August 2013: Released from HM Young Offenders Institution Polmont – Now living in Paisley

July 2007

Teenage sex offender given extended prison sentence

A teenage sexual predator has been jailed after abusing two young girls

Ian Hughes (24/09/1988) was convicted of two specimen charges of using lewd, indecent and libidinous practices and behaviour against two female victims who were aged five and seven years old

Glasgow Sheriff Court heard that on one occasion, Hughes removed his clothing, molested one victims private parts, kissed and licked her private parts and proceeded to lie on the naked child to simulate sexual intercourse with her, although no penetration was made.

On another occasion, he molested and kissed the body of the second child.

The court was told that during other incidents, the vagina and anus of the young girls were molested via digital penetration (fingers)

The offences were repeated and frequent and took place at various locations in Glasgow over a five year period between 2001 to 2006

Hughes was sentenced to an extended sentence, aggregated to four years at a young offenders institution

The court heard that Hughes had a history of offending including theft and public disorder offences.

A report stated that he was assessed as being at a high risk of re-offending and a high risk of harm.

He will be required to attend a community sex offender programme

Hughes was told he must register as a sex offender for a period of 10-years until 18/6/2017

October 2001

Child abuse images pervert jailed

A MAN found with 3,750 indecent images of underage girls being sexually abused has received a short prison sentence ­- because of a legal mistake.

Jeffrey Lewis, 36, could have got up to 10 years in jail for the offences. 

Instead he has been given just eight months.

Judge Elgan Edwards, Honorary Recorder of Chester, said his hands were tied when it came to sentencing because of the legal error.

Lewis admitted 17 indecency charges when he initially appeared before Chester, Ellesmere Port & Neston magistrates. The case was then sent to Chester Crown Court for sentence.

Because of this, the penalty set down by Parliament is the same as magistrates can give ­ a maximum prison sentence of 12 months.

But Judge Edwards said Lewis, of Cressington Gardens, Ellesmere Port, should have instead been sent directly to the crown court.

Once there, Judge Edwards said the maximum prison sentence he could have legally given Lewis was 10 years.

Lewis admitted 12 charges of possessing indecent photos of children, four counts of making indecent pictures and one of publishing an advert on the Internet which could be understood that he distributed such images.

Prosecutor Nick Mason said: ‘These are specimen charges for what can only be described as an unseemly collection of child pornography found in his house.’

He said Constable John McConnell, of Greater Manchester Police’s child protection unit, was monitoring an Internet chatroom which was used by paedophiles.

Mr Mason added: ‘Someone using the name ‘Danielle’ posted 19 messages in a short time saying they traded in pictures. This was in respect of child porn.

‘The Internet operator and telephone company were contacted and they traced ‘Danielle’ to Lewis’ address.

‘Police seized his laptop computer, 58 CDs, 33 floppy disks and 44 zip disks.

‘These contained 3,500 still pictures, mostly of children engaging in various acts, as well as 250 video pictures of children.

‘A thousand words cannot properly describe the depravity of what was recorded.’

‘In interview, Lewis said he was seeing a psychiatrist and contributed these offences to him being sexually abused when younger,’ said Mr Mason.

Judge Edwards said only someone ‘with a warped mind like Lewis’ could get a sexual kick out of watching these images.

Defence barrister John Philpotts said Lewis was a family man and was ashamed at his actions.

‘He is a father himself and so is appalled at what he has done.

‘His mind has been blighted by the abuse in his past. People who have been abused very often go on to commit offences themselves,’ he said.

Lewis must also sign on the Sex Offender’s Register for 10 years.

February 2016

HMA v Stephen Reeson

At the High Court in Edinburgh Lord Armstrong sentenced Stephen Reeson to 4 years in prison after he pled guilty to sexual offences against a minor.

On sentencing Lord Armstrong made the following statement in court:

“Stephen Reeson, you have pleaded guilty to a contravention of section 42 of the Sexual Offences (Scotland) Act 2009, in that you repeatedly had sexual intercourse with a minor over a period of some 9 months when she was only 14 and 15 years of age.

I have taken account of everything said by your counsel on your behalf. I note that you accept full responsibility for your actions and that you have expressed remorse.

I have also had regard to the content of the Criminal Justice Social Work Report now made available to me.

I acknowledge that you have no previous criminal history.

Having said that, the offence of which you now stand convicted is a grave crime against which young women must be protected.

That being so, the Court will not flinch from making it plain that such crimes will attract a significant prison sentence. I am satisfied that in your case there is no appropriate alternative to a custodial disposal.

