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Terrance Day – Southampton

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December 2015

Smirking pervert jailed for grooming schoolgirl

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A pervert found guilty of grooming a schoolgirl for sex laughed as he was sentenced by a judge.

Terrance (Terry) Day, 23 of Southampton was found guilty at Southampton Crown Court of sexual activity with a child aged under 16-years-old with penetration.

The court heard Day groomed the child for his own sexual gratification. 

Day showed no remorse throughout the trial.

He was sentenced to 15-months imprisonment and was made subject to a sexual harm prevention order for a period of two years.

He is also required to register as a sex offender for a period of ten-years.

 



Carl Gribben – Warrington

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November 2015

Paedophile sentenced to 23 years in prison

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A remorseless paedophile has been sentenced to 23 years in prison for a string of child sexual offences against two young children.

During two appearances at Chester Crown Court Carl Martyn Gribben, 44 of Warrington pleaded guilty to a total of 17 serious child sexual offences:

  • Two counts of the rape of a child aged under 13-years-old (Two separate victims)

  • Assault of a Child under 13 by penetration

  • Sexual assault of a child under 13

  • Causing or inciting a child under 13 to engage in sexual activity

  • Abuse of a position of Trust

  • Sexual activity with a child

  • Five offences involving procession and distribution of category A images of children (Rape/torture/sadism against children)

Six other charges were not pursued by the prosecution.

The court heard that the children were aged between four and 15 years of age. The younger child was sexually abused over a 10-year period beginning at the age of four.

The offences took place in Warrington.

The trial was relocated to Liverpool Crown Court for sentencing.

Wheelchair user Gribben showed no remorse as he was sentenced to a total of 23-years in prison.

The judge exercised his option to impose consecutive sentences for each victim rather than sentence according to the “totality” of the offences.

Gribben was told he will be required to register as a sex offender for life.


Nana Baafi – Ashton-under-Lyne

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January 2016

Pervert who raped schoolgirl after grooming her online is jailed for 11 years

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A pervert who raped a schoolgirl after grooming her online has been jailed.

Nana Baafi, 35, first met the 15 year-old over the internet and the pair struck up a friendship.

Despite knowing she was underage, Baafi pestered her over a number of months and showered with compliments.

He repeatedly asked her to meet in person, however when she eventually agreed, he raped her.

After the girl came forward her was arrested as part of Operation Phoenix , the multi-agency response to the issue of child sexual exploitation (CSE).

Baafi, of Ashton-under-Lyne, denied any wrongdoing but was found guilty of rape and sexual activity with a child after a trial on Friday.

And he was sentenced to 11 years in prison as well as being ordered to sign the sex offenders register by a judge at Minshull Street Crown Court.

Speaking after the case, Detective Constable Robert Pullan , from the GMP’s Phoenix CSE team in Tameside paid tribute to the victim’s bravery and said he hoped it would reassure others.

He said: “Nana Baafi knew full well what he was doing that night and has never taken responsibility for his actions, consistently lying to the police and courts and by controlling and manipulating his victim.

“He did this to satisfy his own selfish needs and sexual desires and he has shown no remorse for his crimes.

“I would like to pay tribute to his victim for having the bravery to report this matter to the police and going on to give evidence at the trial.

“I hope this result has repaid the confidence she placed in the authorities and provides her with a sense of some justice being done when coming to terms with this horrible crime.

“I would also like to express thanks to those professionals who worked closely with her and gave her the confidence to report this to police.

“They showed resilience, professionalism and a great understanding of the difficult situation this young person was in.

“This investigation has been a good example of partnership working between police, social services, youth services and health.

“It is through long term work with young people that child sexual exploitation can not only be uncovered but brought to a stage where offenders can be prosecuted at court.”


William Hore – Wexford

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December 2015

Man jailed for six years for abusing three young brothers

Billy Hore

A WEXFORD man found guilty on 44 of 45 charges of indecent assault on three brothers has been sentenced to six years in prison following a trial that lasted 11 days at Wexford Circuit Criminal Court.

Sixty-three-year-old William (Billy) Hore, of Bride Street, Wexford town, had denied 45 charges of indecent assault on three brothers at a number of locations from September 1968 to December 1979.

He was found not guilty of one of the 45 charges by a jury.

Judge Barry Hickson, in passing sentence, said one of the brothers was celebrating Wexford’s win in the All-Ireland final of 1968 when one of the assaults took place.

‘When he (defendant) was finished with two of the brothers he picked on the younger brother who was five years of age at the time.

‘Just think of a five-year-old having to endure this. Just think of what this young boy went through and is still going through,’ said Judge Hickson.

‘These are now grown men. It took time to come before the court. It took many years to sort their lives out. The defendant maintained his stance of innocence but the jury did not agree with him while the Victim Impact statements spoke of their terrible ordeals when they were being abused,’ said Judge Hickson, who added that Hore continued to have the support of his family and friends. They have been very loyal to him.

‘I have read the testimonials. This man was rated as a person who was trustworthy, a man who had put something back into society through St Vincent de Paul. He had worked at Springs up to its closure and then in Pierces.

‘But having read the Probation Report, the defendant persisted in his denial of the offences which prevented the Probation Officer engaging with him like they would have liked,’ Judge Hickson added.

During the sentencing hearing Det Garda Michelle Carey outlined details of the indecent assaults perpetrated on the victims at a number of locations in Wexford town.

Det Carey told the sentencing hearing that the defendant had worked in Springs in the town until it closed, and then worked in Pierces. He later worked for six years with St Vincent de Paul. He is married with two children. Following a previous trial, he has one previous conviction in the context of this indictment.

Judge Hickson complimented Det Carey on her evidence during the course of the trial describing it as ‘extremely fair and professional’.

Victim Impact Statement 1:

The Victim Impact statement of one the brothers outlined the impact the indecent assault had on him.

‘In 1975, I was sexually abused by Billy Hore. I was five years of age. He was around 24 years old. The abuse continued until I was nine years old. In that time he abused me over 200 times. I have been robbed of my childhood. Before this happened I was an outgoing child, lots of energy and mischief, from a big family.

‘I was so young when the abuse happened I was confused and traumatised with what was happening to me, my whole character changed and I got very withdrawn, angry, and mostly scared, which caused problems, especially with my parents and siblings. I was scared that the abuse would never end.

‘I was scared that my abuser would catch me and beat me up. I would be scared that my family would find out and I would bring shame on myself and on them. He would threaten the lives of my parents continually saying this is our secret, ssh don’t tell anyone. I truly believed in my child’s mind he would carry out these threats just like you would believe in Santa Claus. He kept brainwashing me into believing I could never tell.

