatings and force feeding of food which staff knew would make pupils sick.

Former pupils alleged that they had been hit and kicked, struck with bats, dragged by the hair and repeatedly slapped.

Former pupils also claimed that when they tried to write to their parents to complain, the letters were torn up by staff.

The allegations related to a period spanning from 1974 until 1999 and were said to have involved about 20 boys.

Oakwood School, which is now closed, had catered for boys aged between eight and 16 with educational and behavioural problems.

Also being sentenced on Friday will be Eric D’Smith, 75, of Danes Close, Stowmarket, the former head teacher at Oakwood, who was found guilty last month of four offences of indecent assault and three of indecency with a child.

Details of his trial and the subsequent verdicts could not be reported at the time because of an order restricting publicity while the trial of the other four former Oakwood staff members was taking place.

May 2015

Former Holmfirth music teacher jailed for sex offence against boy pupil in the mid 1980s

A music teacher sexually abused a 15-year-old boy in Holmfirth after giving him lessons on how to play the trumpet.

Derek James Green had “groomed” the teenager by previously showing him pornographic magazines and Polaroid photos of himself naked or on occasions engaging in sexual activity with his wife, Leeds Crown Court heard today – Tuesday.

He had also given him money back from the fee paid for his lessons.

But on the day concerned he took the youth up to his loft and engaged in sexual activity with him.

Matthew Bean, prosecuting, said the boy knew it was wrong and felt uncomfortable and stopped Green but was so traumatised by what had happened he felt he could not speak about it to anyone.

Shortly afterwards Green stopped teaching him but the impact lingered on through the victim’s adult life until he eventually felt able to report the incident to police in 2013, more than 20 years later.

By then Mr Bean told the court Green had received a prison sentence imposed in 1999 for offences against another of his music pupils, a girl under 16 with whom he had sex.

He said the youth victim in the earlier offences described how he had confided in Green after being bullied at school and thought the teacher was kind.

The abuse had left him with a deep sense of self-loathing. For a time he became a binge drinker and had difficulty with relationships.

Simon Killeen, representing Green, said after his release in 2000 he had sought counselling for his behaviour and there had been nothing since.

He had not been able to return to teaching only to “menial employment” such as his current job of pushing trolleys in a supermarket “which he says he deserves.”

He suggested there was no need for Green to be sent back to prison.

“Perhaps the public would be better served by allowing him to be punished in the community with the additional protections and restraints that the Probation Service set out,” he said.

Green, now 60, of Lon Derw, Abergele, Wales, admitted two offences of indecent assault in the 1980s.

Jailing him for 14 months Judge Guy Kearl QC said immediate imprisonment was required because of the effect on the victim and his life since.

He was a child at the time.

“He was vulnerable and you took advantage of that,” the judge said.

He accepted those offences had happened before his sentence involving the girl “who was also it turns out your pupil” and there had been nothing since his release from that jail term but it was a serious abuse of trust.

May 2015

Sexual predator jailed for ten years for string of offences

A SEXUAL predator convicted of a string of historic offences will be in prison for a decade.

Police said Graham Paul Cleaver, 59, repeatedly denied indecently assaulted two girls he knew and attempting to rape one of them in Hove and Eastbourne in the 1970s and 1990s.

The 59-year-old, of Dovedale Gardens, Eastbourne, was sentenced at Lewes Crown Court today after he was found guilty in an eight-day re-trial.

It follows a previous trial where a jury had failed to agree, acquitting him of raping one of the women when she was a teenager.

He was convicted of:

Four counts of indecent assault against one girl, aged between 15 and 17 at the time of the offences, at a house in Hove between 1972 and 1974, and six counts of indecent assault and one of attempted rape against a girl who was aged between seven and 12, at a house in Eastbourne, between 1994 and 1999.