I have already made an order that you be subject to the notification requirements of the Sexual Offences Act 2003.

In light of the sentence I am about to impose, that requirement will be continued for an indefinite period of time. The clerk of court will provide you with a certified copy of the notice of the requirements with which you must comply.

The maximum period which can be imposed in a case such as this is a period of imprisonment of 5 years.

Taking all the factors which I have mentioned into account and exercising such leniency as I can, having regard to your personal circumstances, but having regard also, in particular, to the facts that your crime involved a gross breach of trust and penetrative sexual intercourse with a girl who was not yet even 16 years of age, I sentence you to a period of imprisonment of 4 years.

That sentence will be backdated to 24 January 2015 when you were first detained in custody in relation to this charge”.

November 2013

Prison for ’20 pence’ Sex Abuser, 61

A MAN has been jailed for four and a half years for historic sexual abuse in which he bribed a young girl with 20p pieces.

Brian Bennett would play “the 20 pence game” with his young victim where he would hide a coin around an intimate part of his body and get the young girl to retrieve it.

The 61-year-old “maintains his innocence” but was found guilty of two counts following a trial in October.

He has been sentenced for the two specimen counts of indecency with a child and indecent assault.

Teesside Crown Court heard that the abuse took place over a “substantial period of time” and started when the young victim, now grown up, was of primary school age.

Prosecutor Sarah Mallett told the court that the abuse centred on “the 20 pence game”.

Miss Mallett added that Bennett would also use this as an opportunity to touch the girl inappropriately.

“The victim said it was not aggressive or painful but was something she didn’t like and made her feel uncomfortable,” said Miss Mallett.

Teesside Crown Court also heard about the impact that the abuse has had on the now-adult victim.

She has self-harmed and has even tried to take her own life.

It has also affected her own relationships and parenting.

Bennett, who hung his head during the whole hearing, was sentenced by Judge George Moorhouse.

He said: “This has had a serious affect on the young girl, who is now grown up.

“At one stage she attempted to take her own life.”

Cries could be heard from the public gallery as Judge Moorhouse sentenced Bennett, of Errington Garth, Marske, to a total of four and a half years in jail.

He also imposed an indefinite sexual offences prevention order (SOPO) at the hearing this week.

March 2008

Welsh paedophile freed early to rape again

THE victim of paedophile Shaun Jerome has spoken of her disgust that the child sex monster went on to rape again after being freed early from prison.

Evil Jerome, 24, a former sports shop assistant from from Ely, Cardiff, served only half of an 18-month prison sentence after being convicted of having sex with a 14-year-old girl he had groomed on the internet.

Two years on, as the sick sex beast awaits sentence after pleading guilty to the rape of a 12-year-old girl and having sex with a 14-year-old girl, Jerome’s first victim has told how he contacted her just months after his release.

The girl, whose identity is protected by law, revealed that he got in touch with her again through social networking website Bebo.

His victim, now 17, told us through her mother how Jerome:

• CONCEALED his identity as he tried to set up further meetings with her;

• BEGGED her to meet him at a music group he had joined in order to snare more youngsters;

• BOASTED about his relationships with other teenage girls;

• STALKED her as she made her way to sixth-form college.

The victim’s mother said news of his latest vile crimes had brought back memories of her daughter’s own traumatic ordeal.

Eager to resume contact with his young victim after his release from prison, Jerome plagued her with messages on the popular networking site.

Although the family had moved to another area, the sex predator found out where she was studying and tracked her down.

“When he got out of prison, he contacted my daughter on the internet, pretending to be somebody else,” said her mother, with her daughter standing by her side.

“But she recognised all his friends and certain phrases he was using. He said he had joined a band and was trying to invite her to a music session.

“He said he talked to lots of young girls on the internet and said they all thought he was their boyfriend.”

Jerome’s persistence had a devastating effect on the young girl, who was attempting to rebuild her life.

“She was really down about it. He really messed her head up,” said her mother.

“He said when she turned 16 he would contact her again. Later, he found out where her college was and turned up one day on the bus.

“After Jerome’s release, my daughter started self-harming and had to see a counsellor.”

“I’m appalled that Jerome has done it again, I can’t believe it,” said the mum. “I don’t know how he was able to do it.

“He wasn’t allowed to work with children or even be around them. He’s a danger to children. We were so shocked when he was released early from prison.

“My daughter said it brought it all back again.”

And she insists that the whereabouts of convicted paedophiles should be made public.

“I think people should know where they are. They should be aware,” she said.

