June 2015

Vale man had 700 child abuse images

A LEVENVALE man has pleaded guilty after police found more than 700 child sexual abuse images on his laptop and phone.

James McKenzie, 32, was living in a flat on Govan Drive when a police search on September 5 2014 uncovered the images and videos.

Police officers from Dumbarton Police Office and the Cybercrime unit detained McKenzie who shared the flat with a friend, while they searched the flat.

A black laptop belonging to McKenzie was found on his bed, at first look the laptop contained images of pre-teen and early teen children being abused. The police also confiscated a hard drive storage device and a white Samsung Galaxy mobile phone.

McKenzie was detained under Section 14, and taken to Clydebank Police Office where he was interviewed and made no comment.

Further examination of the laptop computer found 267 still images ranging from Level 1 to Level 5, and 10 videos featuring pre teen children. One video lasted for over two hours. The images had been accessed on July 18, 2014.

The hard drive contained 598 still images and 11 videos which had been downloaded from February 2009 to September 20, 2010. There were 438 unique images accessible to the user.

McKenzie’s mobile phone contained 103 images, 48 at Level 5, the highest rank on the Crown Office scale of abuse.

Fiscal Depute Claire Healing said that McKenzie had used the file sharing site UTorrent to download the images, which is a popular method of downloading images for paedophiles.

Solicitor Judith Reid stated that McKenzie pled guilty to the second charge that McKenzie ‘did take or permit to be taken, or make indecent images of children’ and asked for continued bail.

Sheriff William Gallacher told McKenzie: “This is a serious charge and involves offences that clearly has an impact and victims and the court will view it that way.”

“Given the nature of the crime, and the fact you have pleaded guilty – all sentencing options are available to the court.”

Bail was continued for the court to gather a background report on McKenzie, who has previous convictions. McKenzie, since being released on bail on September 8, 2014, has moved to Edinburgh.

June 2015

Man who threatened to sexually abuse four children jailed for accessing indecent images

A man who threatened to sexually abuse four children has been jailed for three years for accessing and distributing indecent images.

Jason Hill was caught with 3,000 indecent images of children, and distributed hundreds of them on the internet a court was told.

Philip Gibbs, prosecuting, said: “In some cases children had been drugged and were unresponsive.

“The majority were young boys, aged under 13 and also under-fives.”

Hill, formerly of Frolesworth Road, Glenfield, Leicester, also sent an anonymous letter to a mum of four children, saying he wanted to sexually abuse her children and asking her to “hang a banner outside your home if you agree,” in 2009.

It left the mother, whose children were aged between 16 months to 12 years, distressed and fearful of letting them play outside.

Sentencing, Judge Ebraham Mooncey said: “The mother was caused immense distress and worry for five years or so, wondering who was watching – although you never followed it up and nothing ever happened.”

The judge said the aggravating features of the child pornography offences were the ages of the victims and the pain and distress they suffered.

Judge Mooncey said: “You spoke candidly to the police about your sexual interest in children.

“You say you hate yourself for it and always avoid children.

“You say you were a victim of abuse when you were young and your warped interest arises from that.”

Mr Gibbs said that the police searched Hill’s home in June last year and seized his computer equipment.

In interview Hill (39) who has no previous convictions, admitted downloading and distributing illegal images, making them available to share with other internet users.

His DNA was found to match that found on the letter to the mother of four.

He admitted attempting to arrange or facilitate the commission of a child sex offence, by sending the letter.

Hill pleaded guilty to three counts of accessing child pornography, involving 3,056 images across all three levels of seriousness, of which 486 were in the highest bracket, category A.

He pleaded guilty to distributing 1,307 images and possessing 2,826 illegal images of children to other paedophiles, between September 2013 and June last year.

Mary Prior, mitigating, said: “He acknowledged to the police he had a deep-seated problem and was saying he needed help.

“He’s been on a 12-week rehabilitation course with the Lucy Faithful Foundation.”

She said the letter was based “on pure fantasy.”

Hill wept in the dock during the hearing.

He was placed on a sexual harm prevention order.

March 2012

Man pleads guilty to child abuse images charges

January 2002

Sex torture pervert caged for six years

A computer engineer has been jailed for six years for the sexual abuse of a nine-year-old girl.

