June 2015

Jail warning to man who encouraged girl, 11, to send indecent pictures of herself

A MAN who encouraged an 11-year-old girl to send him indecent pictures of herself has been told to register as a sex offender.

And when Clive Grace asked a judge if ‘sentencing’ meant him going to prison he was told ‘You should prepare yourself for that’, as the case was adjourned.

The 19-year-old pleaded guilty to causing or inciting a child under the age of 13 to engage in sexual activity.

He encouraged the 11-year-old girl to send him indecent images between Friday, October 24, and Tuesday, October 28, last year.

And Grace, of Godolphin Close, Freshbrook, also pleaded guilty to three counts of possessing indecent photographs of a child.

Tony Bignall, defending, asked for the case to be adjourned so the probation service can compile a pre-sentence report on his client.

“He is a 19-year-old man, he has learning difficulties and some physical difficulties as well,” he told Swindon Crown Court.

Judge Tim Mousley QC asked what the defendant had said when he was questioned by the police.

Hannah Squire, prosecuting, said: “It was a mixed interview: there was some comment. He didn’t admit to the offences in interview.

“He said he thought the victim in the offence was 13. He said there were friends on Facebook but he had never exchanged any indecent images on his phone.”

Agreeing to a pre-sentence report the judge said “All sentencing options are open: I would have thought an immediate custodial sentence will be inevitable.”

Adjourning the case and releasing him on conditional bail, he said “Clive Grace, stand up, you have pleaded guilty to these serious offences.

“As you have heard me say the likelihood is there will be an immediate custodial sentence.

“A pre-sentence report is essential to help the judge who sentences you. You will come back to the court on June 19.

“Any of the conditions on your bail, if you breach, you will find yourself in custody. If you fail to attend you are likely to be sentenced in your absence.”

Speaking from the dock Grace then asked: “What does it mean if I am sentenced: does it mean I will be going to prison?” to which the judge replied “Well you should prepare yourself for that.”

Grace will now have to register as a sex offender, telling the police where he is living, with the total time he will have to continue registering decided by the sentence imposed.

June 2015

Paedophile jailed for sex attacks on girl on crowded West Wales beach

A PAEDOPHILE has been jailed the day before his 89^th birthday for sex attack on a girl on a crowded West Wales beach.

William McKechnie showed was jailed for six years after admitting 13 charges of sexual abuse against the girl in the 1990s.

McKechnie listened on court headphones as Swansea Crown Court was read a list of the vile attacks he made on the girl when she was between nine and 11 years of age.

Prosecutor Robin Rouch said he assaulted her on day trips to Oxwich beach, near Swansea – once while swimming and again as she lay sunbathing with a towel over her body.

Mr Rouch said: “She was petrified.”

The court also heard McKechnie assaulted her after she fell asleep in a summer house.

Mr Rouch said: “The incidents lasted 15 to 20 minutes and left her in a state on confusion. She did not say anything because she felt she would not be believed.”

It wasn’t until several years later that the woman, now in her 30s, finally went to the police.

But when he was quizzed by police, white-haired McKechnie answered “no comment”.

The court heard that the attacks over an 18-month to two-year period had ruined the woman’s life with her marriage breaking up and losing her job.

She wept as she read out a victim impact statement in court.

She said: “It has devastated my life – I tried to forget it and sweep it under the carpet but it was always in my mind.

“I lost friends and shut my family out because I did not want to burden them with what had happened to me.

“My life has been a roller coaster and I felt like a complete failure.”

McKechnie’s lawyer John Hipkin said by pleading guilty he was bringing closure so that the woman could move on with her life.

But Judge Michael Burr told him: “These dreadful offences blighted her history and her family.

“It was serious consistent abuse on an innocent girl which has had appalling long-term consequences.

“Your attitude since then has been more about your own situation rather than about the victim’s and your good character has been washed away by the enormity of these offences.”

The judge handed McKechnie a sexual harm prevention order which bars him from living in the same house as a child under 16 or any unsupervised contact with a child under 16.

McKechnie, of Newbridge Road, Port Talbot, was also ordered to register as a sex offender for life.