Both mother and daughter thought their nightmare was over when Jerome – whose ex-fiancee discovered she was pregnant after news of his sickening sex crimes came to light – was sent to prison in October 2005, banned from working with children and placed on the Sex Offenders’ Register for 10 years. But they strongly believe he should have been given a longer sentence.

“He only served half his sentence for what he did to my daughter. It’s terrible,” said the mother.

“He should have got life. He’s a danger to little ones. And to think he has a child of his own.

“My daughter saw his ex-fiancee pushing a pram around town. She has no contact with him.

“I was disgusted with the sentence. After everything he put us though, nine months was not enough.”

Astonishingly, after notifying the police of Jerome’s disturbing activities on the internet, the family claim no action was taken – something a South Wales Police spokeswoman disputed.

“We told the police, but they said there was nothing they could do,” said the mother.

Around a year ago she herself spotted Jerome in a cafe just a few miles from their home.

“I was having lunch in town and I looked up and saw him sat about two tables away with a girl about his own age,” she said.

“He had put on weight and changed a bit but I recognised him straight away. He looked up so I think he saw me. I went into the toilets and when I came back he was gone.

“Seeing him just made me go to pieces. I could have killed him.”

The mother of the 12-year-old also throws light on the method sick Jerome used stalk his victims.

Her daughter fell into his clutches after he joined her music group.

Her trusting parents even welcomed the paedophile into their home, unaware of his crimes.

After grooming the girl with gifts of sweets and even an MP3 player, Jerome raped her and subjected her to vile sexual abuse.

Police finally revealed he was on the Sex Offenders’ Register when he was arrested for having sex with yet another girl, aged 14.

“I’d never have let Jerome near my girl if I’d known of his past,” said her mother.

“How was he allowed to worm his way into our home? That’s why we need to bring in Sarah’s Law.”

Jerome will be sentenced at Cardiff Crown Court after pleading guilty to the rape of her daughter and the sexual assault of the 14-year-old. He will be sentenced at Cardiff Crown Court on Friday.

In a statement, South Wales Police said: “We can confirm that a 24-year-old man from the Cardiff area has been charged and pleaded guilty to four sexual offences against two females under the age of 16 and possession of indecent images.

“As legal proceedings are on-going, we will not comment further on this specific case.”

‘Girls all think I’m their boyfriend’

AS EVIL Shaun Jerome awaits sentence for his sickening sex assaults on two young girls, it can be revealed how he preyed on his victims using the internet.

Just months after his release from prison, Jerome, 24, began contacting teenagers in online chat-rooms and through the social networking site Bebo.

After attempting to lure his previous victim into his clutches once again, the pervert began to target new victims on the net and by joining various marching bands in Wales.

He even videoed innocent band members as they performed alongside him.

His previous victim, who was 14 when he assaulted her, said Jerome boasted about how the teenagers he met on the internet “all think I’m their boyfriend”.

Most of his online “friends” consisted of girls aged 14 and 15. Many described themselves as shy and quiet and seemed to be lacking in confidence, making them an easy target for the sick paedophile.

One girl was aged just 12 – the same age as his latest victim.

On his web page, Jerome described himself as a “huge Cardiff City fan” and said he’s happiest when “around my family and friends – love you all.”

The convicted paedophile even had the cheek to post a message mentioning missing four-year-old Madeleine McCann, saying: “support the girl who’s missing in Portugal xx”.

After our chilling findings, South Wales Police and Bebo were alerted

Responding to our call, the social networking site blocked access to Jerome’s page.

A spokesperson for Bebo said: “Thanks for flagging this to us.”

March 2016

Man spared jail for downloading child abuse images

CHILDREN as young as two featured in sick illegal images downloaded by a Workington man, a court was told.

Curtis McMullen, 27, was caught out when police raided his home in the town and found a lewd library of pictures.

McMullen had amassed a criminal collection of more than 1,000 still child abuse photographs and 224 movies.

Carlisle Crown Court heard hundreds of these were classed in category A – the most serious – with some showing victims in “visible distress”.

McMullen was found to have deliberately sought out images and shared some with others.

McMullen was sentenced having pleaded guilty to 10 separate charges. He admitted eight counts of making indecent photographs of a child, and two distribution offences – all committed over the course of almost a year.

He was spared a prison sentence by Judge Barbara Forrester

Beccy McGregor, prosecuting, said the offences came to light after police executed a search warrant at McMullen’s Ladies Walk Brewery home on January 13 last year.

A laptop and two memory sticks seized by officers each contained illegal images.