‘Having gone through this, my teenage and early adult years were a mess. The fear turned to shame. I was guilt ridden and greatly embarrassed and did not know where to turn. So it seemed easier to block it out as I did not know how to process what had happened to me. I became more and more isolated from my family, battling the recurring memories of the abuse.

‘I began by turning to alcohol and drugs which was a part of the mechanism I used to try and live with the sexual abuse that happened in my childhood. I lashed out at loved ones in order to somehow release the pain, fear and anger and rage inside. I moved around from place to place like I was always running away from myself, always feeling lost. My concept of ‘home’ had been destroyed by my abuser. I am still moving, unable to find stillness and rest in my life.

‘There came a time, a number of years ago, when I could no longer deny my childhood.

‘Billy Hore raped me the day after my Communion. This cost me profoundly in many ways and set my life on a completely different path from the one I would have taken, my little body suffered excruciating pain, confusion and indignity. I could no long function as an adult until some kind of acknowledgement of these horrendous experiences had been made.

‘Looking back on my life, I see how so much changed, as a result of this abuse. My fractured relationships with my family and with myself began at that time. I found school almost impossible, lacking in concentration, needing to learn, always nervous and under-confident, but mostly I was ruled by fear of people finding out about me.

‘I look back on some of the happier times in my young life because I felt so safe away from my abuser. We would go to the seaside where my mum had a mobile home for the summer from about the age of 11. This was what my childhood should have been like, having fun, without a care in the world. But my later teenage years brought uncontrollable anger which I vented on my family and people I love. I ended up not even speaking to my older brother for at least 15 years and fell out with various family members for over 15 years.

‘A lifesaver to me was a man called Greg Browne (RIP). He pulled me from the brink when I tried to commit suicide and self harming. He got me to join the AA which started my recovery. I will always be truly grateful for that. I joined the fire service. This made me realise how precious a gift life is, and to save a life is even more precious, which in turn gave great meaning to my own life.

‘This made me realise the time had come to make me face up to the sexual abuse I had suffered as a child. I am very grateful now that it is out in the open. I had very mixed emotions about the court case. I was no longer that child whose life was destroyed by the sexual and psychological abuse I sustained from my abuser. I was now a man with my own family. I had nothing to fear physically from my abuser but still the power that that childhood trauma exerted over me was completely over powering.

‘I leaned heavily on my family and friends who supported me once they knew what I had been through. I leaned heavily on my two brothers who had gone through this abuse, completely unbeknownst to me at the time.

‘This court experience has been terrifying to open the door on those locked-in memories, and put myself back into reliving those experiences has shaken me to my core.

‘I do not know how long it would take for me to recover. A small part of the weight of this burden of secrecy, fear and pain, that I have been carrying since I was a child has been lifted as a result of being now a survivor and not a victim, and hopefully today I will get justice from the cold comfort that it will give me, that my abuser will be sentenced to the full extent that the law provides and my sentence finishes.

‘Time cannot heal all things. I believe my life would have been different if Billy Hore had not sexually abused me. I believe that I would have taken a different path and not spent so much of my life in turmoil. I am 45 years-old and my life is ahead of me, thanks to the Irish Judicial system.’

Victim Impact Statement 2:

The second brother said: ‘You abused me many years ago. You stole my childhood, my innocence and my life.

‘I am now here today to reclaim it. You stalked me from the age of five years and this continued until I reached 11 years of age. What you did to me in those early years had an effect on me later in life.

‘I want you to know that I have achieved many things but I could have achieved so much more.

‘Over the years, I have had flashbacks of the sexual abuse perpetrated by you. I also had nightmares from a very young age of the sexual assaults that continued well into my adult life. There have been many nights where I have woken up bathed in sweat and panic, tormented with fear and loneliness.

‘My greatest fear even as an adult was the fear of meeting you in the street. So I left Wexford, my family, my friends, unwillingly just so that I did not have to meet or see you. That is the fear you instilled in me.

‘Fear may be just a word to you but to me fear is reliving that sexual abuse that you committed upon me. It means still remembering the smells and sounds when you hurt me and my innocence. Real fear is hard to describe but you can be sure that it is sordid, hurtful, degrading and silent.

‘The impact of keeping silent and not talking about the abuse made me feel worthless and ashamed and at times a nervous wreck. The society I lived in then would have wanted me to keep this abuse silent and as a young innocent child, I did not have the capacity to deal with these horrible truths of my past, but no longer.

‘I have lived in denial with myself, my wife of 30 years, my own precious children, my mother and father and my siblings. I could not tell anyone about the pain of this abuse, but I so much wanted to, every hour of every day. That pain made me get angry, cry and hate and despise you for what you did.

‘I hated myself, depression would set in, and at times I would think of ending my life, just to take away the pain.

‘I have been running away from life for over 40 years. There were times that I drank too much, just so that I could pass out, sleep and forget. At other times I would keep asking the same question over and over, ‘why did I not stop it?’. I realised eventually I could not. I was a young child and powerless to prevent it. Now when I look back on my childhood, the impact of abuse was that of living in fear. It was constant and relentless. The fear of you catching me when I played outdoors, the tricks you used to entice me into your cruel world, all resulted in lost relationships with my parents, siblings and friends.

‘Because of you I have missed over 25 years of ordinary family get-togethers, weddings, communions, confirmations and other family celebrations, which meant a lot to me. This constant running away from myself and others has left me exhausted. I am not sure I will ever recover fully. Those days should have been the happiest times of my life, but instead, they were fearful and lonely, as a result of what you did to me.

‘The completion of my statement for this case has lifted a 40-year burden from my whole being. For the first time in a very long time, I am able to find a measure of relief, and relaxation within myself.

‘Facing the truth of my past has been a terrifying journey and at times humiliating and liberating. I now realise I survived to get justice. There were so many times I died inside. I just wanted life to stop but not anymore. I have a voice and now I know it is being heard.’

Victim Impact Statement 3:

The Victim Impact statement of the third brother spoke of five years of torment of the trials and the nightmare which was his life before that.

‘It is in 2015 and I am 56 years old and a survivor of sexual abuse. I made my complaint after 46 years in 2010 and the intervening five years have been years of torment. But of course my life before this was also a nightmare.

‘My younger brothers, my elderly mother and father, my younger siblings, and of course my own wife and children, have suffered unbelievably through two criminal jury trials, one High Court judicial review. These five years have been the most difficult and unbelievable experience that any family should have to endure. Yet, still my abuser, has not shown one sign of remorse.

‘Memory is a funny thing. The things you can’t remember, the things you will never forget. Even though my abuse happened almost 50 years ago, I live them year in and year out, during my whole life.