June 2015

Jail warning for internet pervert who blackmailed under-age girl into sending him revealing pics

A pervert who blackmailed an under-age girl into sending him revealing photographs over the internet has been warned he will be jailed.

Adam Pearson chatted to the youngster over social networking sites and persuaded her to send him pictures of herself.

The 22-year-old, of Hertford Avenue, South Shields, then threatened to show the photographs to others if she did not continue to do what he wanted.

At Newcastle Crown Court yesterday, Pearson pleaded guilty to five charges of inciting a child to engage in sexual activity and one of blackmail.

He was ordered to sign the Sex Offenders’ Register with immediate effect and was granted bail until he is sentenced next month.

The court heard the offences took place last year.

Judge Sean Morris told Pearson: “Custody is inevitable in this case.”

June 2015

Three-year jail sentence for sexual offences against schoolgirl

A 29-year-old man has been jailed for three years after admitting to sexual offences against a girl under the of 16 and sending a woman messages of a sexual nature.

Appearing at Kirkwall Sheriff Court for sentencing today, Steven Dobbs was also placed on the sex offenders register for an indefinite period of time and also a non-harrassment order for an indefinite period of time.

June 2015

Pervert flashed at schoolgirls during 60 minutes of freedom

A Haverfordwest man has been warned today (Wednesday) he faced a life of “jail and misery” unless he learned to control his sexual urges.

Michael Jones, aged 26, had been under supervision 23 hours a day because of previous sexual offending.

But, Swansea crown court heard, he took advantage of his 60 minutes of freedom to offend yet again.

Jones, of Shakespeare Close, admitted outraging public decency on March 3.

Brian Simpson, prosecuting, said two 14 year-old girls had been jogging along Winch Lane when they saw Jones approaching.

As he reached them he put his hand down the front of his trousers and appeared to be masturbating.

He wolf whistled at the girls three times despite being told to “f off.”

The girls told a police community support officer what had happened and she matched the description they gave her to Jones, who she had noticed earlier.

After his arrest Jones told police, “I’m sorry. I know I should not have done it. I have urges.”

Mr Simpson said at the time Jones had been under supervision for 23 hours a day because of previous sexual offending.

“But he had one hour off a day unsupervised and that is when it happened,” added Mr Simpson.

The judge, Mr Recorder Greg Bull, said he found the reports on Jones “worrying and depressing.”

“I am very worried he is becoming a danger to the public,” said Mr Recorder Bull, who added, “there is on-going offending that is not being reported” in addition to the crimes dealt with by the courts.

Jones’ barrister, Katie Williams, said: “All those working with him are trying their best. A cure, as such, is never going to happen. It is a question of managing the risk.”

Mr Recorder Bull said, “But it has been going on for years. I have no doubt the help he is getting is first class but despite all the support he reoffends.

“All the efforts to get him to think about his sexual urges have come to nothing.”

The judge warned Jones that the offence he was about to be sentenced for carried a maximum of life in prison and if that is what he wanted to happen “you are going the right way about it.”

“I have a great deal of concern with your case. The type of sexual activity you have engaged in is serious, and more serious because of your past offending.

“If you commit another offence of a sexual nature you are likely to go prison for a very long time because a judge will say you are a danger to the public.

“Stop, or you will have a life of misery,” he added.

Jones was jailed for 16 months, suspended for 18 months, and placed under the control of his carers for a full 24 hours a day.

He was also made the subject of a sexual harm prevention order and told to register with the police as a sex offender for the next five years.

June 2015

Telford man, 43, pleads guilty over child sex images

A Telford man has pleaded guilty to 11 counts of possessing indecent images of children.

Darren Johnson, 43, of Wildwood, Woodside, , admitted possessing a number of category B and C images and one category A image, the most serious, when he appeared at Shrewsbury Crown Court.

He pleaded not guilty to one charge of possessing a category C image.

Judge Jonathan Gosling adjourned sentencing the case on Monday for the preparation of a report and Johnson was released on conditional bail not to have unsupervised contact with children under the age of 18.

Johnson was also required to sign on as a registered sex offender. He will be sentenced on June 22.

June 2015

Holme Wood forklift driver is jailed for raping girl from age of 14

A 52-year-old former forklift truck driver has been jailed for 16 years for the systematic rape of a teenage girl.