One category A picture had been distributed to another person, with five people receiving a category B image sent by McMullen.

“He was interviewed and admitted to police immediately a sexual interest in children,” said Ms McGregor.

“He admitted viewing images on a laptop and chatting with others on Skype and using file-sharing networks.”

Judge Forrester concluded that McMullen should be given a three-year community order. This, she said, would give him the chance to complete a sex offender help course which would not be possible in prison.

McMullen was made subject to a sexual harm prevention order for 10 years, and must sign the sex offenders’ register for that length of time.

March 2016

Rapist’s attack on schoolgirl caused terrible psychological damage

A rapist who carried out a serious sexual assault on a 15-year-old girl while on a community order for other sex offences has been jailed for three years and ten months.

John Babic, 19, had just been put on intensive supervision for raping one youngster and sexually abusing two others when he contacted his latest victim over social media.

After he exchanged messages with the girl, he arranged to meet up with her in West Swindon.

He then led her to a secluded area near Peatmoor Lagoon where he sexually assaulted her as she repeatedly told him ‘no’.

Babic, who asked the court for anonymity, will have to register as a sex offender for the rest of his days and abide by an order restricting his liberty when he gets out.

Hannah Squire, prosecuting, told Swindon Crown Court he contacted the younger girl in August 2014 and they met.

Miss Squire said: “She became uncomfortable, she felt his demeanour and behaviour towards her was not so much violent but very forceful.

“Reluctant as she was, she went along with him. She was pulled along to Peatmoor.”

The girl was worried that if she did not comply he would follow her home, and then know where she lived.

 Once at Peatmoor Lake, despite her pleas and efforts to get away, Babic assaulted her.

Miss Squire said as far as the girl was concerned he was trying to rape her.

The girl then hid in bushes until she was sure he had gone before making her way home, not telling anyone in authority what had happened for months.

When he was questioned the defendant said that she was making it up because he wouldn’t go out with her.

Babic, of The Rosary, Royal Wootton Bassett, initially pleaded not guilty to sexual assault and the case was listed for trial.

But before a jury could be sworn in, and after the girl turned up expecting to give evidence, he admitted what he had done.

Miss Squire said the that the victim had suffered terrible psychological damage from the incident and had contemplated taking an overdose.

As well as affecting how she feels about herself it also impacted on her exams meaning she did not do as well as she had hoped.

The court was told that in January 2014 Babic was put on the most serious community order the youth court can impose for raping one girl and sexually abusing two others.

Jailing him Judge Tim Mousley QC said: “What you did to her must have been an extremely terrifying experience for her even though I suppose she didn’t know about your background.

“You inflicted a very serious sexual assault upon her. I am satisfied it was a sustained incident. I am satisfied it caused severe psychological harm to her.

“Having read her statement, she was so depressed at one point she was thinking of taking her own life.”

He said he posed a risk to girls who were ‘vulnerable from size or age’ and presents a serious risk of significant harm in the future.

After her client was jailed Miss Rowley asked the judge to consider a gagging order to prevent her his name being reported.

But when she could not find a reason in law for an adult defendant, in an adult court, to have his name withheld her request was dismissed.

March 2016

18-year-old jailed for sex offences – including rape of a 12-year-old girl

A TEENAGER has been jailed for four and a half years after admitting a string of sex offences – including raping a 12-year-old girl.

Bradley Hall, 18, from Darlington, was 16 when he asked the girl to his house before having sex with her.

He also had a six-week sexual relationship with a “vulnerable” underage girl when he was 17, which led to her later attempting suicide.

And he had more than 60 indecent images of another girl on his phone when it was seized, Teesside Crown Court heard.

Sarah Mallett, prosecuting, said the 12-year-old girl, who cannot be named for legal reasons, had gone to her GP with her mother for emergency contraception and the GP had raised concerns with the police.

Hall had contacted the girl on social media, where she was listed as being 16 but she told him that she was just 12 years old.

Ms Mallett said: “She sent him pictures and they agreed to meet.”

After they had sex he asked her to leave because his mother was returning home and she did not see him again. The victim felt he had taken advantage of her because he had told her he loved her.

He then started messaging a 13-year-old – and sent her explicit photos and videos of himself, the court heard, while she sent pictures of herself topless, through social media.

She told him she was 13, but he replied: “Age doesn’t matter when you love someone.”

The vulnerable 15-year-old victim he had a sexual relationship with had suffered from psychotic episodes, the court was told.