‘Believe me, I would have loved to have forgotten them, but these fearful memories have never afforded me true peace of mind, even in the good times.

‘So what has my life been like? It goes without saying, that my early childhood was different to what a child’s life should be. It was not carefree. It was not innocent. It was a childhood filled with fear, anger, bewilderment, bullying, humiliation and shame. My abuser made me feel compliant in his manipulations of me. I will never, ever forget him, for stealing my childhood.

‘Sexual abuse has inhibited so many different facets of my life. It not only happened in reality but the countless times it is relived in my mind, it has affected my ability to be happy, to get close to people, to maintain relationships. I wanted for so many years to share my secret with my wife and was unable to do so.

‘In the case of my own family it divided us from a very young age. I lost my relationship with my two brothers and in the case of one, it took 25 years to become close again. We did not socialise, mix or talk for those years. My relationship with my eldest sibling was also fractured for years. Last Wednesday when the jury returned their guilty verdicts, I hope and believe, that these relationships will start to be real.

‘I know now that I did not reach my full potential in my early school years. Academically I am a late developer. I now have a Masters Degree in Criminological studies, a Doctorate in Philosophy and various other qualifications. I believe my abuse prevented me achieving my potential earlier. When I matured I channelled by energies and became driven to fill my life with projects, education, sports, anything to keep occupied from the nightmares that was always in recess of my mind. I could never sit still, I could never relax, I always and always needed to be occupied, otherwise the thoughts came back to haunt me. I could never sleep properly, I would wake in the middle of the night, tip toe downstairs and wait for the morning light to come to feel at ease.

‘My marriage suffered for a period. My relationships with my children suffered. In fact for years I was adamant I did not want children, as I did not want any child to experience what I had gone through. Thankfully, I am so glad my mind was changed by the care and love of my wife. I did find at times I was over-protective of my children.

‘Coming forward in 2010 was not an easy decision. I felt I had so much to lose. I was aware of my senior position in my work. I worried continually what my authorities and my colleagues would think of me. I had so many things to consider coming from a small town. However, I needed the nightmare to stop as I was hanging onto all aspects of my life by a thread. Coming forward was one of the hardest decisions I have ever made. I knew my life and those around me would be changed forever.

‘As a result of last Wednesday’s guilty verdicts I feel positive going forward, knowing that I have been vindicated.

‘The sexual abuse forced on me as a child was non-deserving. Today, I can look at you and say ‘you do not anymore define me’. I can tell you now, if I could I would have spoken sooner, if I had been as strong as I feel today. I can look you in the face and tell you ‘I am no longer afraid’.’

 

When Defence Counsel, John Peart, said he had handed in 16 references to the court, Judge Hickson replied that he had read them.

Mr. Peart said the defendant is 63 years of age who had worked all his life as a factory worker. Apart from these incidents he had never come before the court previously. He asked the court when passing sentence, that the sentence he will serve would not have the same impact on a person much younger that it will have on the defendant. Every day he will spend in prison he will suffer the guilt that he is in prison when he should be a person minding people, particularly his son who suffers from epilepsy.

Describing the offences as obviously horrific, perpetrated on these young victims who are now adults, Judge Hickson sentenced the defendant to two years in prison on one charge of indecent assault on each of the brothers, the sentences to run consecutively, meaning he would serve six years in prison to run from last Wednesday, the day he was remanded in custody.

He took the remaining charges into consideration. He also took the guilty verdict returned on a single charge in the trial of 2013 into consideration.

On the application of State Prosecutor, Marjorie Farrelly, he also ordered that the defendant on release from prison come under supervision for a period of five years, while he also be placed on the Sex Offenders Registrar.


Timothy Hawkins – Keynsham

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January 2016

Pervert who had Facebook sex chat with girl aged 13 sent her a photo of his penis

A pervert who sent a 13-year-old girl an intimate photo of himself has been handed a suspended jail term.

Timothy Hawkins’ chats with the youngster on social networking site Facebook became increasingly sexualised, Bristol Crown Court heard.

After asking her for a photo of her chest, which she declined to give, he sent her a photo of his private parts.

But the child’s mother looked at her mobile phone and discovered the dialogue, and Hawkins was traced.

Hawkins, 38, of Windrush Green, Keynsham, admitted attempting to cause a child aged between 13 to 15 to look at an image of sexual activity.

The recorder Mr Paul Dunkels QC handed him a 15 weeks prison sentence, suspended for two years.

He told Hawkins: “I accept you had no intention of meeting the girl but you embarked upon this course of conduct because of your own isolation and loneliness.

“The matter did not go further than the electronic sexual talk and sending of the image which led to you committing this offence.

“It is deeply unpleasant and difficult to assess the full impact.

“It will probably take her some time to recover her stability, knowing how she was led along by you over the internet.”

Hawkins was told to register as a sex offender for seven years and ordered to have two years’ supervision.

He was given a sexual harm prevention order, banning him from unchecked use of the internet or contacting females aged below 18 via the web.

He was told to pay an £80 victim surcharge.

Robin Shellard, prosecuting, said in November 2014 Hawkins contacted the complainant via Facebook after he had been electronically “poked” by her to contact her.

Mr Shellard said: “He did contact her.

“She said she was 13. He said he was 37, which he was at the time.

“He looked at her profile photo, said she was ‘well developed’ and she said he was a ‘perv and a creep’ and threatened to block him.

“He asked not to be blocked and the conversation continued.”

The court heard the pair exchanged some 500 messages over three days, which were short but increasingly sexualised.

The conversation included what would happen if she was over-age, such as would he have sex with her, would he do various things to her and would he make her pregnant?

Eventually Hawkins asked the child if she would like to see his manhood and she said she didn’t mind as she would probably delete the conversation.

She declined to send a photo of her chest.

When the girl’s mum cottoned on to the exchange Hawkins was traced and arrested.

Hawkins told police he had no intention of meeting the girl but admitted sending her the intimate photo, out of sexual frustration and loneliness.

He said he had no girlfriend or friends beyond his mother and he felt isolated.

Leanne Woodman, defending, said: “He thoroughly accepts what he did was wrong and it shouldn’t have happened.”


James O’Brien – Milton Keynes

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January 2016

Woman raped ­repeatedly as a child by her ­father denied ­compensation by ­loophole

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Pictured: Paedophile Father James & Mum Joan who turned a blind eye to the sexual abuse of her daughters

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A woman who was raped ­repeatedly as a child by her ­father was ­denied ­compensation by a ­loophole that has caused pain for hundreds of victims.

Alissa was ­refused a ­payout for ten years of ­sexual abuse at the hands of James O’Brien

But her sister Denise, who was also raped by the monster, may be ­eligible.