George Leadbitter, of Grayswood Crescent, Holme Wood, Bradford, was told his crimes were “wicked” by the judge who sentenced him at Bradford Crown Court yesterday.

Leadbitter pleaded guilty to four offences relating to the repeated rape of the girl, starting when she was 14.

He also admitted two charges of breaching a non-molestation order by texting his victim when he was on bail in defiance of a court order banning him from contacting her.

The girl said in a statement to the court that she had not felt strong enough to report the sexual abuse until she contacted the police in April 2011.

She said Leadbitter had made her feel dirty all the time. She felt worthless and as if everything was her fault.

She had sought counselling and been prescribed anti-depressant tablets.

The court was told she had cut her wrists, suffered nightmares and had difficulty for many years with eating and sleeping.

Leadbitter’s barrister, Sara Dodd, told the court he had felt an “overwhelming and overpowering love” for the girl.

He now acknowledged his behaviour was “wholly wrong”.

He had been kept in custody since March and had undergone heart by-pass surgery while in prison on remand.

Judge John Potter told Leadbitter he was determined to get what he wanted from the girl.

“She was abused to satisfy your own perverted sexual gratification,” he said.

Judge Potter said Leadbitter had caused significant harm to his victim for the rest of her life.

“Your acts were exploitative, controlling and designed only for your own sexual gratification and can properly be described as wicked,” the judge told him.

Leadbitter’s probation officer assessed that he posed a significant risk to girls.

Judge Potter made a Sexual Offences Prevention Order barring Leadbitter from having unsupervised contact with girls under 16 for life.

He must also register with the police as a convicted sex offender for the rest of his life.

June 2015

Paedophile blamed stress and bad weather for 4,000 child abuse image stash

A SEX offender told the Probation Service he had downloaded indecent images of children because of last winter’s stormy weather, a court heard.

Michael Hardiker, of Austin Avenue, Poole, attempted to explain away his actions by blaming the stress of selling his bungalow and inclement weather in February 2014.

The 64-year-old had downloaded a total of 4,106 category C photographs of children, as well as three category C and 16 category A images.

One of the photographs depicted the rape of a little girl aged no more than five.

Fern Russell, prosecuting the case at Bournemouth Crown Court, said police burst into Hardiker’s home shortly before 5am on February 24 last year as part of Paedophile Online Investigation Team (POLIT) investigation into the downloading of indecent images of children.

“He suggested there were indecent images on a Dell laptop computer in a drawer under his bed,” she said.

“He accepted [downloading] indecent images, particularly of girls aged nine to 16.”

In mitigation, Brian Sharman said the defendant has now accepted the harm caused by viewing such images.

“I saw in the pre-sentence report [written by the Probation Service] that the explanation offered related to the sale of his bungalow and the weather being bad outside,” he said.

“I pointed out to him that one of the problems this court has is persons coming before [judges], or those committing these sorts of offences, often put up excuses which are implausible because they are in some form of denial about confronting themselves.”

Mr Sharman said Hardiker has since accepted his responsibility, adding: “He, in effect, accepts the wrong he has done and the criminality of it.”

Last February saw some of the worst storms in living memory hit Dorset.

Dubbed ‘Operation Gale’ by the emergency services, a major incident was declared and many Dorset residents were hit by flooding.

The defendant, who previously worked in the motor trade, admitted 17 counts of making indecent images at his first appearance before the courts.

He was sentenced to four months behind bars and received a Sexual Harm Prevention Order that will continue indefinitely until lifted by future court order.

Judge John Harrow told him: “You should have thought of the harm it would cause [to view these images].

“You viewed them purely for your own sexual relief and gratification.

June 2015

JAILED: Man (48) who sexually assaulted girl, 12

A man, who admitted sexually assaulting a 12-year-old girl after DNA from his hand was found on the inside of her underwear, has been jailed for four-and-a-half years.

Richard Hopkins targeted his young victim – whom he knew – when they were alone together at an address in Brownhills on September 1, 2014.

Hopkins, aged 48, had been looking after the girl while her family were on a day out and began to grab her while she was sat on the sofa, before sexually assaulting her.