Ms Mallett said: “If she expressed reluctance (to have sex) he would say she was boring.”

Richard Bennett, mitigating, said the 12-year-old victim was “a particularly vulnerable child”.

But he said: “The defendant took issue that he deliberately targeted her because he didn’t know of her background.

“He has pleaded guilty to rape which for any man is a huge thing to do.

“It is going to have a huge impact on the rest of his life. This is a statutory rape charge – this isn’t a man who has forced himself on (the 12-year-old girl).

“He realised pretty quickly what he had done was very serious.”

Hall has already served nine months on remand in Holme House Prison.

Judge Colin Burn said: “We have seen 14 offences taking place over a fairly narrow period of time when you were 16 going on 17.

“Two of the three girls were certainly extremely vulnerable. The reality is that both of them have suffered significantly. Any pre-existing problems have been made worse as a result of your quest for sexual gratification.”

He jailed Hall for four years and six months, ordered his phone to be forfeited and served him with a restraining order and a Sexual Harm Prevention Order.

March 2016

Pervert jailed over abusive images

A pervert who was caught with over 3,000 thousand images and movies of young children and animals being sexually abused has been sent to prison.

Ian Lomax, 30, was jailed for 16 months after a court heard the vile images were discovered after police executed a search warrant at his home in Ackworth, near Pontefract.

Leeds Crown Court heard West Yorkshire Police officers received information that abusive images were being accessed from through an internet service provider address in his mother’s name.

Gillian Batts, prosecuting, said a total on 904 movies and 117 images featured the sexual abuse of children. Officers also discovered over 2,00 images and movies featuring the abuse of animals. The computer equipment also contained file sharing apps.

Lomax had carried out the offending from June 2012 until the equipment was seized in May of last year. Lomax, of Mount Pleasant, Ackworth, pleaded guilty to three offences of making indecent images of a child and one of possession of extreme pornographic images.

Rukhshanda Hussain, mitigating, said: “He has felt nothing but guilty, even when committing the offences. He wants help for something which has become an addiction of the years.”

Judge Jacqueline Davis told Lomax that she was unable to suspend the prison sentence because the offending was so serious. She said: “The age of the girls and the period over which you were participating in this kind of activity, together with the file sharing apps, make this sort of case one where there has to be an immediate sentence of custody.”

March 2016

Teen avoids prison over vile child abuse images

A Teenager has narrowly avoided prison after being found with more than 200 indecent images of young boys on his laptop.

Marius Gill’s home was raided by police who seized his computer, Kindle and mobile phone following intelligence he was accessing child pornography.

Southampton Crown Court heard how a total of 221 images – some of them sickening videos of boys aged from two up to seven – were discovered. Many of them were of the most serious and classed as category A, the court was told.

A search of his computer also found internet searches with phrases including “nude young boy” and “little boy naked”.

Prosecutor Jane Terry told how initially the 19-year-old college student tried to lay the blame on a friend, telling police following his arrest that that the man, identified as Luke, had access to his laptop unsupervised.

He also listed the names of fellow students who could have had access to his mobile phone.

But eventually, after providing no comment in interviews, Gill admitted charges of possessing indecent images of children.

Defending Gill, Richard Tutt told the court that Gill was a registered carer for his twin brother, who has severe autism, and what he did was “out of character”.

Judge Nicholas Rowland told Gill that his crimes were so serious that prison was an option, adding that his attempts to displace the blame had been “a rather unpleasant approach”.

Handing him a three-year community order so he can attend an Internet Sex Offenders Treatment Programme, he warned Gill: “If you ever come back before the court be under no illusions about what will happen.”

Gill, of Butts Road, Sholing, was also made subject of a sexual harm prevention order for ten years and placed on the sex offenders register for five years.

March 2016

Wirral pervert asked schoolboy to perform vile sex act and be his “webcam slave”

A Wirral man asked a 14-year-old boy to be his “webcam slave” and persuaded him to perform a shocking sex act.

Carl McCarthy, 21, contacted the boy on Skype before making him carry out his depraved demands.

But McCarthy, of Haddon Road, Birkenhead , was today spared jail by a judge.

Liverpool Crown Court heard how the reluctant boy was talked into performing a sex act with a bottle after McCarthy said he was the “master”.

Afterwards, the boy suggested it was now McCarthy’s “turn”, but he replied: “I don’t do that sort of thing”.

Judge Brian Cummings, QC, said McCarthy, who was then aged 18, had sent the boy a photograph of another man exposing himself.

He said the defendant indicated he “had a hold over this other male, in that he threatened to tell his parents of his sexuality” and made him perform sex acts.