Detective constable Rex Petty, of the Brighton Safeguarding Investigations Unit, said: “These offences first came to light when the older woman came to us in 2011. A careful and thorough investigation followed to uncover the whole truth of what had happened, and Cleaver denied everything all the way through.

“The two victims continued to support the prosecution, and with their evidence the case against Cleaver was finally proved.

“This is another example of the way in which we can support victims and help them obtain justice, even after many years.”

May 2015

Newbury man who sexually assaulted three children around Wantage has been jailed

David Bell, aged 61, of Oxford Road, Newbury, was sentenced to three years in prison; 32 months in total for the sexual offences plus four months for supplying the Class B drug cannabis at Oxford Crown Court on Thursday, May 14. 

The offences took place between April 2008 and March 2014 and involved three victims, all under the age of 16. 

The 61-year-old had pleaded guilty to six counts of sexual activity with a child, five counts of sexual assault of a child and supplying cannabis in the Wantage area on April 10.

Investigating officer, Det Con Elaine Christopher of the Child Abuse Investigations Unit, said: “I would like to extend my sincere thanks to the victims who have shown great courage and bravery in coming forward to report these offences and hope this sentence helps to bring some closure for them.

“Thames Valley Police takes all reports of this nature extremely seriously and we have specially-trained officers who can assist victims to come forward as well as support them through the ongoing process.”

May 2015

Doncaster man jailed for sexually assaulting schoolgirls

A Doncaster beggar who sexually assaulted two 13-year-old schoolgirls outside a South Yorkshire train station has been jailed for a year.

Lee Anderson, 31, of Avenue Road, Askern, Doncaster was sentenced at Sheffield Crown Court earlier this week, following an investigation by British Transport Police (BTP).

The court heard how in August last year, an intoxicated Anderson, who had already been served with an anti-social behaviour order (ASBO) preventing him from begging at Doncaster railway station, approached the two 13-year-olds as they sat on a bench outside the entrance to Sheffield station

He began asking them questions of a sexual nature and the girls, frightened by his remarks, attempted to move away but Anderson reached out, embracing the girls and then trying to kiss them.

As they struggled, he indecently assaulted the pair before one of them managed to break away.

A shop assistant working nearby witnessed the struggle and rushed over, telling him to leave the girls alone.

Anderson then backed away but later returned and attempted to grab the girls a second time.

Both managed to break away and reported the incident to a British Transport Police officer.

Around two hours later officers spotted Anderson from the description the girls had given and he was arrested.

Both the girls and the shop assistant picked out Anderson, who denied the charge, from an identification parade.

Investigating officer Detective Constable Ian Grice said: “Anderson’s actions that day understandably left these very young girls terrified.

“Their actions and bravery reflects the message of our Report it to Stop it campaign, calling on all victims of any unwanted sexual behaviour to report it to BTP officers who will treat it seriously and believe what is reported to us.

“It is vital that victims feel confident enough to report anything which has made them feel uncomfortable and be reassured that their allegation will be dealt with seriously.

“Committing offences of unwanted sexual behaviour is wholly unacceptable and we will continue to work together with our policing colleagues and partners to catch offenders and bring them to justice.”

Anderson was handed a 12-month sentence, and a criminal behaviour order for three years, with the following conditions:

· Not to approach members of the public for the purpose of begging.

· Not to be intoxicated through drink or drugs in Doncaster or Sheffield town/city centres

He has also been placed on the sexual offenders’ register for ten years

April 2011

Former college worker jailed for sex offences

A FORMER Ilfracombe College technician and Scoutmaster has been sent to jail for five years after sexually assaulting children more than 30 years ago.

Michael Vickery, 70, who now lives in Brixham, tried to commit suicide after his crimes were revealed, Exeter Crown Court was told.

He was found by police near the Dartmouth ferry, where he had apparently taken medication and drafted a note.

The court was told Vickery had worked for 35 years as a technician at Ilfracombe College.

He had also run a youth club and been a Scout leader in North Devon.