After the assault, he told the girl he had thought of doing something similar on previous occasions and that she was not to tell anyone what had happened.

The girl’s family then returned to the house and when they got home that night, the girl told her mum she had been assaulted.

Hopkins was arrested and maintained his innocence until a week before the trial, when officers received vital forensic results showing DNA from his hand on the inside of the girl’s underwear.

On 2 June, the former factory worker of Fullelove Road pleaded guilty at Wolverhampton Crown Court to one count of sexually assaulting a child under the age of 13 and was sentenced to four-and-a-half years behind bars.

Detective Constable Vicky Kelleher from West Midlands Police Public Protection Unit said: “Hopkins was meant to be looking after the girl but instead used the opportunity to abuse her and the trust her family had place in him.

“I would like to commend the girl’s bravery in coming forward and speaking to her mum, which allowed us to swiftly arrest Hopkins and prevent any further abuse from taking place.

“We are satisfied with the sentence handed to Hopkins, which we hope will go some way to giving the girl and her family some closure on this terrible ordeal and allow them to move forward with their lives.

“We also hope this case shows that we take such allegations extremely seriously and encourages other young victims to come forward.”

June 2015

Man, 75, told to prepare for substantial prison sentence for molesting schoolgirl

A PENSIONER is facing an “utterly inevitable and substantial” prison sentence for molesting a schoolgirl four decades ago.

Kenneth Place, 75, treated his victim with sweets as he drove her to a lay-by on a country road to carry out his abuse.

Place – known as Geoff – was told to prepare himself for jail after he was convicted of four offences at Teesside Crown Court.

September 2010

Paedophile photographer abused girls

To those who met him, wedding photographer Robert Cornell was a friendly character with a loving wife and daughter.

But for years the 41-year-old hid a darker side to his personality.

Today he is starting a seven-year jail sentence for grooming and repeatedly abusing two young girls.

Cornell, who specialised in weddings but also took photos for Guide troops and did family portraits, was found guilty by a jury of a string of sexual offences against the two children. He also admitted making pornographic images of a child.

Judge Peter Henry described him as a devious, manipulative and self-delusional man and praised the two young victims for the strength they showed while giving evidence.

Cornell, of Plaitford Grove, Havant, was arrested in January this year – bringing an end to years of abuse.

During his trial the court heard he had started grooming the first girl in 2004 when she was just 11.

As the girl got into her teens Cornell turned his attention to another, younger child.

Judge Peter Henry said: ‘These convictions were based, in my view, on compelling evidence from those girls.

‘I observed you during the trial and in particular while you were giving evidence and many adjectives came to my mind in trying to describe your attitude – devious, manipulative came to mind and self-delusional.

‘You sought to portray yourself as a person who was naive to the boundaries of what was acceptable. I reject that. I take the view that you deliberately took advantage of those two girls and you deliberately pushed the boundaries of what was right and you did so for your own sexual gratification.

‘Once the first girl was off the scene it seems to me that you were moving on to another young girl, again under the age of 13.’

Cornell, whose wife is standing by him, was found guilty of three counts of sexual assault, two of sexual activity with a child, one of attempted sexual assault, engaging in sexual activity in the presence of a child and causing a child to engage in sexual activity.

He also pleaded guilty to 23 charges of making an indecent image of a child.

After the sentencing Detective Sergeant Stewart Hall, from Hampshire Police’s Child Abuse Investigation unit, said: ‘From the victim impact statements this case deeply affected the children involved. I sincerely hope the outcome will enable them to, in some way, put this behind them.’

June 2015

Widnes paedophile slapped with Sex Offenders Prevention Order over vile images of children

A PERVERT from Widnes who was caught with more than 100 sick images of children stored on a pen drive memory stick and a DVD has been handed a community order.

Robert Edmonds, 64, was tracked down by police after officers at the national Child Exploitation And Online Protection Centre alerted them in 2013 to an email account that was being used to download pictures and videos of young girls aged 10-15 years.

The defendant was arrested at his Henderson Road address on February 4, 2014, and digital devices were seized.