And a third sister who claims she suffered in the same way could also be in line for a

Alissa lost out because her case arose before a change in the law.

She lived in the same house as her abuser, which meant she would not get cash – for fear that it would be taken from her.

By the time the rule changed, in October 1979, Alissa had run away from home. But her father continued his sexual abuse there.

In July at Aylesbury crown court, James O’Brien, 75, was ­convicted of a string of sex offences between 1972 and 1982, including seven counts of raping Alissa and her sister Denise.

He was jailed for 24 years.

Alissa’s mother Joan, 70, was ­sentenced to six years for two counts of failing to stop the abuse.

Investigating officer Det Con Tracy Wescombe, of Thames Valley Police, said the length of O’Brien’s sentence reflected the depths of his depravity.

She said: “Sometimes people ­convicted of murder get less than him.”

The Crown Prosecution Service is considering evidence of abuse from the third sister, she added.

There have been 1,891 ­applications forcompensation since 1986 in which the “same roof rule” has been ­discussed. The Ministry of Justice could not confirm how many were rejected.

Brave Alissa waived her right to ­anonymity to tell the Sunday People about her heartbreaking ordeal.

She said she was first raped by O’Brien when she was only seven while her mum was giving birth to a daughter, the fourth of the couple’s five kids.

She said: “To be rejected by the Ministry of Justice it’s like they’re ­saying it was OK up to 1979. How can that be right?

“It’s like being punished again for what we’ve already been through.

“It’s not about the money. You put the claim through, of course you do, for some kind of help.”

Alissa, a secretary, said: “My mum was in hospital having my youngest sister and we were at home. He took me out of my room and brought me downstairs, where he raped me.

“I tried to tell my mum but she just told me to go away. He’d beat me up. She would let him and turned a blind eye to his attacks.

“That’s how my whole life was, really. So in the end I gave up.”

Retired security guard and lorry ­driver O’Brien spent the next eight years sneaking into Alissa’s ­bedroom once a week so he could carry out his crimes under cover of darkness.

Denise, now 50, who has also agreed to be named, was ­repeatedly abused by their dad.

Alissa said: “He used to come to my bed every week. I lived in fear every night, thinking, ‘Tonight he’s going to come.’

“It would always be once ­everyone was asleep. It was just ­silent in the house, and he’d sneak upstairs.

“It all became so routine it merged into one. I don’t have any memories prior to when I was seven but my counsellor told me it was so ­traumatic I ­completely shut it out.”

Eventually Alissa found the courage to fight back and ran away from home at 16. She began training for a career in childcare and, at the age of 20, found love when she met her husband Paul, now 52.

Despite now living just miles from the childhood home she escaped from – in Milton Keynes, Bucks – Alissa had managed to avoid her father ­completely, except for one chance ­encounter 12 years ago.

It was not until she was 41 that she opened up to Paul and told him about the years of abuse at the hands of O’Brien.

Yet although she went through hell as her father stole her innocence, the Government thinks she does not ­deserve a penny.

In 2012 a review ­of the law decided to let it stand. So Alissa is denied compensation of up to £30,000 but her sisters may still get payouts.

Each year the MoJ’s Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme ­receives an estimated 65,000 applications for ­compensation and pays £200million.

An MoJ spokesman said: “One of the aims of the scheme reforms is to reduce the burden on the taxpayer.”

He added that it would create a ­“significant administrative burden” if victims who were abused before October 1979 were allowed to claim.

A MoJ source said the Government had no plans to change the decision.

Alissa said she felt she had been hung out to dry by the justice system. She said two emails to Prime Minister David Cameron ’s office had resulted in one response, which again branded compensation to victims abused before 1979 a “burden”.

She said: “I think it’s disgusting. I just think it’s awful that they say it’s too ­expensive, that I’m a burden, because of the work it would involve to change the law.”

Alissa contacted lawyer Cameron Fyfe after hearing of his efforts to change the rule. He said victims such as Alissa were being abused twice, once by their ­attackers and again by the justice system.

Mr Fyfe said: “What makes it most ludicrous is that if you are abused by your next-door neighbour you can get ­compensation but if you are abused by your father, which psychologically is much worse, then you don’t.”

Mark Castle, chief executive of the independent charity Victim Support, agreed the cut-off point for ­compensation was another hammer blow against people who had suffered for so long.

He said: “All victims of crime deserve fair justice, regardless of when the crime took place.

“It is ­completely unfair that victims who lived with their attacker as members of the same family prior to October 1979 are unable to claim compensation.”

A spokesman for the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority said: “We deeply sympathise with anyone who has been a victim of crime but we cannot comment on individual cases.

“The Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme awards taxpayer-funded ­payments to victims seriously injured as a result of violent crime.

“From 1964 to 1979 it did not allow compensation to be awarded where the offender and victim lived in the same household as members of the same ­family.

“This was changed in 1979 but was not made retrospective. That is, a victim could not receive compensation in such ­circumstances if the offence took place before October 1979.”

There is a petition to change the law so ­that victims like Alissa can claim ­compensation.


Christopher Burns – Medomsley

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January 2016

County Durham prison officer used work computer to search for indecent images of underage girls

A PRISON officer’s interest in under age girls cost him his job and good name, a court heard.

The case arose after the deputy governor became aware that a member of staff at Deerbolt Young Offenders’ Institution (YOI), near Barnard Castle, County Durham, tried to access blocked websites, containing, “inappropriate and illegal content” on a work computer.

Durham Crown Court was told inquiries revealed that the PT instructor Christopher Paul Burns’ log-in was used to try to access the sites.

Chris Baker, prosecuting, said police were alerted and the 52-year-old was suspended from duty, in September 2014.

A lap-top was recovered from his home, in Manor Road, Medomsley, near Consett, and an examination of its hard-drive revealed six indecent images of children, aged 12 to 17.

Mr Baker said a further 685 images, featuring girls aged seven to 14, in underwear and school uniforms, were considered, “borderline”.

The six offending images, all stills and in the lowest of the three categories for indecent material, were downloaded between July and September 2014.

Mr Baker said they were accessed using search terms which made it clear the girls were underage.

Examination of the Internet history revealed similarly-titled websites accessed 4,000 times between July and September 2014 containing “similar borderline images”.

When interviewed Burns, a former Royal Marine, denied trying to access any indecent images and claimed he was researching and preparing power-point presentations for work, on different body types, an account he repeated to the author of the Probation Service pre-sentence report.

The court heard the probation interview came after Burns admitted a single count of making indecent photographs of a child, on the day his trial was initially due to start, last month.

Following brief discussion with Burns, his barrister, Robin Denny, the court was told the defendant was, “in no way”, now abiding by his claims in that report.