Vickery was told by the judge at Exeter Crown Court that the court’s sentencing powers probably did not reflect the seriousness of his crimes.

He had previously admitted eight indecent assaults and four acts of gross indecency with children.

The offences were committed over a number of years in the 1970s and 1980s.

For the prosecution, Bathsheba Cassel said Vickery had told police that assaults on one of the children had been “their little game”.

She said when the allegations surfaced last year, Vickery fled.

“He was later found by police at the Dartmouth ferry where he had apparently drafted a suicide note and taken a quantity of medication,” said Miss Cassel.

When questioned at hospital, Vickery admitted his crimes.

The court was told he was a man of previous good character but the offences had left a lasting emotional effect on the victims.

Miss Cassel requested the court imposed a Sexual Offences Prevention Order because of Vickery’s past involvement with young people.

“He has demonstrated a sexual interest in children and admitted it,” she said.

For the defence, Kevin Hopper said Vickery had admitted his crimes to police as soon as he was questioned.

But he said an order was unnecessary because his crimes were long ago and potential employers would need to be notified about his past anyway.

Judge Erik Salomonsen said he would impose an order restricting his contact with children.

He added: “Perhaps the maximum sentences do not reflect the criminality of the offences.

“These offences were aggravated by the fact there were multiple victims and it continued over a 13-year period.”

He told Vickery he could expect to serve half of his five-year sentence in jail and the rest on licence.

May 2015

Coatbridge dad-of-six faces jail term for raping three young girls

A COATBRIDGE dad-of-six faces a lengthy jail sentence after being convicted of raping three young girls — including one aged just nine.

The High Court in Glasgow heard that Arthur Renwick bribed two of the vulnerable youngsters with cash to carry out sickening acts and even took pictures of himself raping them.

The twisted 59-year-old paedophile — who kept a computer spreadsheet showing how much he had paid his victims for sex acts — was also convicted of abusing another girl, possessing indecent photos of some of his victims and making indecent remarks to two boys and a girl.

The offences were committed over a seven-year period between 2006 and 2013. Renwick’s other two rape victims were aged between 12 and 14.

Despite denying the offences and even claiming his victims had groomed him, a jury found Renwick guilty of a catalogue of sexual offences. As the verdicts were given, he sat in the dock crying.

Judge Lady Wolffe told Renwick: “You have been convicted by the jury of terrible, atrocious, appalling abuse of young children over a number of years. You will be looking at a very substantial sentence.”

The court heard that police who searched his Coatbridge home found photographs of him raping two young girls who were aged between 12 and 14.

But, in evidence he claimed that two of the girls he raped had “groomed” him and he was the victim.

Renwick denied raping the girls and claimed that he was just simulating sex and added: “It was simulated to allow me to take a picture.

“I strictly told the girls beforehand there would be no sex.”

He claimed that he was impotent following a heart attack — but produced no evidence in court to back that up.

He told jurors that the girls had taken a photograph of him urinating behind a car and used this to blackmail him to carry out indecent acts with them and demand money from him.

Renwick claimed: “They were very promiscuous from an early age.”

The court heard in fact that the truth was Renwick had groomed his victims over a period of time and the abuse became progressively worse.

Advocate depute Keith Stewart QC, prosecuting, told Renwick: “You produced a spreadsheet and showed it to them. In it, you set out the prices and the prices got better as the activities got progressively more indecent”, to which Renwick replied: “No”.

Mr Stewart went on: “These girls aged between 12 and 14 were groomed by an adult male.” Again, Renwick replied: “No.”

The QC told Renwick: “You began grooming these girls. You began with little things like touching them and gradually you increased the abuse.”

However, Renwick responded: “No, they were grooming me.”

He added: “It began with me playing games of dares with them and it just snowballed from there.”

The court heard that Renwick was caught after a police tip-off led to them finding the images on his computer.