Warrington Crown Court heard on Friday that a pen drive and a DVD disc contained about 160 pictures at Category B and of the worst variety Category A.

He was released and answered bail on February 4, 2015, where he made ‘very frank admissions’.

The paedophile pleaded guilty to three charges of possessing and making indecent images.

Robert Jones, prosecuting, said Edmonds had not been involved in distribution but that investigators had been ‘concerned over the presence of peer-to-peer software sharing items’.

The culprit appeared in the dock on Friday in casual clothes and walking with a stick.

Mr Jones said the defendant had no previous convictions.

Claire Jones, defending, said she did not want to add anything to dissuade the court from imposing a community order.

Judge Nicholas Woodward, presiding, slapped Edmonds with a five-year sexual offences prevention order, a community order with three years of supervision, and a requirement to complete an internet pervert programme.

He must also pay £250 for prosecution costs.

Judge Woodward said: “You have been abusing child pornography.
“I have read the circumstances as they are set out in the report.

“It is right to say you pleaded guilty at the first opportunity.

“You are entitled to full credit.”

June 2015

Pervert accountant jailed for child abuse images

A RETIRED senior accountant has been jailed for 16 months after a court heard he had hundreds of indecent pictures of children on his computer.

George Jacobus, 76, now had to suffer the “humiliation” of coming “clean” to his wife of 40 years and would be ostracised by people living in his small Herefordshire village, where he was said to have done many good works, Worcester Crown Court heard.

Jacobus, of Stockley Cross, Staunton-on-Arrow, near Leominster, who rose to head of audit in his former accountancy job, admitted two offences of distributing emails with attachments showing indecent images of children, some of which were of “Category A”, judged to be the worst kind.

He also admitted making three indecent photographs and three of possessing internet images of children.

In total, he admitted having more than 730 indecent images.

Recorder Denis Desmond, who placed Jacobus on a sexual offences prevention order and told him to sign the sexual offenders register for 10 years, said some of the images showed children as young as five or six having oral sex with adults. Others showed naked girls aged up to 14.

“It’s quite clear to me that the discovery of them has brought shame and humiliation to you and disgust and revulsion to your wife, who is nonetheless standing by you,” added Recorder Desmond.

But he added that he did not believe that Jacobus would ever commit such offences again.

Paul Whitfield, prosecuting, said Jacobus, who had no previous convictions, had sent a total of 14 emails to others with indecent images attached.

After being arrested in February last year, Jacobus told police he began “experimenting” in 2000, it quickly became addictive and he began conversations with others who had similar interests.

Mark Thompson, defending, said Jacobus had been “a respected, retired professional who has held extremely high office”.

“He lives in a small village that he retired to 20 years ago,” added Mr Thompson.

“He will be ostracised. All the good works he has done for that village, voluntarily, will be undone. He will have to live with that.”

September 2008

Child molester locked up indefinitely

A RAPIST and child molester has been locked up indefinitely and branded a danger to young girls for “repugnant” sex attacks on two teenagers.

Kevin Seaman was imprisoned for public protection – a life sentence by another name – and must serve at least three-and-a-half years before he can apply for parole.

The 46-year-old forced himself onto a 17-year-old girl and raped her after she repeatedly rejected his advances, Teesside Crown Court heard.

“I struggled trying to get him off me and called him a pervert. I threatened him with the police,” the girl said in part of her statement read to the court by prosecutor Shaun Dodds.

She reported Seaman to the police after he told her “it wasn’t the end of it, that was just for starters”, the court was told yesterday.

He molested another girl, aged 14, after giving her alcohol.

Seaman, of Yarm Lane, Stockton, who previously lived in Grangetown, admitted one charge of rape and three sexual assault offences against the two girls, who cannot be named for legal reasons, between 2005 and 2008.

He told police he was an alcoholic who had fathered 14 children to various women. He was described as violent by a partner in 2006.

At first he claimed one of the complainants made advances and instigated consensual sexual activity after he “hadn’t had sex for a period of days”.

Yvonne Taylor, mitigating, said: “This is a man that hangs his head in shame, remorse and regret. The court may feel that is just a little too late. He is very sorry for the suffering he has caused to both of the complainants.”