Judge Cummings said McCarthy asked the boy if he was prepared to do the same things and gave “graphic verbal assistance”.

McCarthy later told probation officers he was uncertain about his own sexuality and sought reassurance online.

But the judge said: “It’s not really the impression I got from the Skype transcript.

“The defendant is inviting the boy to become his ‘webcam slave’, as he terms it, and seems to be indicating, supported by the sending of a photograph, that he has done this to at least one other person.”

Anna Duke, defending, said this was just “fantasy” and her client had not been involved in this before.

She said there was no evidence of previous offending on his phone or computer.

The boy’s concerned parents contacted police after finding distressing images on his computer.

McCarthy admitted causing or inciting sexual activity with a child. He has no previous convictions.

Ms Duke said McCarthy accepted what he did was “foolish and wrong” and was now in a stable relationship and working full-time.

Judge Cummings said: “The nature of the exchange between you and him involves really graphic, and in its nature somewhat sadistic, sexual activity.”

The judge handed McCarthy two years in prison, suspended for two years, and ordered him to attend a sex offender rehabilitation programme.

He imposed a five-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order and told him to sign the sex offender register for 10 years.

Judge Cummings added: “You have come extremely close to going to prison.”

March 2016

Paedophile spared prison – 24,000 child abuse images

A PAEDOPHILE has been spared prison despite amassing a huge child-porn collection while playing the doting family man.

Jason Bowden, 49, from Gisburn, downloaded more than 24,000 vile photos and videos over a period of at least two years at his former home in Green Hammerton, near Harrogate.

To the outside world, he seemed the perfect family man, but Bowden hid a “dark secret” which manifested itself in the downloading and storage of extreme sexual images of children as young as six, York Crown Court heard.

On September 7 last year, police raided his home in Meadow Vale and seized computer equipment for analysis.

Forensic experts found 24,000 indecent photos and movie clips featuring extremely-young children and teenagers. Many of the images were video files rated Category A – representing the worst kind of sexual abuse.

Crown prosecutor Rob Galley said it appeared that Bowden had been using file-sharing software to download images posted by other paedophiles.

He admitted the offences and appeared for sentence before Judge Paul Batty QC on Friday.

Defence barrister Sarah Barlow said Bowden, a father-of-one, was essentially a “very nice family man” but his wife had left him after the offences came to light and he had since moved to Gisburn.

This has had a devastating effect upon his family and he has lost much,” said Ms Barlow. “He had a very good job and spent so long as a happily-married man.”

She added that Bowden had since sought counselling for his child-porn addiction and was getting help from a charitable foundation which tries to rehabilitate such offenders.

She said Bowden, of Burnley Road, had no previous convictions and was “highly thought of” in his community.

Judge Mr Batty told Bowden: “You were someone who, to the outside world, led a blameless and law-abiding life, but you had a dark secret, which was that you had in your possession over 24,000 images, many of them movies, of the worst type of child imagery.”

Mr Batty said the huge number of images rated Category A would ordinarily result in a straight prison term, but because Bowden had immediately admitted his guilt, shown genuine remorse and taken steps to rid himself of his addiction, he could make an exception in his case.

Bowden was given a two-year jail sentence, but this was suspended for 24 months. During that time he will have to take part in a sex-offenders’ programme and come under the supervision of the Probation Service.

Mr Batty also made a sexual-harm prevention order restricting Bowden’s internet activities, which will be monitored by police and prevent him deleting his search history. He was also placed on the sex-offenders’ register for 10 years.

March 2016

Pervert thought he was meeting a 14-year-old girl for sex

This is the dramatic moment a pervert was snared by a gang of ‘paedophile hunters’ as he waited to meet a 14-year-old girl for sex in a park.  

Daniel Mullarkey had arranged to meet who he thought was an underaged girl after sending her a series of explicit messages. He had even allegedly asked the girl to wear a school uniform.

But, when he turned up at the park in Croydon, the 31-year-old was confronted by members of Internet Interceptors, who had created the decoy schoolgirl in a bid to snare paedophiles.

After filming the confrontation and posting it online, the vigilante group also posted a series of online conversations between Mullarkey and the girl.

In one of the messages, he asks: ‘How old you if you don’t mind me asking’. When she replied, he said: ‘you don’t look 14 lol’.

The father-of-two has now pleaded guilty at Croydon Crown Court to attempting to meet a girl under the age of 16 after grooming her online.

Judge Daniel Flahive adjourned the case until next month when Mullarkey will be sentenced.