Mr Denny described it as, “a rather sad case”.

“He’s a man with very positive good character, who has offered a good deal of assistance and help in the community.

“None of this material involved any sexual activity and the main feature of my mitigation is that he has lost his employment of many years, and good character, going back to an impressive military record.

“His interest led to this activity, thereafter in the privacy of his own home.

“It doesn’t seem to go much further than research, for his personal interest at the time.”

“It’s caused him colossal damage and considerable problems, now, with debt.”

Judge Christopher Prince described Burns’ explanation about planning for a presentation on body form as, “ludicrous”.

But he said, given his previous positive record, and admissions, he was able to impose a two-year community order, including 12-months’ probation supervision.

Burns will also be subject to registration as a sex offender for five years.


James Bird – Ilkeston/Nottingham

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January 2016

Derbyshire IT whiz-kid used work laptop for sexually explicit chat with 14-year-old girl

Derbyshire IT whiz-kid used work laptop for sexually explicit chat with 14-year-old girl

A HIGH-FLYING IT specialist used his works laptop to contact a 14-year-old girl and make sexually explicit remarks to her.

James Bird posed online in chat rooms and on Skype as “Jamie.1” and asked the girl to lift her jumper on a web cam, Southern Derbyshire Magistrates’ Court was told.

She refused but he told her what she was doing was sexually exciting him and, the following day, he contacted her online again when she told him she was with a boy.

He asked the two of them to kiss for him in view of the web cam, again saying it would sexually arouse him, while keeping his identity from them secret by saying his own camera was not working. 

Again they refused and the girl’s mother discovered the online exchange when she examined her daughter’s mobile phone, came across her Skype conversations with Bird and called the police.

The 38-year-old, who the court was told had kept his £39,000-a-year digital strategist job despite his conviction, admitted inciting an underage girl into sexual activity.

In interview, he told detectives he had been accessing internet chat rooms to talk to younger women late at night after his wife and two children had gone to bed.

He told them he had been doing it for two years because the “intimate and physical” side of his marriage was lacking.

Now he has been ordered to sign the sex offenders’ register for seven years and has been handed a 26-week prison sentence, suspended for 12 months.

John Hay, for Bird, said: “He fully accepts responsibility for what he has done. It is very serious, he understands that.

“He had a happy life with a wife and two children but there was an element that was not fulfilled and that was the intimate, physical side of his life.

“For two years, he was engaged in this activity where he would talk to younger women in chat rooms, looking to engage in stimulation.

“At the time of this offence, he thought the girl was an older age even though he could see a school uniform [on the web cam].

“He thought she might be underage and he let it overtake him.”

Peter Bettany, prosecuting, said the offending took place over two days in September 2014 where Bird was then living, in Turnberry Close, Ilkeston. The hearing was told he and his wife had now split up, were going through a divorce and that he now lived in Woodborough Road, Nottingham.

Mr Hay said: “He expressed remorse in interview and was very tearful.

“While going through the divorce proceedings, he has not been able to see his children and then there’s the public humiliation side of things.

“He is someone who is deeply ashamed, he is not a predatory paedophile.”

Bird was also ordered to pay £85 costs and a £60 victim surcharge



Ismail Dehdouh – Wigan

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January 2016

Immigrant sexually assaulted 3 females two years after judge ordered he should be deported from UK

Jailed: Ismail Dehdouh

THREE young females were subjected to sexual assaults in Wigan by a man who should already have been deported, a court heard.

Ismail Dehdouh had been jailed for 12 months in 2012 for using false identity documents and after his release was due to be thrown out of the country.

But this never happened because of Home Office mistakes leaving the Algerian national to commit the sex offences as well as handling stolen mobile phones.

Jailing him for two and a half years, Judge Andrew Hatton said that he wanted women to be able to walk the streets safely and said Dehdouh must be deported after he finishes his sentence.

“You targeted young women you considered to be vulnerable,” he told him.

One of Dehdouh’s victims was walking with her four-year-old brother when she was attacked.

And both the 16-year-old and the youngster have been left “psychologically scarred” by the vile assault, Liverpool Crown Court was told.

Henry Riding, prosecuting, said that 35-year-old Dehdouh was wanted on a bench warrant when he molested all three of his young victims in the Swinley area after failing to attend Chester Crown Court for handling three stolen mobile phones.

The stolen phones were found at his then home in Regent Street, Runcorn over a pizza shop when police raided it on October 21, 2013. One had been stolen in a burglary at a house in Runcorn and another from a handbag in a Cardiff nightclub.

He later failed to attend court for sentence and on September 21 last year he approached a 22-year-old woman as she was walking along Earl Street, Swinley.

After asking her if she was Spanish and single she tried to walk away from him but he followed her and asked for a kiss.

She rejected his advances and continued walking away but he still followed and grabbed her left arm and pulled her towards him.

She pulled away and told him, “be told” but he still followed her and it was only after about quarter of a mile when she went into a nursery that she was able to get away from him.

Mr Riding said that three days later a 16-year-old girl was walking her four-year-old brother home from school along Wigan Lane and Scarisbrick Street when Dedhouh began chatting to her. He began following her and she became scared and took a different route than planned to get to a main road until he suddenly stood in front of her blocking her way.

He asked if he could have a hug and after she refused “he put one arm around her shoulder and the other around her back near her bottom while her brother was cowering behind her.

“She grabbed her brother and pushed him (Dehdouh) away out of her way as she walked off. He asked why she was not hugging him back and tried to hug her again. He placed his head on her right shoulder and began to kiss the side of her neck and cheek. She took hold of her brother again and tried to push away but he took hold of her shoulder and began to run his fingers through her hair,” said Mr Riding.

“He asked ‘can I have a kiss?’ and pulled her towards him. She pushed him away telling him ‘no’ and walked away again. He still followed and when he caught up with her again he used both hands to separate her from her brother.”

The girl pulled her hand away and shouted that she was going home to her father and he stayed where he was. The incident lasted about 10 minutes and she was left feeling scared.

Her father read an impact statement from her talking of the effect on her and also told the judge how badly his little son had been affected.

“He has gone from being a confident and fun-loving boy to being withdrawn, shy and nervous. He used to love going to school and would not look back. He now screams the school down when his mother or sister leave him there.”

Her dad said Dehdouh should be deported and not be allowed to walk the streets.

Mr Riding said that Dehdouh picked on his third victim two hours later as the 18-year-old was walking along Duke Street.

He began chatting to her and then grabbed at her but she was able to pull away. He asked if she had a boyfriend and when she said she did he ran off. The victim is now scared of walking alone in case she is followed, said Mr Riding.