Judge Peter Bowers told Seaman: “You have every right to be disgusted with yourself, and abuse of alcohol is really no excuse.

“Even to contemplate that sort of behaviour is repugnant, and allowing yourself to be drawn into it not just once but more than once is quite abhorrent.”

He said Seaman’s conduct was not isolated: “You are a risk to young people – young girls particularly.

“Until you have successfully undergone and accepted a sex offenders’ treatment programme, you will remain a risk to others.

“The sentence is indefinite. You won’t be released until they (the Parole Board) think it’s safe to be released, and even then it will be with conditions.”

Seaman was banned indefinitely from working with children and given a sexual offences prevention order.

The minimum jail term includes 177 days Seaman has already spent in custody.

June 2015

Pervert avoids prison sentence for possession of vile child abuse images

A MAN who became “addicted” to extreme pornography and indecent images of children while struggling to come to terms with his sexuality has avoided jail

Josh Nichols, 20, was caught distributing and downloading hundreds of images of child abuse, of the most serious type, following a police investigation in Hampshire.

Officers searched his then home in Dane Park Road, Orchard Park, on June 10 last year and seized a computer and memory stick.

A forensic examination revealed they contained almost 1,000 indecent and extreme pornographic images and videos.

Nichols had used the file sharing software GigaTribe to send the material to other paedophiles.

In total, Nichols had 485 indecent images of children rated as Category A – the most serious – 290 at Category B, and 186 at Category C.

He also had five extreme pornographic videos featuring animals.

Nichols was thrown out of his home when his parents discovered what he had been doing and now lives in Sharp Street, west Hull.

For more on this story click this link

June 2015

Paedophile who preyed on two young girls has ‘lenient’ sentence topped up to 13 years

A PAEDOPHILE who preyed on two young girls, one of whom was just five years old, has had his ‘unduly lenient’ jail term upped by top judges.

Mohammed Ullah, 57, caused his victims “serious psychological harm” and remained unpunished for years.

That was because the girls were so young they were unaware that what was being done to them was wrong.

Ullah, of Westbourne Road, Luton, Bedfordshire, was jailed for nine years at St Albans Crown Court on February 23 this year.

He was convicted of seven counts of indecent assault by a jury.

That sentence however was adjudged to be too soft by the Attorney General Jeremy Wright QC, who referred it for top judges to look at again.

Today Lord Justice Fulford, Mr Justice Teare and Judge Melbourne Inman QC, at London’s Criminal Appeal Court, ruled that the nine-year term was nowhere near tough enough.

Ullah’s jail term was increased to 13 years.

The court heard that Ullah’s abuse of one girl started when she was just five years old.

One attack took place in front of witnesses in a pubic swimming bath but went unreported at the time, Lord Justice Fulford said.

“The victim had no idea that what he had done to her was wrong so she didn’t complain about it,” the judge added.

The judge also said that Ullah, far from being remorseful, “harboured resentment towards his victims and blames them for his predicament.”

Lawyers for Ullah argued that his sentence ought to remain undisturbed, saying it was a “long term” in view of his age and health difficulties.

Those included type one diabetes and high blood pressure.

Increasing the jail term, however, Lord Justice Fulford said: “This sentence was on any view significantly too short.

“The overall sentence for this offending should have been 13 years’ imprisonment”.

June 2015

Top judges cut sentence of Burnley sex offender

An “immature” Burnley man who had consensual sex with a 13-year-old girl has had his jail term slashed by top judges.

Kyle Bradley James Killian (20), of Arran Street, was caged for three years and four months at Burnley Crown Court on January 13th.

He admitted sexual activity with a child and failing to answer bail.

In January last year, Killian, then 19, took the 13-year-old girl to his home.

They watched television and had consensual sex in his room, Lord Justice McCombe told London’s Criminal Court of Appeal today

When arrested, he said he thought she was 16. However, Facebook messages between the pair revealed she had told him she was 14.

He pleaded guilty at an early stage but didn’t surrender to custody when he was due back in court in November and an arrest warrant was issued.

Killian’s lawyers argued his punishment was far too tough.

The age gap between the two was less significant as he “presents as a extremely young man for his years”, the court was told.