In the footage, which was posted online earlier this month, Mullarkey is confronted by a two men – one of whom is holding a video camera – near a tram stop.

The cameraman repeatedly asks Mullarkey what he is doing there, to which he replies that he is going for a walk.

The cameraman then continues to follow Mullarkey, repeatedly telling him that he is there to meet a girl. 

Mullarkey continues to deny the allegations and tries to leave.

But he is grabbed by the coat and told: ‘Stay still or we will take you down’.

One of the men also attempts to pull down his hood, before asking: ‘What are you going to do to her, rape her?’ Mullarkey responds: ‘I wasn’t.’ 

There then appears to be a struggle before the video cuts off.

Internet Interceptors describe themselves as a ‘dedicated team of parents hunting paedophiles and sexual predators across the UK’. 

A relative of Mullarkey broke down in tears as he pleaded guilty to the charge. 

He will be sentenced on April 4.  

March 2016

March 2016

Paisley man stored indecent images of children for nine years

A PAISLEY pervert has been placed on the sex offenders register for possessing indecent images of children at his home – for nine years.

Stephen Turner had the banned images at his former home in Erskine.

Turner, 47, admitted his guilt when he appeared in the dock at Paisley Sheriff Court this week.

Turner, of Paisley’s Neilston Road, admitted being in possession of the images at a property in Erskine’s Broomhill Crescent in breach of Section 52A(1) of the Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982.

He held his hands up to having the sordid stash between October 16, 2006, and May 26 last year.

He had been facing trial over the offence and was due to go on trial later this month also charged with taking, or making images in breach of Section 52(1)(a) of the Act.

But that charge was dropped when he admitted possessing the images.

Sheriff Susan Sinclair placed Turner on the sex offenders register, called for him to be assessed by social workers and deferred sentence until next mont

March 2016

Perthshire man fantasies about abusing and murdering children

A man who told a charity helpline he was having fantasies about abusing and murdering children has been given a community payback order.

Sacha Parkin phoned the NSPCC and gave them his details before describing violent acts he said he wanted to commit.

Parkin later told police he was “struggling to control” his thoughts and wanted support.

The 45-year-old was also banned from contacting children under 17.

Depute fiscal Eilidh Robertson told Dundee Sheriff Court that the operator called police, who attended Parkin’s home in Auchterarder, Perthshire, the following day.

Miss Robertson said: “The operator was alarmed during the call due to the sexualised and graphic descriptions given by the accused.

“He said he lived beside a nine-year-old boy and that he found him attractive.

“He added that he watched violent porn including rape.

“When police went to his house he explained he dreams of raping and killing children.

“He said he was struggling to control his urges and that it was ‘only a matter of time’.”

Parkin, a prisoner at HMP Perth, admitted behaving in a threatening and abusive manner on 4 and 5 November last year.

James Baxter, defending, said: “I’m at pains to point out that this should be considered a cry for help.

“He was aware that these were not healthy thoughts and he wanted support.

“He said he knew they were wrong and wanted these thoughts to go away.”

Sheriff Alistair Carmichael imposed a community payback order with three years supervision and psychological treatment.

He also ordered Parkin to undertake a sex offender’s group work programme and imposed conduct requirements banning him from public parks and swimming pools and not to approach or contact children aged under 17.

March 2016

Former bus worker jailed for possessing thousands of indecent images of children

A bus company worker has been jailed for possessing thousands of indecent images of child as young as four.

Anthony Michael Lewis, 36, previously of Camborne, pleaded guilty to eight counts of possessing indecent images of children and one count of possessing extreme indecent images.

Truro Crown Court heard that the police found more than 6,000 indecent images of children on his computer.

March 2016

Community order for man caught with indecent images of children

A JUDGE said he was giving a man who admitted possessing more than 400 indecent images of children an exceptionally lenient sentence.

The Recorder of York Judge Paul Batty insisted it was right to hand Andrew Cooke, from Malton, a two-year community order because there was significant mitigation in the case.

But he warned that this was not a green light for such activity and that each offence should be dealt with on a case by case basis.

Cooke, 48, pleaded guilty to 13 counts of possessing indecent images of children when he appeared at York Crown Court yesterday.

The charges dated from October 1, 2013 to February 16, 2015 and featured 449 images and one video.

Laurie Scott, prosecuting, said police arrested Cooke at his home in Maiden Greve, Malton on February 15 last year after indecent images were traced to his IP address.

“He was taken into custody and there was then a search of his property and computers and memory sticks were seized,” she added.