He was identified from CCTV footage and arrested at a kebab shop in Wigan Lane. He accepted the encounters had occurred

Dehdouh, of no fixed address, pleaded guilty to three offences of sexual assault and three of handling.

He was ordered to sign on the Sex Offender Register for seven years.


Gareth Copson – Leicester

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January 2016

Man caught in anti-paedophile sting jailed after contacting fictitious girl online

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A man caught in an anti-paedophile sting was jailed after contacting a fictitious 13-year-old girl online and sending her indecent photographs and messages.

Gareth Copson fell for the vigilante-style trap set by Leicestershire covert internet investigation group Letzgo Hunting.

Following the breakdown of a relationship he went online to meet someone.

He made contact with a girl called Lucy, claiming to be aged 18, on January 29 last year. 

But it was a ploy, and Lucy did not exist, Leicester Crown Court was told.

Mary Prior, prosecuting, said: “On January 31 Lucy told the defendant she was just 13-years-old.”

Instead of ending the contact, he messaged saying: “Pretty gutted ur only 13 ur quite fit.”

He went on to ask her sexual questions and sent her indecent photographs.

He then tried to persuade her to send him topless pictures, which she refused to do.

There was discussion about meeting but in the end he made an excuse and there was no rendezvous.

Copson (28), of Beatrice Road, Newfoundpool, Leicester, was jailed for eight months.

He admitted inciting a child to watch a sex act by sending indecent images of himself.

He also admitted inciting her to engage in sexual activity, via the internet.

Judge Ebraham Mooncey said: “You’re an intelligent man and you should have known better.

“A deterrent sentence has to be passed.

“This legislation is designed to protect children.

“You’ve shown in the traffic of messages you were ready and willing to explain the naivety of a child.

“Fortunately there was no real victim.

“Your reaction to learning she was 13 is where you fell down.”

Mrs Prior said the Letzgo Hunting campaigners handed over the incriminating online messages to the police which resulted in Copson’s arrest.

Vasanti Vaitha, mitigating, said: “He’s remorseful and ashamed of his actions.

“He went onto the website when he was at a low point following the breakup of a relationship.

“Online dating was a completely new experience and he initially thought he was speaking with an 18-year-old.

“He should have stopped when told she was 13 but he continued to engage with this person.

“Thankfully there wasn’t a real girl.”

There was never any intention to meet up, she said.

Copson had attended court with family and new partner, the court was told.

He was placed on a 10 year sexual harm prevention order and will have to ensure his address is on a sex offender register for the same period.


Michael Higgins – Stowmarket

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January 2016

Suffolk ex-teacher caught with indecent child images for second time

A former teacher jailed for child abuse images in 2005 is facing the prospect of prison again after being found with more indecent images. 

Michael Higgins, of The Tye, Barking, near Stowmarket, admitted five charges of making indecent images of children when he appeared before South East Suffolk Magistrates’ Court.

The 66-year-old also pleaded guilty to possessing a prohibited image of a child and two charges of possessing extreme pornography involving a dog and a horse.

The offences occurred between May 20, 2014, and August 27 last year.

Prosecutor Lucy Miller said Higgins had a previous conviction for similar offences.

She told the court: “That’s how this came to light, because he was under an existing (court) order.”

District Judge Sandeep Kainth said he would be sending the matter to Ipswich Crown Court as his sentencing powers were insufficient.

He told Higgins: “There’s only going to be one sentence in your case and that is a custodial term.”

Higgins was released on conditional bail.

His sentencing will take place on a date to be fixed.

In 2005 Higgins was jailed for six years by Ipswich Crown Court after superimposing pupils’ faces on downloaded pornographic pictures.

Then living in The Street, Wattisfield, Higgins abused his position of trust as a teacher and unofficial photographer at Rosemary Musker High School, in Thetford, by making more than 15,000 indecent or pseudo images of 132 pupils between 1999 and January 2005.

He had previously pleaded guilty to 16 charges of making indecent pseudo photographs of children and one charge of distributing such material.

Sentencing him, Judge John Devaux said: “You have a long-standing sexual attraction to children. This is a very serious breach of trust and some of these victims have been very badly affected by what they have learned.”

Acquiring and sorting these images had become an obsession, although it was confined to fantasy and never led to assault, he added.

The judge passed an extended jail sentence on Higgins, four years custodial with two years extended on licence on each charge.

He banned Higgins from working with children for life, ordered the destruction of all the images and banned him from owning or using a camera or computer with internet access.

The court was told Higgins had created a website, which had never gone live, with images he had made.

Higgins was said to have been devastated that pupils knew what he had done and sought to apologise through his counsel Simon Spence.

June 2005

An ex-teacher who took photos of pupils and superimposed them onto child sexual abuse images has been jailed for six years.

Michael Higgins, 55, was also banned from owning or using a camera or computer with internet link after admitting 17 child porn charges.

He taught at Rosemary Musker High School in Thetford, Norfolk, and became the “unofficial school photographer”.

His defence said images were used for personal gratification but a judge put him on a sex offenders list for life.

Ipswich Crown Court heard Higgins used his computer to cut and paste the heads of students on to child porn pictures downloaded from the internet.

In some cases he would also superimpose his head on to a male in the picture – making it appear as though he was involved in explicit acts with the pupils.

The court was told Higgins would write a story to go with the pictures and make lurid claims about the pupils.

He was in the process of creating a website which never went live and was not intended to.

Higgins, from Wattisfield, near Diss, Norfolk, had previously admitted eight counts of making indecent images of children under the age of 18 between September 2002 and September 2004.

He also pleaded guilty to eight charges of creating pseudo-images of children under the age of 18 between December 2003 and January 2005.

A further charge of distributing pseudo-images of a child under the age of 16 between December 2004 and January 2005 was also admitted.


Peter Smith – Gwersyllt

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January 2016

Judge’s jail warning to man over indecent films involving children

A MAN has been warned he will go to prison after he admitted offences involving indecent images and movies of children and other images involving sex between humans and animals.

Peter Smith, 35, of Phillips Road, Gwersyllt, wept in the dock at Mold Crown Court.

Judge Niclas Parry said he had considered remanding Smith into custody immediately but a bail application by Andrew Green, defending, was granted and Smith was released to return to the court for sentence next month.

He was ordered to register with the police as a sex offender.

“Be in no doubt that you are going into custody,”the judge told Smith, who had previous similar convictions.

Mr Green said Smith was being supported by his wife and family.

He admitted a total of 15 offences, three charges of making indecent images of category A, B and C by downloading them from the internet and possessing 3,957 such images. He admitted possessing 677 indecent movies and two charges of possessing extreme images involving sexual acts between humans and various animals.