Neil Anthony Pimblett, 32, pleaded guilty to subjecting his young victim to a year-long torture. 

Preston Crown Court heard on Friday that he had forced the little girl to write out sexual promises and had videoed her performing sex acts.

Pimblett was told he had “cast a long shadow” over the girl’s childhood and even abused her after taking her on a weekend trip to Scotland.

Even when the youngster pleaded for the abuse to stop Pimblett, of Merchant’s Quay, Blackburn, continued.

In a statement read to the court the girl’s mother, who also lives in Blackburn, said the abuse had left her child suffering nightmares.

She said: “I was absolutely sickened to find out what he had been doing and I am very frightened of how this might affect my daughter and the rest of the family.

“Nothing will ever be the same again.”

Both the girl and her mother are currently attending counselling.

As well as recording sex acts, Pimblett used a polaroid camera to take indecent photographs of her and had an image of her on his computer.

He pleaded guilty to 14 counts of indecency, including six of inciting the girl to commit acts of gross indecency, five of indecent assault, two of taking indecent photographs and one of possessing a computer image.

In jailing Pimblett and ordering he be put on the sex offenders’ register for the rest of his life, Judge Peter Openshaw said he was “a sad and lonely man” who presented an obvious risk to children.

He said: “You repeatedly required this girl to demean herself and even write out promises of what she would do.

“No-one can know what damage has been done to this little girl but you have cast a shadow over her childhood.”

He ordered that all six years should be served in custody, with a further four years on licence so that his behaviour outside prison could be monitored.

The abuse was only revealed when a relative of the girl went to Pimblett’s house and found indecent photographs.

Police recovered around 40 indecent photographs, computer discs and the video of the sex acts from his home.

November 2005

Sex pest jailed for abusing young girls

A HYNDBURN man who sexually abused two young girls has been jailed for seven years.

Preston Crown Court heard that one of Brian Tokarski’s victims later developed medical problems, thought to be stress-related.

When accusations were made against him, he had begun working as a CCTV operator at Accrington Police Station.

Tokarski, who had served 23 years in the Army, was banned indefinitely from working with children and also made the subject of a Sexual Offences Prevention Order.

The 55-year-old, of Whalley Road, Clayton-le-Moors, was convicted at Burnley Crown Court in February of seven offences, consisting of five of indecent assault and two of indecency.

This week he additionally pleaded guilty to two charges of indecent assault at Preston Crown Court.

Miss Louise Blackwell, prosecuting, said that the defendant had told the girls words to the effect of “Do you like this?” while sexually abusing them in separate incidents.

Both girls had been under 16. One of them later developed considerable medical problems that were clearly stress-related.

She has needed counselling because of what she had experienced.

The offences against the two girls occurred some years apart. The court was told that one of the girls was told there would be trouble if she told anyone about what had happened.

Tokarski claimed at his trial that the girl had lied about what took place.

He had no previous convictions.

Defence barrister Mr Keith Thomas said Tokarski wanted to be dealt with as soon as possible, without an adjournment for a pre-sentence report, so that the agony would be over, particularly for others.

His guilty pleas had spared his victims the trauma of having to give evidence.

At the age of 17 he joined the Royal Engineers and served 23 years in the Army, becoming a staff sergeant.

He was awarded a good conduct and long service medal.

His discharge papers described the defendant as “exemplary”.

After that he worked seven years for the Across Trust which transported terminally-ill children and adults on pilgrimages and holidays. He was an ambulance driver for the trust, showing great devotion and care in his work.

Back, neck and shoulder problems from an Army accident resulted in him having to stop work as a professional driver. He then worked in security and in 2003 began employment as a CCTV operator at Accrington Police Station.

Tokarski held that job until the allegations were made against him.

In February this year he was remanded into custody and had therefore been on remand for just over nine months.

Judge Robert Brown directed that Tokarski be placed on the Sex Offenders Register indefinitely.

He passed prison sentences which totalled seven years and disqualifed him from working with children for an indefinite period.

He also made a Sexual Offences Prevention Order, the terms of which bar the defendant from having unsupervised contact with any person under 18 and undertaking any activity, paid, voluntary, or recreational, which might bring him into repeated contact with a person under 18.

