March 2016

Scout leader found guilty of sexual abuse

A Scout leader from Earley who plied a vulnerable boy scout with pornography, alcohol and drugs before sexually abusing him was today convicted of indecent assault.

Peter Swynford was around twice the age of his victim when he performed oral sex and sexual touching on the boy he had befriended and invited into his home.

On Tuesday, March 8 the jury finished six hours and 48 minutes of deliberation before convicting 52-year-old Swynford of all four counts of sexual assault on which he had stood trial after denying his guilt.

The jury of six men and six women were directed by Judge Angela Morris to return a majority verdict and he was convicted of the historic offences which dated back to the early 1990s.

During the trial at Reading Crown Court the jury heard the pair’s friendship had developed after taking part in a number of joint activities.

It was alleged that as well as carrying out activates with the scout hall, the pair would visit Swynford’s home and consume alcohol and cannabis and watch pornography together.

Throughout the trial 52-year-old Swynford denied any sexual touching taking place between the pair until after the victim’s 16th birthday. He claimed they would watch pornography together but would only ever touch themselves.

However the jury did not believe the sexual touching had only happened once the victim was past the age of consent and convicted Swynford, of Kenton Road, Reading, of the indecent assault.

At the trial, Angus Robertson, prosecuting, told jurors: “He [the victim] began to stay at the defendant’s home at the weekends. Sometimes the defendant allowed him access to alcohol, which was initially beer.

“That progressed to other activities that took place at the defendant’s home. That included both of them watching adult pornography in the defendant’s home.”

The court heard how the men had continued to be Facebook friends years after the incidents allegedly took place.

The accused, a married father-of-three, admitted he was immature and accepted he was twice the victim’s age but said that sexual activity between the pair in his home had taken place separately with neither touching each other until the victim had turned 16 years.

He admitted in court there were times when he exposed himself the victim and expressed his regret and described feeling shameful and horrid.

Summing up the trial for the jury at Reading Crown Court, Judge Morris added: “He accepts that he and the victim became friends…

“When the alleged victim would go to Mr Swynford’s house there were occasions when they would view pornography…

“He has admitted to police that showing pornography and exposing [himself] was wrong,” the judge said.

A sentencing date for Swynford was set for Monday, April 18 by Judge Morris.

March 2016

Man jailed for 20 years after child sex assaults

A DORSET man who sexually assaulted five children has been jailed for a total of 20 years.

Kevin Dunford, 44 and of Blandford Forum, was found guilty of 20 out of 21 counts of sexual assault on five children, including 14 counts of indecent assault, two counts of indecency with a child, two counts of rape and two counts of attempted rape.

He was sentenced at Bournemouth Crown Court today (Monday), having been convicted of the offences following the conclusion of his trial onFriday.

Dunford was also placed on the Sex Offenders Register indefinitely and handed a Sexual Harm Prevention Order.

The offences occurred between 1985 and 1997, before he was first arrested in August 2014.

During his trial, the court heard that Dunford began his offending aged 14 and continued this into his twenties.

He sexually assaulted his victims when he was alone with each of them.

His victims, who are now adults, were aged 13 and under at the time of the offences.

March 2016

Signalman downloaded sexual films of children

A SIGNALMAN created his personal library of films showing boys being sexually abused, York Crown Court heard.

Andrew Robert Bruines, 51, searched for sexual videos of children online, said Rob Galley, prosecuting.

When North Yorkshire Police, acting on a tip-off raided his Selby home, they found he had downloaded more than 30 illegal films of boys aged nine to 15 including a compilation film that was three hours and 54 minutes long.

Kevin Blount, for him, said he had turned to the internet because he was isolated, both at work in a signal box and socially.

“He was living a life where he was having very little interaction with other people,” he said. “He has had to face up to the fact this has come out into the public domain and he knows that others know what he has done.”

Bruines, formerly of Selby and now of Rawcliffe, East Yorkshire, pleaded guilty to five charges of possessing indecent images of children. He was given a 16-month prison sentence, suspended for two years on condition he goes on a sex offenders’ rehabilitation programme.

He was also made subject indefinitely to a sexual harm prevention order restricting his use of the internet and enabling police to monitor his online activities, and was put on the sex offenders’ register for ten years.

Mr Blount said the police raid had ended his marriage and he had moved out of the marital home to live with a relative.

Mr Galley said Bruines had a study in the marital home where his family thought he carried out some kind of work relating to eBay and also had some kind of office upstairs.

March 2016

Pervert had extreme pornographic images

A Scunthorpe man has been sentenced for one count of possessing extreme pornographic images and three counts of making indecent photos of a child.