Lord Justice McCombe agreed, saying: “Killian may have been 19, and his victim 13, but the unusual immaturity of Killian renders the age difference less stark.”

The judge, sitting with Justice William Davis and Judge Nicholas Hilliard QC, reduced the sentence to two years detention in a young offenders institution.

June 2015

Diocese of Truro press officer has admitted sexually abusing five schoolboys 

Jeremy Dowling, 76, carried out the assaults on five children, aged between 12 and 15, from 1959 to 1971.

Truro Crown Court heard Dowling abused the boys at sporting events and in toilets while working as a teacher in Devon.

The Bishop of Truro described Dowling’s offences as “deeply shocking” and said his thoughts were with the victims.

Sentencing was adjourned until July 10 for a pre-sentence report to be prepared.

Dowling, of Church Path, Bude, retired from the Diocese of Truro in 2009 after 25 years of service.

He pleaded guilty to 13 counts of indecent assault on boys aged 12 to 15 and two counts of indecency with a child.

The court heard one assault was carried out on a boy at a cricket match. Others took place in an attic, in storage rooms at a sporting pavilion and in outside toilets.

The Right Reverend Tim Thornton, Bishop of Truro, said many people would have known Dowling as a reader at St Michael’s Church and St Genny’s Church in Bude and as a member of the Diocesan and General Synods.

Bishop Thornton said: “Offences like this will have a damaging and lasting impact on people’s lives.

“It will probably be of some comfort to them that Jeremy Dowling has finally been brought to justice, but let us not deny that crimes such as his cause people to doubt themselves, their relationships, their faith – all aspects of life.”

The bishop said safeguarding children and vulnerable adults in the Church was “of paramount importance” and “informed by the voices and experiences of survivors”.

June 2015

Tewkesbury man used gay dating site Grindr to send indecent images of children

A judge told a man who was found with 900 indecent images of children on his computer that “time will tell” if he is a truly bad person.

Alexander Kitchener, 20, of Ashchurch Road, Tewkesbury used the gay dating website Grindr to send graphic child pornography to another user. Using the username ‘Hey’, he also said he had sexually abused an eight-year-old boy and liked watching male rape and incest.

But Judge William Hart sentenced him to a suspended prison sentence.

“During the conversation he sent the man three indecent images of children,” said prosecutor Janine Wood at Gloucester crown court.

The user called police to report ‘Hey’ – and after eight days of enquiries officers tracked Kitchener down and raided his home in Ashchurch Road, Tewkesbury, and arrested him.

His laptop computer was seized and on it police found more than 900 indecent pictures and video clips of children, said Mrs Wood.

There were 240 of the worst category A images, 195 Category B and 498 of the least serious Category C.

“He said that he had a sexual interest in boys,” she told the court.

One of the images he had sent to the other user had been a ‘selfie’ taken by a 12 year old boy who was unaware how Kitchener got hold of it, she added.

Kitchener admitted six charges of making indecent images of children, three of distributing them and three of possession. He had no previous convictions.

Helen Smith, defending, said the discovery of Kitchener’s offences had led to him being diagnosed as suffering from Asperger’s Syndrome. As a result he had been receiving ‘intensive treatment’ from the Lucy Faithfull child protection charity as well as other counselling, she said.

“The other positive result is that this behaviour has come to a halt,” she said. “Not only has he shown enormous remorse but he is, despite his disability, managing to have some insight into the harm done by seeing and possessing these images.

“The shock that his discovery and arrest have caused his family cannot be over-stated.”

Judge William Hart told Kitchener “You are a young man with a number of difficulties that have been identified and are being addressed. You are also clearly a young man with a considerable amount of ability. You have the prospect of further education at an extremely reputable university.

“In many ways detection of these offences has been advantageous to you.

“I think I can conquer the problem which has caused you to commit these offences and lead a fulfilling and productive life.”

The judge sentenced him to 10 months prison suspended for 2 years plus a 70 session supervision programme and a requirement to sign the sex offender register for seven years. He also made a five year sexual harm prevention order controlling Kitchener’s use of computers.

“Many people who admit these offences are bad, genuinely bad, ” he said. “I don’t think you are. Time will tell.”