June 2015

Paedophile admits having 40,000 indecent images of children

A PURBECK man has admitted having more than 40,000 indecent images of children.

Clifford Thomas, of Ropers Lane in Wareham, entered guilty pleas to 12 counts of possessing indecent images and three counts of making indecent images.

Appearing at Bournemouth Crown Court, Thomas denied one further charge of making indecent images, which related to 118,721 images seized by police and not included within the other charges.

June 2015

Jail for convicted pervert who babysat young girls after hiding his past

A CONVICTED pervert who babysat young girls at a house in Bradford after hiding his past from their horrified mother has been jailed for two years and four months.

Scott Huddleston, 31, of Sunbridge Road, Bradford, failed to tell the woman he had recently been sentenced for downloading and distributing child abuse images.

Bradford Crown Court heard that she felt sick and disgusted after leaving Huddleston alone with her children.

In April last year he was sentenced at Nottingham Crown Court to a suspended prison term for possessing more than 1,000 indecent images of children and distributing about 40 of them.

Prosecutor Jonathan Sharp said today the images included the abuse of girls as young as three.

Huddlestone had also been active on chat rooms where he pretended to be a child.

He was sentenced to two years imprisonment, suspended for two years, and ordered to register with the police as a sex offender and comply with a Sexual Offences Prevention Order (SOPO).

Huddleston breached the court orders by failing to notify the police when he was staying at family homes in Bradford and Wakefield and by having unsupervised contact with the youngsters who lived at the property in Bradford.

Mr Sharp said there was no suggestion that Huddleston had committed any offences against any of the children.

The Bradford mother described feeling “shocked, disgusted and completely betrayed” by the defendant.

The Wakefield mother, who had been told his conviction was for fraud, said she felt sick and cried herself to sleep after finding out the truth.

Huddleston also had to tell the police if he obtained a credit or debit card so they could keep a check on his use of them. When he was arrested he was in possession of two unauthorised bank cards.

Huddleston was sentenced to 16 months in jail for breaching the court orders and a further 12 months on top when Judge Peter Benson activated part of the suspended prison term.

He will be subject to the indefinite SOPO when he is released.

June 2015

IT manager with 12k indecent images spared prison

AN IT manager has been spared jail after police discovered more than 12,000 indecent images stored on his workstation at a Blackburn IT firm.

Alastair Fay, 31, admitted making and possessing thousands of indecent images – claiming to be gaining expertise into hi-tech crime.

Fay, who has since been diagnosed with bi-polar disorder, denied having any sexual interest in the children pictured – who were aged between six and 11 years old.

He claimed his interest stemmed from some work his wife was undertaking as part of her PhD studies, which involved identifying offenders whose faces were pixellated by examining other body parts.

Fay even offered to share his expertise with the head of Lancashire Constabulary’s Hi-Tech Crime Unit, Preston Crown Court heard.

But Judge Pamela Badley, sentencing, said: “I have seen these pictures and they are filthy.

“Your family would be shocked if they saw them, particularly the sheer number of them, and your excuses as to why you did it are frankly not impressive.

“It is a very inappropriate use of your skills as a computer manager, particularly as you were using your work premises for this activity.”

Paul Brookwell, prosecuting, told the court officers raided the Infoserve premises on the Greenbank Technology Park, Blackburn as Fay was arriving at work at 8.30am on May 21.

They seized his HD tower workstation before carrying out a further search of his home in Preston, where further equipment was taken for analysis.

A folder was discovered which allowed the user to share files online although there was no evidence of Fay distributing the thousands of images he had stored.

Virginia Hayton, defending, said Fay had been suffering from undiagnosed bi-polar disorder which affected his thinking.

He was the main breadwinner while his wife studied but members of his family had been concerned about his mental health for some time.

He had also spoken of building an eco-house in Scotland and hiring out bicycles, Miss Hayton told the court.

However he has since sought treatment and is more stable in his condition.

Judge Badley said: “I do accept that you had and still do have a lifelong mental health condition which had not been diagnosed and during your manic periods you have become obsessive in the past.