Sentence was deferred on Renwick until next month at the High Court in Livingston for background reports.

Defence counsel Graham Robertson will give his plea in mitigation.

May 2015

Jail for man convicted of sex offences against children

A MAN has been jailed for four years after he was convicted of a series of historic sex offences.

Johnathan Riley had denied 11 counts of indecent assault and ten offences of indecency with a child, but was found guilty after a trial.

Judge Tony Briggs, sitting at Teesside Crown Court, said the 38-year-old had maintained his denials throughout the process.

He said: “This [offending] continued for a lengthy period of time and custody is obviously inevitable.”

Riley, of St John’s Park, Stillington, near Stockton, committed the offences against three children in the late 1980s/early 1990s, prosecutor Shaun Dodds told the court. One had since died.

Mr Dodds said of Riley: “He told them not to say anything and said they would not be believed.”

Charlotte Surley, for Riley, said the most compelling mitigation was his own age at the time of the offences.

Several character references were handed into Judge Briggs by the barrister in support of Riley, while his supporters also packed the public gallery.

She added: “Since reaching adulthood this defendant has led an exemplary life.”

Judge Briggs told Riley: “It is plain that you took advantage of [that] situation to abuse children who were clearly vulnerable and you did so over a long period.”

As well as the jail sentence, Riley was made subject to an indefinite sexual harm prevention order and will have to register his address with police.

May 2015

Lichfield paedophile caught with vile dog porn and child abuse images on PC

AN ELDERLY Lichfield man who “fantasised” about young girls downloaded hundreds of indecent images from the internet, a judge heard.

Police seized two computers in a search raid on the home of Peter Grimshaw in Hammerwich.

They contained a total of just over 500 indecent pictures of youngsters, including 36 of the most vile class A.

Also found on his computer were seven images of extreme porn involving sexual acts between humans and dogs, said Miss Fiona Cortese, prosecuting.

When the defendant was arrested on January 17 last year, he told officers “I know what I have done and what I haven’t done”.

He said he had fantasies involving girls and had spoken about it in chat rooms.

And he said he went on internet searches “incognito” so he did not have to delete his search history and reckoned there were only about 40 to 50 images of children.

In fact, on his laptop there were a total of 496, plus the seven images of bestiality, with another eight images of children on the desktop computer.

Grimshaw, aged 64, of Pingle Lane, Hammerwich admitted three charges of making indecent photos of children and one of possessing extreme pornography.

He was given a three-year community order to undergo a sex offender treatment programme.

At Stafford Crown Court, Judge John Wait told him: “You should undergo the sex offender group programme designed to reinforce in your mind the fact that every instance of these images taken amounts to abuse of these children.

“They will live their lives knowing people like you – and worse – are poring over their photographs as they circulate worldwide, providing brief, perverted gratification for men.”

Grimshaw was also ordered to pay £535 costs and register with the police as a sex offender.

Mr Neil Gerrity, defending, said Grimshaw had no previous criminal record at all.

“He is a man of positive good character, people have put pen to paper to speak highly of him.”

May 2015

Sex predator jailed for 20 years for raping two girls and indecently assaulting two others

A man has been jailed for 20 years after being found guilty of 10 sexual offences against four victims.

Alan Aylward, from Eglwyswrw in Pembrokeshire, was found guilty of the rape of two girls, both aged under 14.

The 59-year-old was also found guilty of a number of indecent assaults against two other young girls.

The offences happened in Lowestoft in Suffolk during the 1980s and 1990s.

Police were initially contacted in December 2013 by a woman who reported she had been sexually assaulted by Aylward, who also went by the name Alan Ward, when she was a teenager.

After initial enquiries he was arrested by police in January 2014 and interviewed, where he denied the offence and said he didn’t remember the victim.

Suffolk officers then began extensive enquiries and found three other victims.

Aylward was interviewed again but continued to deny any wrongdoing. Evidence was gathered and he was initially charged in October 2014 with eleven offences.