Miss Scott said around half the images were Category A – the most serious kind – a small number were Category B and the rest Category C.

She said: “The defendant stated that he had only been looking at adult pornography and the police wouldn’t find any indecent images of children.”

Alaric Walmsley, defending, said Cooke had a number of good character references and handed the judge documents detailing the treatment he had received.

Judge Batty said: “You were at the time doing this for your own sexual gratification.”

He felt Cooke would have continued offending had the police not intervened.

But he added: “Since your arrest you have taken really positive steps to address the issue that undoubtedly you have to address in your life.”

Passing sentence, Judge Batty said: “This case should not be considered by anyone as being a green light for this type of activity.”

He argued there was “significant mitigation” for an “exceptionally lenient” penalty.

Cooke was handed a two-year community order as well as a supervision order.

He was placed on the sex offenders’ register for five years and ordered to pay £250 costs.

March 2016

Carer collected indecent images of a child to fulfil depraved fantasies

A CARER who collected indecent images of a child to fulfil his depraved fantasies is now behind bars.

Anthony Todd, of Rock Road, Latchford, was sentenced to eight months in prison after pleading guilty to three counts of making indecent photographs of a child and one count of possession of indecent images of a child.

The court heard how the 39-year-old, who is a carer for his partner, had been sent the images during internet conversations over a seven year period between 2008 and 2015.

Officers at Cheshire Police launched an investigation after the force received intelligence from Cleveland Police who were investigating another suspect for similar offences. 

The IP address for a device believed to have been used in illegal activity was traced to Todd’s address and at 6.50am on June 3, 2015, a warrant was executed at the property.

Two laptops were seized by police and analysis of the devices uncovered 52 indecent images including 13 category A, nine category B and 30 category C.

One of the most shocking images was of the rape of a one to two-year-old child.

Sam Aynsley, prosecuting, said: “The defendant was interviewed on June 3 and he provided no comment interviews.

But he did respond on September 2, 2015, and he briefly explained that he is not sexually attracted to children but likes to dress as a baby girl and the images were part of the fantasy.

“He wanted to be a little girl because he felt safe.”

But Jade Tufail, defending, said that Todd, who has one previous conviction for drunk and disorderly in 1991, was remorseful for his actions.

She added: “These were people he met on adult fetish sites and they would dress up as children rather than child pornography.

“Over the seven year period he has come across these 52 images.

“He thought he had deleted them.”

But Judge Tina Landale, sentencing, ordered Todd to serve a custodial sentence due to the length of time he had been involved in this type of behaviour.

She said: “The background to your offending stems from something in your childhood but you have accepted that you engaged in sexually explicit conversations with strangers who have sent you sexual images of children.

“I have seen the type of conversation you were engaging in and you deny any sexual interest in children.

“But it must have been apparent to you that by engaging in that type of conversation with other strangers over the internet that there was a high likelihood that images would be sent to you because of the conversations you were having.”

March 2016

Man sent extreme child abuse images to woman he met online

A MAN sent extreme indecent images of children to a woman he met online after they discussed their sexual fantasies, a court heard.

Philip Riddiford-Bell, 31, formed a relationship with a woman he met on the internet in September 2014.

Hull Crown Court heard how the pair later met up to “consummate” the relationship and discuss their sexual fantasies.

Stephen Welch, prosecuting, said: “A relationship was formed over the internet between the defendant and a woman.

“The relationship was consummated during a later meeting.

“During the course of this, the subject matter turned to their sexual interests which involved underage children and extreme messages were exchanged online.”

Police uncovered 477 indecent images of children on Riddiford-Bell’s computer.

They also discovered 116 extreme pornographic images.

Some of the images showed a person having sex with animals.

Riddiford-Bell, of Skerne Road, Driffield, pleaded guilty to possessing extreme pornography, distributing indecent images of children and possession of indecent images of children, when he appeared at court on Monday.

Paul Norton, in mitigation, asked for the case to be adjourned for a pre-sentence report to be prepared on Riddiford-Bell by the probation service.

Judge John Dowse told the 31-year-old to prepare for a prison sentence.

The judge said: “You have pleaded guilty to some very serious charges. You are likely to receive a prison sentence.

“I have asked for a pre-sentence report to be prepared on you and I expect you to co-operate fully with the probation service.

“You would be very foolish not to do so.”

Riddiford-Bell will appear at Hull Crown Court again on June 7, to be sentenced.

A woman has denied possessing indecent images with a view to showing them and will stand trial on June 7.