Christopher Hardy, 22, of Pavilion Gardens, pleaded guilty at Grimsby Crown Court to the offences.

He was given a community order for 36 months, 80 hours unpaid work and supervision for 36 months.

Hardy was also ordered to participate in a sex offenders programme requirement, sign the sex offenders register for five years and was given a sexual offences prevention order for five years.

March 2016

Paedophile finally brought to justice

A Trowbridge man has been jailed after admitting sexually abusing a child in the 1980s – 30 years after the girl first complained to police.

Tony Campbell, now 65, has been jailed for seven years for what he did to the girl in the 1980s.

Campbell, from Willow Grove in Trowbridge, finally admitted sexually abuse the girl from late 1981, when she was under ten years old, and late 1983.

She first went to the police in 1986 to complain about the abuse she had suffered, but Campbell persuaded her to withdraw the allegation, and police took the matter no further.

The same thing happened again in 1992, and it wasn’t until 2014 that he was arrested and charged.

A week before he was due to stand trial, having consistently denied any wrong-doing, he changed his plea and admitted the four charges, which were based on a ‘multi-incident’ abuse, with two sample cases of abuse in each year.

March 2016

Council worker used social service records to try & bribe 15-year-old into sex

A council employee accessed social service records to try and bribe and threaten a child into having sex with him.

Aaron Whitman repeatedly offered a 15-year-old money for sex on Facebook.

When the vulnerable teen refused he accessed her file, through his job at Essex County Council, telling her he knew where she lived, terrifying her.

Sex offender Whitman, 26, admitted inciting a child to engage in sexual activity and misconduct in a public office.

He was jailed for 16 months at Ipswich Crown Court on Friday.

Nicola May, prosecuting, told the court Whitman set up a fake account and identity and began contacting the girl.

She said: “He sent her the message ‘Hi, do you want any money at all?’ “She tells him at an early stage this is not appropriate adding ‘ what are you, some sort of paedophile?’.”

After she rejected his increased offers to pay her for sex, going up to £400, she told him she was going to tell her mum.

Whitman then revealed he knew the names of her parents, where she lives and some family history.

Ms May said: “Working for the council he had accessed her social care records.”

The girl informed her parents who subsequently told the police.

Whitman later discovered police were investigating him by again accessing the files illegally, which had been updated with details of the allegation.

Ms May said: “In his position he had no reason whatsoever to access these records.

“He was particularly targeting someone who not only was 15 but who was potentially vulnerable.”

Officers marched into County Hall to arrest business administrator Whitman, from West Bergholt.

The contact took place between June and October 2014 with the arrest on October 29.

It was not the first time Whitman had used a fake identity.

He previously lured a woman into a one-night stand, the court heard.

Natasha Nair, mitigating, said: “I have to accept the gross abuse of trust that has taken place in this case.

“He is finding it difficult to come to terms with the gravity and seriousness of what he has done.”

A tearful Whitman stood in the dock while Judge David Goodin spoke about his despiscable actions before sending him to jail.

Judge Goodin said: “I find it very difficult to imagine anything more chilling.

“The 15-year-old won’t go out on her own or go anywhere because she doesn’t know what the man who abused her looks like.

“Is it him in the corner, is he following me?

“You were 25. She was 15.

“You invited her to engage in sex for money.”

Judge Goodwin said what he did next, sending private information from the files as threats or blackmail, meant jail was inevitable.

He added: “For the 15-year-old to have read that would be little short of terrifying.

“Those sinister threats are the stuff of a horror story.”

Whitman was jailed, given a ten year sexual harm prevention order, placed on the sex offenders’ register and banned from working with children

March 2016

Man spared jail over ‘cowardly attack’ on partner’s young children

A thug who launched a “cowardly” attack on his partner’s young children as they got ready for bed and who broke his partner’s nose and left her partially blind in a sickening domestic violence attack has walked free from court.

Barton, 31, of Bransholme punched his then partner’s daughter in the head, and appeared to be about to kick her when her mother “launched” herself between them

He then attacked the mother, breaking her nose and causing lasting injuries and memory loss.

Barton then dragged the girl by the hair and grabbed her brother by the neck.

Ricky Barton’s shocking assault on Joanne Clinton was only ended when one of her children phoned police to say ‘he is trying to kill my mummy’.

The court heard that the woman’s former partner hit him over the head with a golf club, fracturing his skull, after learning of the attack. He spent four days in hospital

Miss Clinton has now hit out at the justice system after Barton was freed on a suspended sentence despite admitting two common assaults on her children and causing her actual bodily harm.