On Wednesday he was found guilty of 10 of these by a jury at Ipswich Crown Court and was sentenced to 20 years in prison.

Detective Constable Darren Winchester said; “This has been a long 18-month investigation from the initial contact through until today and throughout the process his victims have shown immense courage and dignity.

“We were initially contacted by a woman, now in her 30s, and through our enquiries found three other victims of Aylward.

“Each of them had been raped or seriously sexually assaulted by him when they were children.

“The judge said in court that his behaviour had been monstrous and we are pleased that he has now been given a substantial 20-year jail term, which reflects this.

“This case has again shown victims that police will investigate and that justice can be achieved, even if the abuse happened many years before.”

June 2009

25-year-old who took advantage of schoolgirl jailed for two years and eight months

A MAN who had sex with a 13-year-old girl was jailed for two years and eight months as well as being placed on the child sex offenders register for life.

Philip Curran, 25, of Dawn Close, Neston, was also banned from working with children after he led the girl to public toilets and had sex with her in June last year.

Chester Crown Court heard that Curran, who pleaded guilty to sexual activity with a child, took advantage of the girl in ‘the most beastly way’, knowing she was under age.

The pair had met earlier outside a fun fair and shared bottles of beer together.

Peter Moss, prosecuting, said: “The defendant and the girl spent time together, larking about.

“As the end of the day approached he started to say how pretty she was. She was flattered and responded to his attentions. She followed him down an alleyway where there are some public toilets.

“One thing led to another and there was a sexual encounter.”

Simon Mills, defending, said: “He is a man with a partner and children which makes his behaviour more disgusting and sordid.

“There is no excuse. What he did was disgusting and he hopes it will never be repeated.”

Sentencing Curran, who is in prison for assault, Judge Elgan Edwards said: “You took advantage of her in the most beastly way. You are an adult man who is 25 and this girl was 13.”

April 2011

West Yorkshire pervert back in jail after abuse of girl

A SEX offender who preyed on a 12-year-old girl after his release from prison for abusing ten youngsters during the 1980s has been returned to jail.

Stephen Fothergill, 53, was jailed in 1987 for indecently assaulting ten girls under the age of 13.

Leeds Crown Court heard how he targeted another victim after his release from prison.

Fothergill, of Queen Street, Wakefield, carried out the offences at his home.

Neil Clarke, mitigating, said Fothergill was still in denial about the offences. He said the offences had a devastating effect on Fothergill’s family.

Judge Christopher Batty jailed Fothergill for eight years and told him he must serve an extended licence period of seven years upon his release. He was also banned from working with children and ordered to sign the sex offenders’ register for life.

The judge told Fothergill: “It is perhaps too early to know exactly what effect your sexual abuse of her will have on her as she grows up.

“The emotional trauma that people like you bring about when they embark on behaviour such as this is difficult to quantify but extreme in significance.”

He added: “This wasn’t an isolated incident. This went on for a period of time.

“Looking at this indictment and looking at your report, you are assessed as a high risk of serious offending in the future.

“You are, in my view, a danger to young girls.

“I sincerely hope during your period in custody and the licence period that follows that you can come to terms with offending and get the appropriate help.

“You may, in due course be someone who is safe within the community.”

May 2015

Appeal judge tells paedophile pensioner: ‘You’re not too old for jail’

An OAP who said his sentence for child sex abuse should be cut because of his ‘old age’ has had his case rejected.

Brian Colin Lewington, 68, of Blaydon Avenue, Cleveleys, escaped justice for decades after committing crimes against two girls in the 1960s.

He was eventually jailed for three years in January, after admitting a count of indecency with a child and six indecent assaults at Aylesbury Crown Court.

He took his case to the Court of Appeal, where his lawyers argued that, because he is now ‘somewhat elderly’, his sentence should be reduced. But Lady Justice Macur said: “He is not an old man. Last week, this court dealt with two 90-year-olds.”