Smith admitted three charges of making indecent movies of children by downloading them and possessing a further 42 extreme movies. He also admitted breaching a Sexual Offences Prevention Order imposed at Mold Crown Court in August 2010 in that between May 2011 and May 2015 he used the internet for purposes of viewing and obtaining indecent images of children.


Kieran Matthews – Tadworth

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January 2016

Man who admitted possessing animal sex images gets community order

A man who pleaded guilty to possessing animal porn images has been given a three-year community order.

Kieran Matthews, 20, from Waterfield in Tadworth, appeared at Guildford Crown Court on Friday (January 8).

Mr Matthews pleaded guilty to four charges of possessing indecent images at a previous court hearing on December 4.

Three of the charges involved images from Category A, B and C while the fourth charge was for possessing one extreme image.

At the sentencing on Friday, Judge S Climie said: “This is a very, very serious offence.

“By possessing the images you are as much as a abuser as those who carry out the acts, that’s what the court guidelines say.”

Mr Matthews was given a 36-month community order, must complete 100 hours of unpaid work and was ordered to pay £750 court costs.

He was also put on the sexual offenders’ list and has to complete 60 sessions on the sex offender treatment programme.


Segart Lochead – Dumfries

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January 2016

Pensioner groomed & sexual assaulted schoolboy with learning difficulties

segart

An OAP travelled from his home in Scotland to sexually abuse a vulnerable boy in St Helens after posing as a 13-year-old online.

Segart Garth Lochead, a former Scots Guard, was jailed for seven years, four months, after assaulting the boy.

Lochead was told by a judge that he had “exploited a young and vulnerable individual”.

Liverpool Crown Court heard that he began chatting to the 13-year-old boy, who lived in St Helens, via a website and they had Skype conversations during which Lochead pretended to be 13

Judge Elizabeth Nicholls said: “He was no doubt on the cusp of discovering his own sexuality and you abused and exploited that for your own sexual gratification.”

Lochead, 69, of Cresswell Gardens, Dumfries, pleaded guilty to sexual grooming, inciting a child to engage in sexual activity and two of sexual activity with a child.

He was ordered to sign the Sex Offender Register for life and a Sexual Harm Prevention Order was imposed.

The court heard he has previous offences for downloading and distributing indecent images.

Martine Snowden, prosecuting, told Liverpool Crown Court, that the offences happened in 2011 and 2012 when the boy, who has severe learning difficulties, was aged 13 and 14.

The offences came to light while police were investigating him for the indecent image offences in October 2014.

Lochead came down to meet the boy at locations including Sherdley Park in St Helens in his yellow car with blacked out windows and on one occasion he gave the boy, and his friend, £10 each.

During conversations Lochead spoke of a video showing him having sex with a nine-year-old boy.


Daniel Fisher – Reading

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January 2016

Paedophile convicted of 17 sexual offences against children

A Reading man has been found guilty of a string of 17 sexual offences against children.

A jury convicted Daniel Fisher, of Merchants Place, Central Reading, when he appeared at Reading Crown Court on Monday, January 11.

The 35-year-old was tried in the same court in a week-long hearing charged with 15 counts of attempting to incite a child to engage in sexual activity and two counts of creating indecent images of children.

Fisher was arrested on December 31, 2013 after officers from Thames Valley Police’sPaedophile Investigation Team (POLIT) carried out a warrant at Fisher’s home the same day.

During an examination of his computer indecent images of children and sexually explicit chat logs involving children were found. He was charged with the offences on October 29 last year.

Investigating officer Det Con Sandra Tearney, from the POLIT, said: “The jury found Fisher to have been in possession of indecent images of children and guilty of attempts to engage children in sexual activity online.

“This case is a pertinent reminder of the dangers of social media – do you know who your child is speaking to online?

“Thames Valley Police works to pursue those who offend, to provide support to victims and to ensure offenders are brought to justice.”

Fisher is due to be sentenced on Monday, February 8 later this year.



Henry Allen – Billingham

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January 2016

Pervert caught with indecent images of children

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A judge issued a warning about the perils of pornography as he sentenced a man caught with child abuse images on his computer.

Henry Allen also photographed girls in the street while accessing explicit pictures of children at home.

His computer tower and phone were seized from his Billingham home , uncovering 1,385 indecent images of children.

He had been downloading the pictures over a two-and-a-half-year period between November 2011 and June 2014.

They included 128 still and moving pictures at the most serious level in law, of “female children from infancy to 16 years old”, Teesside Crown Court heard today.

The 27-year-old also had four banned “cartoon” pictures and an illegal image of extreme pornography involving an animal.

The phone revealed photographs Allen had taken in the street or supermarkets of unsuspecting girls aged about 14.

Allen said he thought they were adults and took their pictures because he found them attractive.

The girls were fully clothed and the pictures were not deemed to be indecent.

Allen set up a fake online profile under a female name to attract older men with a sexual interest in children, said prosecutor David Crook.

He had suggestive conversations but said he had no intention of meeting the men and claimed he intended to “catch them out” and “expose” them.

He denied he had a sexual interest in children, the court was told.

He said he would look at the pictures for sexual arousal when he was younger but was not sure why he looked at them now.

Allen, of Wollaton Road, Billingham, admitted two counts of making indecent images of children, possessing prohibited images and possessing extreme pornography.

Louise Harrison, defending, said most of the pictures were of girls between 12 and 15.

She said: “Mr Allen accepts that there is a difficulty.

“He has taken steps himself in order to start to address the reasons for his offending.”

She told how he started using pornography aged 11 and, as a teenager, used a computer to look at girls then of his age.

“He accepts that’s become a problem that he needs to address,” added Ms Harrison.

“Frankly his life following his arrest has been devastated.

“He is utterly remorseful.

“There was no sharing of images.”

She said he lost his partner and job and took counselling to understand the roots of his behaviour.

Allen cried in the dock as Judge Peter Armstrong sentenced him

The judge said Allen never caused any concerns before, but the images were “a symptom of your distorted way of thinking”.

He said: “That started when you were only 11 and, no doubt out of curiosity, started looking at pornography.

“It’s a lesson for all parents to keep an eye on such activities that their children might be up to.

“You got interested in looking at girls of your own age at that stage, but unfortunately that seems to have become entrenched.

“As you got older you continued to have an interest in girls under the age of consent.”

Allen was given a one-year jail term suspended for two years with supervision and a sex offender treatment programme.

He was given a five-year sexual harm prevention order governing internet use and banning him from unsupervised with under-16 girls and having cameras.

The judge said this package of orders would punish Allen sufficiently and show him “this has to stop”.

Allen will be on the sex offenders’ register for 10 years.


Paul Wilcox – Rickmansworth

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January 2016

Pervert caught with child sex abuse images told police: “Are you aware of my past?”