Hull Crown Court heard mother-of-four Miss Clinton was trying to stop Barton from beating up her young daughter.

But when she grabbed his shoulders to try to stop him, he turned on her and violently attacked her.

Miss Clinton, who has had to be re-homed following the brutal assault, said her children now suffer nightmares and the family are scared to leave their home.

After hearing of Barton’s suspended sentence, Miss Clinton said: ‘It doesn’t make sense how he only got that for hurting my kids the way he did. He is a monster.

‘There is nothing I can do to stop their nightmares. Me and my children are scared to go out. We thought he was going to prison, and I thought I would be able to get my life back when he went.

‘Now, I’m stuck. I’m determined not to let him win, but I do not know what to do. I wanted justice, and I have none.’

Miss Clinton, who had been with Barton for a year, said she first heard her young daughter screaming for help after returning home last September.

Speaking after the case, she said: ‘He was stood there holding onto her hair and punching her in the head.

‘I ran in and grabbed his shoulders to swing him round so he couldn’t hit her anymore, but he kept trying to go back. I just have this image of him going back to [my daughter again and again.

‘Every time I was trying to get her away, he kept punching me. He was just constantly punching. 

‘The next thing I remember is him trying to grab my daughter over the banister by her hair, and he grabbed half of it out and trampled over one of my boys.

‘I thought he was going to kill us. I didn’t see there was any way of getting out of there. There was only going to be one outcome. I don’t even know how we got through it.’

The 31-year-old added: ‘I kept trying to ring the police but he kept smashing my phone away. One of the kids was able to get to it and said “he is trying to kill my Mummy”.

‘My daughter says she just keeps seeing my face bruised and covered in blood whenever she closes her eyes.

‘We are tired of being scared, and we even ended up in a refuge for two months after it happened. I still feel all alone and I don’t know what I’m supposed to say to my kids.’ 

She said Barton, who had been drinking heavily, stood at the bottom of the stairs mocking the family after the attack, before chasing the children as they tried to escape to their father’s house in an adjoining street.

Barton, of Neatshead Garth, Bransholme, admitted assault occasioning actual bodily harm and two common assaults.

Barton was sentenced to ten months in jail, suspended for 18 months, and must do 240 hours of unpaid work.

He was also made subject to a two-year restraining order and a six-month curfew, and must be at home between 8pm and 5am.

March 2016

‘Predatory’ paedophile jailed for 20 years

A paedophile who raped a child who was aged under 13 among a number of other sex offences, has been jailed for 20 years.

Robert Nelson Neill, 62, of Castle Hill Avenue in Folkestone was charged with:

• One count of rape against a child aged under 13

• Five counts of sexual assault

• One count of inciting sexual activity with a child

• Four counts of making indecent images

• One count of taking an indecent image.

He pleaded not guilty to all charges and was sentenced at Canterbury Crown Court on Thursday March 3 after being convicted on Monday January 25.

The offences were committed between January 2011 and October 2014.

Judge Heather Norton jailed him for 20 years and added an extra four years to his sentence, which he will serve on licence.

Neill has been put on the Sex Offenders’ Register and given a Sexual Harm Prevention Order indefinitely, and will be barred from working or volunteering with children.

March 2016

Pensioner jailed for possessing child abuse and bestiality images

A pensioner has been jailed after police found thousands of illegal images on his computer including some showing people having sex with a horse and a dead animal.

Paedophile Michael Jones, 74, who has a serious heart condition and struggles to walk, admitted charges of downloading child sex abuse pictures and movies.

Canterbury Crown Court heard how Jones, of High Street, Ramsgate, told police he had been viewing the sick images for more than 10 years.

Prosecutor Frances Lawson said that some of the victims in the images were between four and five years old.

“Officers also found 25 extreme pornographic images including a woman having sex with a horse and others involving dead animals.”

Trevor Wright, defending, said Jones had recently suffered two strokes and had hoped to become reconciled with his wife of 30 years who now lives in Spain.

“After she learned about the nature of his offences, any hope of reconciliation has now disappeared and he has been ostracised by other family members.”

Judge Heather Norton, in jailing him for 12 months, said the courts regularly had to deal with similar cases but “rarely involving 2,000 images”.

She said Jones had shown limited insight into his offences, telling a probation officer he didn’t think he had done anything wrong because he hadn’t touched the children.

“Everything single one of those children was touched and was abused and the effect on the 2000 victims is incalculable,” she said.