“Your obsession in relation to these images is partly because of the thinking skills problem that you had.

“It is obvious you were almost fooling yourself at the same time.

“The point is this. Real children are harmed and real children are used by these people who are putting this material on the dark web for other people to download.”

The judge said ordinarily the quantity and nature of photographs would warrant a custodial sentence but she was satisfied Fay would receive better treatment for his mental health difficulties in the community.

She handed Fay, of Burrington Close, Fulwood, a 12 month sentence suspended for 12 months and ordered him to take part in an internet sex offenders program.

He has been made the subject of a sexual harm prevention order and is subject to notification for five years

June 2015

Man jailed for collection of more than 13,000 child abuse images and videos

A man who possessed more than 13,000 indecent images and videos of children, and spent “six hours at a time fuelled with cocaine and alcohol” browsing the images online, has been jailed.

Kyle Ratcliffe, 27, of The Street in Capel St Mary, had previously admitted four counts of making an indecent image of children, and one count of possessing an extreme pornographic image.

At Ipswich Crown Court on Friday, Ratcliffe was sentenced to 12 months in prison for three counts, and three months in jail for possessing the extreme pornographic image, to be served concurrently.

He was also given a Sexual Harm Prevention Order designed to safeguard the public, which will last for a duration of 10 years.

During the police investigation, nine devices were seized, including a Samsung mobile phone, two Western Digital hard-drives, a Macbook Pro laptop and four SD cards, which contained the images and videos.

The court heard that Ratcliffe would “sit for nearly six hours at a time, fuelled with cocaine and alcohol,” browsing through the images for his own sexual gratification.

Judge Martyn Levett took into consideration Ratcliffe’s guilty plea at the earliest opportunity, and the remorse he expressed over his actions.

Judge Levett said: “This was an extremely large collection of images – 13,000 is by anyone’s definition a high amount.

“The images on the hard-drives and the four SD cards indicates to me they have been deliberately saved.

He added that downloading indecent images “encourages the making of more and more images of children,” and that “the harm that is caused can never really be quantified.”

Ratcliffe was also put on a list preventing him from working with children.

June 2015

Ipswich toy shop worker caught in child abuse images honey trap

By Colin Adwent, Crime correspondent

A 63-year-old toy store worker who played Santa at Christmas has been spared jail after being snared in a honey trap by Dutch paedophile hunters.

Michael Potter’s home in Glamorgan Road, Ipswich, was raided by the National Crime Agency (NCA) in December last year after he conversed with what he believed to be a 10-year-old child in an internet chatroom.

Potter was sentenced at Ipswich Crown Court to a two-year prison term, suspended for two years. He had previously admitted five counts of distributing indecent images and a further five of possession around 1,500 indecent images.

A total of 156 of the images were at Level A – the most serious grading for child pornography.

In addition to his suspended sentence Potter was barred from working with children and made the subject of a 10-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order. He must also sign the sex offenders register for 10 years and undergo the Thames Valley Sexual Offender Treatment programme.

Click this link for full story

June 2015

Convicted murderer sent sexual messages to child on Facebook

A convicted killer who sent a string of “sexual messages” to an under-age girl on Facebook has avoided a jail term.

Brian Nelson – who served eight years in prison for culpable homicide in the ’90s – appeared at Dundee Sheriff Court where he admitted new charges under sexual offences legislation.

The court heard he sent a series of messages and “repeatedly made sexual comments towards” a girl aged between 13 and 15 over a six-week period

Brian Nelson, of Harefield Road, admitted to Dundee Sheriff Court that between July 14 and August 31, both last year, at a location in Dundee and elsewhere –

• He sent written communication of a sexual nature to a child

• Made direct verbal communication of a sexual nature towards the same child

• Repeatedly sent the child sexual messages on Facebook

• Repeatedly made sexual comments towards the child.

Theo Finlay, defending, said reports before the court indicated supervision would address Nelson’s “general criminogenic needs”.

Sheriff Elizabeth Munro, however, said supervision alone was not a suitable sentence for such an offence and imposed a community payback order on Nelson, 57, of Harefield Road in Dundee, after he pleaded guilty to a charge under the Sexual Offences (Scotland) Act.