A Rickmansworth man was caught with child sex abuse images more than 20 years after he was sentenced for a sexual assault and taking indecent photos.

Paul Wilcox, 48, asked officers who raided his home at 6am: “Are you aware of my past?”

Prosecutor Kevin West told St Albans Crown Court on Friday that Wilcox admitted viewing illegal images during the raid on July 3, 2014.

In 1991 he was convicted of sexual assault and taking indecent photographs. He was arrested on that occasion when he tried to get the photographs developed.

When his two laptops and hard drive were examined, the police found 16 Category A images and 115 Category A movies, the most serious level.

There were 11 images and 44 movies at Category B and 31 images and 11 movies at Category C, said Mr West.

Wilcox, of Skidmore Way, appeared for sentence having admitted downloading indecent images and movies of children.

Richard Partridge, defending, said Wilcox had “owned up at the first moment” and pleaded guilty.

He said Wilcox suffered from depression and had the case hanging over him for the past 18 months.

He asked the judge to pass a suspended sentence, but Judge John Plumstead jailed him for six months saying: “You get one chance, not two.”

The judge told him: “You sought pleasure from the abuse of children. That is despicable.”


Kevin Burt – Tillicoultry

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December 2015

Foot fetishist placed on sex offenders register for tickling young girl

A self-confessed foot fetishist has been placed on the sex offenders register for tickling the toes of a seven-year-old girl.

Kevin Burt, 27, pushed the child over, pulled her tights down to her toes, and tickled her feet “with some force”, Stirling Sheriff Court was told on Tuesday.

Prosecutor Lindsey Brooks said the incident occurred at Burt’s former home in Tillicoultry, Clackmannanshire, in April after the victim and several other children around the same age had been playing in the street.

They decided to “go and find” Burt before ringing his doorbell and going in.

Mrs Brooks said Burt pushed the seven-year-old girl on the body, causing her to fall to the floor, and then pulled down her tights, though he did not expose her private parts. He then tickled her feet roughly.

Mrs Brooks said: “The child described it as being very sore. She was upset by it. She asked one of the other children to get him to stop. The other child described asking him to stop.”

The incident occurred about 5.30 pm on April 10. About 7pm the child told her mother what had happened, and her mother notified police.

The child was interviewed the following day, and Burt was detained and taken to Stirling police station.

The child was found to have a “minor bruise” from falling when she was pushed.

Burt initially denied tickling the girl’s feet, and told officers he had just tickled her sides and her back as she was running out of the house.

However in a later police interview, he accepted he had a foot fetish. Mrs Brooks told the court: “That interview was supposed to be recorded, but didn’t record.

“He admitted that he had what he described as a ‘foot fetish’, but denied sexual motivation and couldn’t explain what he meant by a foot fetish.”

Burt, a security guard who now lives in Tullibody, pleaded guilty to sexually assaulting and injuring the seven-year-old girl by pushing her and tickling her.

His not guilty pleas to three other charges, alleging that he had sexually assaulted a six-year-old girl and a five-year-old boy by removing their shoes and socks and tickling their feet at at address in Stirling in July 2015, and had sexually assaulted and injured a second seven-year-old girl at his former home in Tillicoultry in April 2015 by tickling her on the body repeatedly, were accepted by the prosecution.

For legal reasons, none of the children can be identified. Sheriff Wyllie Robertson deferred sentence until February 10 for background reports, including an assessment of the risk that Burt poses to children, and placed him on the sex offenders register.

He said: “Clearly I cannot dispose of this matter without social work reports.”

He told Burt that the length of time he would remain on the sex offenders register would be determined later.

Defence solicitor Alistair Burleigh said he would reserve his speech in mitigation for the sentencing hearing.

After the case, police officers stood by as Burt walked to a waiting car, amid fears for his safety from a small knot of bystanders who gathered across the road from the court.

 


Benjamin Jones – Docklands

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January 2016

Perverted IT worker caught with category A child abuse images and films

An IT worker caught with hundreds of explicit child sex images and films was spared jail so he can continue to battle the ‘compulsion’ that makes him download the material.

Benjamin Jones, 36, immediately pointed to his computer when police officers turned up to search his Docklands apartment in late April 2014.

A hard drive was seized and upon examination was found to contain over 270 category A images and films – the most serious kind which depict penetrative sexual activity with children.

The majority of youngsters in the haul, amassed over a two year period starting in 2012, were judged to be aged between 10 and 12. 


Harney Adams – The Meadows

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January 2016

A bus passenger who swapped numbers with a girl who claimed she was 19 is now a sex offender – after she turned out to be just 15.

Harney Adams had no previous convictions when he engaged in sexual activity with the child.

However by then she had confessed her true age.

Adams’ conviction was imposed on Monday, January 11, after he admitted three charges of causing or inciting a 15-year-old to engage in sexual activity and having sexual activity with her.

Aged 31 and from Radcliffe Street, The Meadows, Adams got the girl to touch him sexually and perform a sexual act – a crime because the girl is not over the age of consent of 16.

Judge Jeremy Lea will now refer the defendant’s case to the barring authority, to stop him working with children, and made him the subject of a three-year community order and a sex offender programme.

And he ordered Adams to sign the sex offenders’ register for the next five years, so police know where he is living or about any change of address.

“I’m satisfied what risk you pose to girls will be mitigated in your participation in that programme,” said Judge Lea.

Adams offended between November 30, 2014, and May 31, 2015, Nottingham Crown Court heard.

Police were informed about the incidents and he was arrested after the girl. who cannot be identified, was interviewed.

Phones were seized and examined and revealed text messages of an explicit and sexual nature.

The girl was to tell police how Adams approached her on the bus and they struck up a conversation.

She had initially lied about her age and they swapped numbers.

But after learning her real age, Adams, who had three unrelated cautions on his record, admitted he had offended with her sexually.

The sentencing guidelines recommended a sentencing starting point of five years, with a range of four to ten years after a trial, for a person of previous good character.

However, Claire Moran told Judge Lea in mitigation: “It seems to me, in a case such as this, the guidelines could be viewed as a ball park, rather than strictly adhered to.”

Now, she said, her client was “so aware and cautious” and “scared to speak to a girl without knowing their full age and proof of it”.

A Sexual Harm Prevention Order stipulates Adams must not have any unsupervised contact with a female under 15, invite under 16 year olds into his home or live in the same household.

Judge Lea, who followed all the recommendations from a pre-sentence report prepared by the probation service, made the sentence concurrent on all four charges and gave him credit for his guilty pleas.

But he warned: “If you fail to cooperate with the probation service, then they will bring you back, and the whole sentence is breached.”


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