“And the more people there are like you looking at those images, the more children there are that will be abused to feed those desires.”

After sentencing, Detective Constable Mark Bennett said: “Every one of these images and videos is a real victim being exploited, and those who are create a market for this by downloading the content are adding to the misery of those who suffer so horribly for the material to be created.

“We will use every available resource to us to track down those and arrest those who are supporting this criminal industry.”

March 2016

Man had 74 photos and 45 videos of indecent images of children

An Invergordon man who downloaded obscene images will be sentenced at Inverness Sheriff Court next month.

David Van Der Vlies, 4 Castle Close, appeared on indictment before Sheriff David Sutherland and admitted possessing 74 photos and 45 videos involving indecent images of children, between January 1 and May 15, 2015 at an address in Mackintosh Road, Inverness.

He further admitted between March 9 and May 20, 2015 possession of extreme pornographic images involving women, girls and dogs.

The court was told that police received information on March 20 last year that an IP address had been accessing indecent images of children.

Depute fiscal Roderick Urquhart said a search warrant was obtained for the house in Mackintosh Road and various items including a laptop computer were seized.

The laptop was examined and found to contain 74 photos and 45 videos with indecent images of children.

Mr Urquhart said 28 year old Van Der Vlies (28) fully admitted to police possession of the material and said he thought the ages of the children were between 12 and 15.

“He said he had been in a bad place in his life and felt ashamed.” Mr Urquhart added.

Sentence was deferred until April 4 for criminal justice social work reports and Van Der Vlies was placed on the Sex offenders Register.

Solicitor Michael Chapman said he would reserve his plea in mitigation until then.

March 2016

Man jailed for child sex abuse after underage girl killed herself

A man whose underage girlfriend jumped to her death after they had argument has been jailed for four years for child sex abuse.

Marcus Webb, from Fordingbridge, was found to have indecent photographs of the girl on his mobile phone after police started investigating him following her tragic suicide.

Bournemouth Crown Court heard Webb was aged 17 and the girl was 13 when they began an illicit relationship in 2011.

The schoolgirl fell pregnant a year later and had an abortion which had a detrimental effect on her state of mind.

Webb, now aged 21, would not let her forget about the abortion and even sent her a Mother’s Day card afterwards.

Although the girl’s mother Canasta had warned him off and Webb had received a police caution for having sexual activity with a child, the pair carried on seeing each other.

In September 2014 the couple had a row, prompting the troubled teenager to kill herself at a 100ft monument at Rockbourne, near Fordingbridge.

It was then police uncovered indecent images of her on Webb’s phone.

Webb pleaded guilty to charges of inciting sexual activity with a child, two counts of causing a child to take part in sexual activity and one of possessing indecent images of a child.

A court heard that between March 2013 to September 2014 the pair had numerous Skype conversations in which he groomed her into performing lewd acts online.

In July 2014, the girl also sent him an indecent image of herself via Facebook.

Judge Brian Forster QC told him: “Ashli was about four-and-a-half years younger than you.

“On September 24, 2014 Ashli took her own life, she was 15 at the time.

“There are no words available to describe the impact (of her death) on her family.

“Although you were described as being immature these offences happened after you had a caution for having sexual activity with a girl aged 13 and when you were warned off by her mother.

“I accept you were both involved in a relationship and I accept you were distraught and very upset by her death.

“However, you exploited the girl and forced her to carry out what are degrading sexual acts.

“The court has a clear duty to protect young people and in this case you engaged in repeated behaviour over a significant period.”

Simon Jones, prosecuting, told the court that the impact of the abortion led to Ashli’s suicide.

Mr Jones said: “The mother was not happy with the relationship because of the age gap. She allowed him to come to the house but he was not allowed in her bedroom.

“The mother said to him ‘you should not be sleeping with my daughter because of her age’.

“The defendant told her he wasn’t sleeping with her but a few days later her mother found out she was pregnant and kicked him out.

March 2016

West Lothian pensioner admits schoolgirl rapes

A West Lothian pensioner has admitted charges of raping two primary schoolgirls.

Former playgroup supervisor John McGrogan, 65, of Blackridge, began abusing the girls when they were aged six and 11.

The offences were committed between 1981 and 2005 at addresses in Edinburgh.

At the High Court in Glasgow McGrogan, who worked as a cleaner, was placed on the sex offenders register. Sentence was deferred until next month.

McGrogan admitted raping one girl between 1980 and 1982 when she was 11 and raping the second girl between 2000 and 2005 when she was aged six to 11.

Advocate depute Angela Gray, prosecuting, said: “The accused has two adult sons.