Under the terms of the order, he will be subject to two years’ supervision and 150 hours of unpaid work in the community, while his name will also be on the sex offenders register for the next two years.

The sheriff said: “This is pretty serious stuff.”

Nelson was jailed in the early ’90s over the death of a man in the Lochee area. He was eventually convicted of culpable homicide and handed an eight-year term.

After his release, he was given a five-year sentence in 1997 for attacking a Celtic fan in a Dundee pub. Nelson, then 38, attacked his victim with ashtrays and a wooden baton.

June 2015

Female PE teacher banned from classroom for sex with schoolgirl

A PE teacher at a leading public school who had lesbian sex with a 15-year old-girl has been banned from the classroom for life.

Lauren Chandler, 24, bombarded the Dover College pupil with texts during a nine month relationship and took her to the house of her parents during half-term, where they had sex.

She repeatedly signed the messages with ‘heart’ symbols, saying ‘you’re so f****** beautiful’, ‘I love you too babe’ and ‘sleep well beautiful. Love you too.’

Miss Chandler, a house tutor and coach at the Kent school, also took the girl to a friend’s house and exchanged photographs, receiving flirtatious and inappropriate texts from the girl in return.

A professional conduct panel of the National College for Teaching and Leadership in Coventry heard she took the girl, identified only as Pupil A, to her family home without the knowledge of the parents or college, where fees for boarders are up to £28,000 a year.

Panel chair Marion May said: ‘Miss Chandler has shown a serious disregard for the personal and professional conduct elements of the Teachers’ Standards.

‘She has abused her position of trust by causing her relationship with Pupil A to develop beyond proper professional boundaries.

‘She has committed serious sexual misconduct with a child. Her actions were deliberate and repeated.

‘In addition, she has not demonstrated any remorse or insight into her behaviour having not engaged with this process in any significant way.’

She added: ‘This case concerns a teacher who it is alleged formed an inappropriate and sexual relationship with a 15-year-old pupil at the college where she was a games coach, a teacher and a residential house tutor. 

‘We are satisfied that the text messages exchanged and in particular their regularity and content, including photos exchanged, are demonstrative of an inappropriate relationship having been formed by Miss Chandler with Pupil A.

‘This finding is further supported by evidence of Pupil A having stayed for several days with Miss Chandler at her parents’ house.

‘Furthermore there is evidence that Miss Chandler lied about the age and status of Pupil A to her parents and Pupil A lied to her parents about her own whereabouts during the relevant half term break.’ 

Miss Chandler did not attend the hearing and made clear she had no intention of seeking representation or putting forward a defence.

The hearing was told the relationship lasted between October 2012 and June 2013. 

Miss Chandler was found guilty of unacceptable professional conduct and conduct that may bring the profession into disrepute.

Mrs May said criminal investigations did not follow only because of the reluctance of Pupil A, supported by her parents, to take matters further.

Miss Chandler was prohibited from teaching indefinitely meaning she cannot teach in any school, sixth form college, relevant youth accommodation or children’s home in England.

But the panel recommended she be allowed to apply to have the prohibition order reviewed after a minimum period of five years on the grounds she is young and had not, at the relevant time, undertaken professional teacher training.

But decision maker Paul Heathcote, on behalf of the Secretary of State, refused this. 

He said: ‘The Secretary of State’s advice “Teacher misconduct: the prohibition of teachers” is clear that where serious sexual misconduct is involved the panel should consider recommending a prohibition order with no provision for review. 

‘Miss Chandler’s actions were sexually motivated and had the potential to result in harm to Pupil A.’

June 2015

Police officer jailed for indecent images of children & stolen CS spray

A PAEDOPHILE police officer found with more than a thousand indecent images of children who also stole CS spray has been sentenced to jail for six months.

Former Surrey Police constable Simon Quinn, 43-years-old, now of The Street, Rustington made 1,100 indecent images of children and owned three extreme pornographic images.

He pleaded guilty to ten charges of making indecent images of children and one charge of possessing three extreme pornographic images. He was handed the sentence in Hove Crown Court last week and the images were confiscated.