The court heard Lewington was only brought to justice after his victims came forward last year.

One talked of attacks which took place before she had even reached her teens.

Another also spoke up, complaining of being molested by Lewington when she was only nine.

Lewington argued that, at 68, he is no risk to children.

May 2015

Sex beast found guilty of raping seven-year-old girl

A vile sex beast is behind bars after being convicted of raping a seven-year-old girl at a secluded Scottish cottage.

Peter Carter, 49, was remanded in custody following a trial at the High Court in Paisley.

He now faces a lengthy jail term for abusing the youngster and another seven-year-old girl over a six-and-a-half-year period.

The abuse took place at his home, which he said could only be reached by Jeep or 4×4.

The former engineer abused the youngsters in the mid 2000s at the remote farmhouse in Argyll.

He left his native Yorkshire, where he had lived in Halifax and Huddersfield, 19 years ago and settled north of the border.

He then preyed on the youngsters, starting to abuse the older of the two girls first.

The court heard he raped her at his secluded home, which he chillingly told the jury was “surrounded by 6,000 acres of nothing.”

He said the small home was so isolated it was seven-miles away from the nearest town and could only be reached by a farm track road.

And he said that road up to his property was so treacherous and rocky it had previously broken cars which had driven along it.

Callous Carter denied he’d done anything wrong and went on trial on four sex assault charges, three in relation to the older girl and one involving the younger girl.

He forced both girls to take the stand to give evidence against him and they testified via a video link between the High Court in Paisley and Oban Sheriff Court.

The older girl told the court that, when police interviewed her about Carter’s abuse, she was unable to say what had happened to her out loud.

She told the eight men and seven women of the jury that she scribbled details of the sex assaults on a piece of paper.

She explained: “It was easier for me to write them down than say them.

“I was finding it very hard to get the words out.”

Carter denied he’d assaulted the young girls, telling the jury that he had only ever scratched the older girl’s back and helped the younger girl into her swimsuit.

The father, who himself has a young daughter and son, said his victims were lying about what happened.

He said he could not explain why the girls had lied about the events as he had not seen them in so long.

And he said his family were so sure of his innocence that he was still allowed to see his nieces and nephews.

But despite his pleas of innocence a jury found him guilty by majority.

They took just two hours and 12 minutes to convict him of all four charges.

He raped the older girl at the cottage and used lewd, indecent and libidinous practices and behaviour towards her there.

He also repeatedly sexually assaulted her by placing his arms round her and feeling her body parts under her clothing.

Carter, who runs his own carpentry business, also sexually assaulted the younger girl at his home when she was just seven, by touching her inappropriately.

Trial Judge John Beckett QC called for Carter to be assessed by social workers and adjourned sentencing until next month at the High Court in Glasgow.

May 2015

Bangladeshi jailed for eight years for “systematically” abusing two young girls

A man who “systematically” abused two young girls over a two-year period has been jailed for eight years.

Abdul Kadir, from Bangladesh, admitted 11 offences, including sexual assault on girl under 13 over a two-year period in the Maidenhead area.

Kadir, 33, who was in the country illegally after overstaying his visa, fled to France as police started an investigation in May 2014.

He was arrested under a European Arrest Warrant in Paris in December.

Kadir, of no fixed abode, admitted 10 counts of sexually assaulting a girl under 13 by touching and one of engaging in sexual activity in the presence of a child.

Four other charges, which he denied at a hearing in March, will lie on file.

Sentencing Kadir at Reading Crown Court, Judge Ian Grainger described the offences as “disgraceful and disgusting, involving the gravest possible breach of trust”.

He added: “The abuse was systematic and went on over a long period.

“You told the girls not to tell anybody and out of confusion or misplaced respect they did not do.”

Judge Grainger indicated Kadir will likely be deported to his native Bangladesh once he has served half of his custodial sentence.