June 2015

Pervert ‘gagging for a young girl’ asked prostitute to provide him with children for sex

A PERVERT is facing a lengthy spell behind bars for trying to arrange for a prostitute to provide him with two children for sex.

Raymond Coleman could be given an extended sentence for public protection after a judge heard of his sickening catalogue of crimes.

The 63-year-old, from Middlesbrough, was found guilty of two charges after a two-day trial at Teesside Crown Court this week.

June 2015

NO prison for man who sexually assaulted a nine-year-old girl

A KILWINNING man who sexually assaulted a nine-year-old girl has dodged a prison sentence.

Robert Hamilton, of Viaduct Circle, was previously found guilty of getting into bed with the girl before kissing her on the face and pulling at her clothing on January 24.

Kilmarnock Sheriff Court previously heard how the 26-year-old was out drinking in the town with friends on the night in question.

Hamilton became separated from his friends and ended up in the area where the offence was committed.

He was described as being aware of the neighbourhood but not the specific location.

Hamilton then entered a property in the area through an unlocked front door.

Three children, including the complainer and her grandmother, were all sleeping in the house.

Shortly after 5am, the victim’s grandmother heard a noise coming from the girl’s bedroom.

And it was here that she made a horrifying discovery.

She found Hamilton in bed with her granddaughter, with his arm around her.

After shouting at Hamilton, the woman managed to get the girl to safety and away from Hamilton’s clutches.

The girl was described as being “visibly shaken” by the ordeal.

Hamilton returned to Kilmarnock Sheriff Court last week for sentencing.

He was sentenced to two-years supervision and ordered to attend an alcohol/drug treatment programme.

Hamilton was also placed on the Sex Offender’s Register for the period of his supervision.

June 2015

Angus man avoids jail for indecent images of children

An Angus man caught with a haul of indecent images of children downloaded in a one-day spree has escaped a jail sentence.

Neil Beatt, 49, of Moir Place, Arbroath, previously admitted an indictment alleging that he had some 900 indecent images and 200 videos on a laptop at his home on October 1.

He returned to Forfar Sheriff Court on Tuesday for sentence.

Defence solicitor Hamish Watt said the conviction had already had a significant impact on the accused’s life.

“It is pretty clear from the reports before the court that he has come in for disappointment from his family, he lost his job initially and then a job following his last appearance in court,” he said.

Reports indicated Beatt was a “low risk” in terms of reoffending.

“Throughout his life he has been a worker and he now has temporary employment,” said Mr Watt.

The criminal justice report also said the accused was not suitable for a programme run by the Tay Project for sex offenders.

“He cooperated fully with police, he showed remorse, it was for a single day period and he has had his total life disrupted because of this isolated inquiry that he made,” added Mr Watt.

The reports, he added, had put the case into the “category of the lowest level of disposal for this type of offence”.

“He is fully aware of the implications for others. While it is a serious matter there are a large number of mitigatory factors here.”

Sheriff Pino Di Emidio told Beatt: “The reports are very favourable and indicate that it’s considered you do not require a programme requirement.

“The clear indication of the report is that he does not have a sexual interest in children.

“This is an offence which on every occasion has to be taken seriously by the court because of the harm that must arise on account of the interest in the sort of images involved in this case.

He imposed a one-year community payback order including 160 hours’ of unpaid work.

June 2015

Man admits to downloading child abuse images 

A man who admitted downloading child abuse images has been remanded in custody after a judge refused to deal with him without a pre-sentence report.

Andrew Martin had pleaded not guilty at Warwick Crown Court to three charges of making indecent images of children and three of possessing such images.

But on the day of his trial, Martin, 43, of Southam Road, Long Itchington, pleaded guilty to all six charges.

The court heard that between 2001 and his arrest in August last year he had made indecent photos of children, covering all three categories of seriousness, by downloading them.

Nick Devine, defending, did not request a pre-sentence report to be prepared and instead asked for Martin to be sentenced straight away. He said: “The total number of images is 24 and the evidence would suggest the latest of those was downloaded in 2003.”

Mr Devine added that Martin had already been remanded in custody for six months, which was the equivalent of a 12-month sentence.

Judge Sylvia de Bertodano said the sentencing range was 26 weeks to three years. She also observed that Martin’s original explanation for the images was that his son was responsible.

Adjourning for a pre-sentence report, and remanding Martin in custody, Judge de Bertodano told him: “It seems to me with offences of this kind, and with you being a father of young children, that a pre-sentence report is required.”

June 2015

Pervert jailed for exposing himself to schoolgirl on bus

A 30-year-old man has been jailed for 12 months for indecent exposure in front of a teenage girl and breach of a sexual offences order after an investigation by the MPS Roads and Transport Policing Command (RTPC).

Hamza Makhlouf, 30 (22.08.1984) of Heston Lane, Heston, Middlesex was sentenced at Isleworth Crown Court on 11 June. He received 12 months’ imprisonment for indecent exposure and breach of a sexual offences notification order.

He pleaded guilty to the offences due to the overwhelming evidence against him. The sexual offences notification order was extended from seven years to ten years, which means Makhlouf’s movements will be monitored and he will be required to regularly check in with police.

Makhlouf’s identification and conviction was the result of a successful and thorough investigation by the RTPC, which is part funded by Transport for London (TfL).

Makhlouf committed the offence in Hounslow on a Route 237 bus on 12 March.

A 15-year-old girl boarded the bus and went to the upper deck and sat in the rear seat.

Makhlouf also got on board and went straight upstairs and sat adjacent to the victim.

The suspect started to engage in sexual activity, which included exposing himself to the victim. He then moved further along the seat towards the victim, at which point she got up and left the bus. The offence lasted approximately 20 minutes.

The victim reported the incident to the police the following day and the investigation was taken up by the MPS Roads and Transport Policing Command, who identified Makhlouf with the assistance of borough Sex Offenders Management Unit and strong on-board CCTV evidence. He handed himself in to Hounslow Police Station on the 12 April after being informed that police were looking for him.

Detective Superintendent Adnan Qureshi, MPS Roads and Transport Policing Command, said: “This was an excellent result, which has seen the perpetrator of an appalling crime receive a jail sentence and an extension of his sexual notification order.

“Our message is clear – if you commit an offence on the transport network, we will pursue and arrest you. Crime on London’s bus system will not be tolerated – we will arrest those responsible.”

Steve Burton, TfL’s Director of Enforcement and On-Street Operations, said: “We commend the bravery of this teenage girl in coming forward to report this awful incident. The sentencing handed down to this man shows how seriously we, alongside our policing partners, take unwanted sexual behaviour. If anyone experiences any unwanted sexual behaviour whilst travelling on our transport network please let the police know by calling 101 or texting 61016. We will continue to work with our policing partners to do all we can to ensure offenders like Makhlouf receive the toughest penalties available.”

This result comes two months on from the launch of the ‘Report It To Stop It’ campaign by the MPS, Transport for London, British Transport Police and City of London Police, which aims to further increase the reporting of unwanted sexual behaviour on public transport in the capital.

The high-profile online campaign aims to build on the success of Project Guardian, a long-term initiative to increase awareness and confidence amongst the public to report sexual offences, particularly those offences which are often unreported, such as sexual touching, exposure, outraging public decency, lewd comments, leering and harassment.

Every month, plain clothes and uniformed police officers patrol the transport network to identify offenders, investigate and prevent crime. Victims of unwanted sexual behaviour on the transport network can report it to police by text on 61016 or by calling 101.

June 2015

Paedophile primary school teacher spared jail

A primary school teacher who was caught engaging in sex chat with researcher posing as a 10-year-old girl and possessing more than 100 indecent images of children has been spared jail.

Thomas Nightingale, who was working at St Mary’s primary school in Bacup as a supply teacher, logged onto a chat room and unknowingly started talking with a researcher posing as a youngster.

Burnley Crown Court heard how the researcher was working for a child protection charity in Holland called Terre des Hommes which was researching the extent of child grooming on the internet and ‘web cam child sex tourism’.

Emma Kehoe, prosecuting, told the court how Nightingale logged onto the chatroom in June 2013 and began a conversation with a researcher posing as a child called ‘Kyra10f’ – meaning 10 years old and female.

The court heard how Nightingale, 27, asked if she ‘had any pics’ and when the researcher said she was with her younger sister and they could kiss he replied ‘that would be amazing to watch’.

Miss Kehoe said the charity became ‘so concerned’ by the comments that they ‘felt compelled to call Interpol’.

The court heard how a few months later, in September 2013, Nightingale was caught possessing indecent images on his computer after his father took it to a shop to get it repaired. Miss Kehoe said a technician found the images – including 38 of the most serious category A – and contacted police.

She said: “At the time of the allegations involving the images of children Thomas Nightingale was a teacher.

“It was because of this he was arrested immediately and was interviewed by police. Eventually he accepted the images on the computer were put there by him.

“What he thought he had done was deleted them and he was shocked to find they were still on the computer.”

Miss Kehoe said 24 of the images had been uploaded to a photo sharing website.

Nightingale, of Whitworth, pleaded guilty to:

• Attempting to cause a child to engage in sexual activity

• Three counts of possessing indecent images

• Three counts of possessing indecent images for show.

He was given a two year jail term, suspended for two years with a supervision requirement and an internet sex offenders treatment programme.

He was also given an indefinite sexual offences prevention order, made subject to police notification requirements for 10 years and ordered to pay £1,000 costs.

Philip Holden, defending, said they were ‘unpleasant offences’ but that there was no evidence the images had been accessed. He told the court that after his arrest Nightingale undertook a voluntary counselling course.

St Mary’s primary school in Bacup

A Judge told Nightingale that the parents of the children he taught must have been left ‘distressed’ by his arrest.

Judge Simon Newell said he would’ve sent Nightingale to prison ‘if he could’ve ensured’ there was a sentence including a treatment course. He said: “There is a danger to the community if the manifest problems you have are not addressed.

“The parents of the children who you used to teach when they have heard and known must have been considerably distressed. Although that was something you didn’t set out to do, it is an inherent consequence of the offending you carried out.”

He added: “It does appear any sensible, reasonable or ordinary person when confronted with that conversation would have immediately signed off and desisted but you went with it. All the evidence shows you were an active and willing party and gaining some sexual gratification.”

After the hearing, Sarah Watson, headteacher at St Mary’s, said: “The safety of our pupils is paramount and the school ended its arrangement with Mr Nightingale, who had worked as a supply teacher at the school, as soon as these allegations came to light.

“We were assured by Lancashire Police that none of the images related to Lancashire children.”

June 2015

Sex therapist raped girl and forced her into a sex act with pet dog jailed for 20 years

A sex therapist has been jailed for 20 years after being found guilty of raping a teen during a prolonged period of abuse which began when she was under ten.

Andrew Iveson, 48, started sexually abusing the girl in Darlington, County Durham, and it continued over a period of years until she moved away and reported his crimes to police.

Teesside Crown Court heard Iveson was a relationship councillor for Relate – the UK’s largest provider of relationship support, which offers counselling for individuals, couples, children and young people and families, as well as mediation and sex therapy.

In a victim impact statement read to the court, the teen, who cannot be named for legal reasons, said she feared she would never get over what happened. 

She said: ‘I would engage in sexual activity, it made me think that was how you please men.

‘I felt ashamed about what I did. I wanted to end my life, I had to start a new one away from my past.’

The court heard how Iveson also forced his pet Old English Sheepdog onto his victim.

Iveson denied nine counts of child sex offences, eleven counts of rape, three counts of assault by penetration and two further counts of causing a person to engage in sexual activity but was found guilty after a trial. 

He was also convicted of a further count of causing a person to engage in sexual activity on a separate victim, who awoke to find herself engaged in another sex act with his dog.

Matthew Bean, prosecuting, told the court on one occasion the defendant bribed his victim to be his ‘sex slave’ for three hours and would not let her leave until she had performed sex acts on him.

The court heard the victim eventually moved away from the area and reported the abuse to police in August 2013.

Recorder B Gateshill sentenced Iveson, of Anchorage Hill, Richmond, North Yorkshire, to 20 years behind bars and ordered him to sign the sex offenders register for life.

He told him: ‘You systematically abused your victim for many years.

‘She has been severely damaged and I fear she may never recover, but I hope in time she will feel less traumatised by your behaviour.’