“At the time of his arrest he worked as a cleaner, although he had previously held a position of playgroup supervisor.”

The court heard that in September 2014 McGrogan was convicted of making and possessing indecent images of children and this was the catalyst that led his victims to come forward.

Both victims spoke of how he would buy them sweets and other treats, like a calculator or computer games.

One of them said that when he tickled her hand she knew it meant he was going to have sex with her.

His other victim told police that her earliest memory of the sexual abuse was McGrogan kissing her on the lips while she was playing on a computer. She felt shocked at this, but said it was the lead up to further abuse.

McGrogan would tell her he was going to have sex with her and added: “You are going to love it.”

Judge Lord Burns deferred sentence on McGrogan until next month at the High Court in Livingston.

Defence counsel Michael Anderson will give his plea in mitigation then

March 2016

East Devon teenager jailed for molesting boy during fishing trip

Grahame Stanbury, aged 19, touched the boy after taking him angling and was later found with movies showing serious abuse on his phone and computers.

The teenager carried on seeking out internet images and movies from Russian websites despite being under the supervision of the probation service.

Stanbury carried out the abuse of the boy in East Devon but went on to develop an uncontrollable fascination of internet abuse images, some showing very young toddler being forced to take part in sexual acts.

The child who he abused is still suffering the psychological effects and is reluctant to go to public places ‘in case he meets a paedo’.

Stanbury, of All Saints Court, Honiton, admitted three counts of sexual assault and 16 of making indecent images of children and was jailed for four years with a five year extended licence by Recorder Mr Philip Mott at Exeter Crown Court.

He told him:”There was repeated offending while in breach of a community order and on bail. You appeared to be cooperating with your probation officer yet unknown to him you were committing further offences.

“The probation officer’s assessment is that there is a very high risk of further sexual offending and that is borne out by your continuing offending.

“Your offending is aggravated by the fact there was some degree of planning in the sexual assault.”

Miss Mary McCarthy, prosecuting, said the sexual assaults took place when Stanbury took a nine-year-old boy to public places where touching took place on about six occasions.

The offences came to light when Stanbury admitted them during counselling and later to police. The boy was reluctant to make a complaint until last year.

Miss McCarthy said Stanbury was first found with images in 2014 and made subject to a community order in December 2014.

His internet use was also restricted by a Sexual Offences Prevention Order.

His phone was checked after he was arrested for the sexual assault allegations in July and 172 images found. He was bailed but was found with more images on his phone and his mother’s laptop four months later.

The images included ten movies at the worst category A which shows adults having sex with children. Some of the images involved young toddlers and one movie featured a boy of eight or nine.

Miss McCarthy said:”The content appears to have become more graphic while he was on bail. He made frank disclosures about his sexual interest in children and using the images for stimulation.

March 2016

Pervert freed after judge admits he won’t get help

A one-legged pervert who traded vile animal and child abuse images has avoided jail – because the judge says he would not get the treatment he needed.

Peter Westhead had been kept on remand since last month after he admitted six counts of downloading and distributing some of the most gruesome image and videos imaginable.

However, appearing via videolink at Nottingham Crown Court today, the 60-year-old was told by Judge Stuart Rafferty QC that if he handed him a jail sentence, there was little hope of him being helped.

Addressing the court, Judge Rafferty said: “He has had a taste of custody and he needs treatment.

“If he remains in custody the length of sentence I can impose would ensure he did not get the treatment he needs.

“For those reasons and those reasons only, there will be a community order.

“He has co-operated fully with probation and he accepts he did wrong.”

As part of Operation Stagger, Metropolitan Police officers executed a warrant to search Westhead’s home on Underwood Avenue, Torworth, in July last year where they found more than 113 images on his phone, and two videos.

They ranged from category C up to category A – the most extreme in nature – while police also found three images of a person engaging in sexual activity with an animal.

They had been sent by text message and Westhead had sent them on to another offender, even adding the tag line to one image: ‘Morning perv. Enjoy LOL (laugh out loud)’.

Westhead had been held on remand at HMP Nottingham since February 17.

Addressing Westhead today, Judge Rafferty said: “I remanded you in custody last time so you can see what the future could hold for you if you commit another offence of this kind.

“I take it has been extremely unpleasant and I hope every minute of it has been misery for you.

“I hope you now realise just how serious you what you got yourself into.

“Since losing your leg you have been living an isolated life and maybe that brought you to the internet.

“Children were the last thing in your mind, but they became the first on your mind.

“You undoubtedly became involved with a group of people of like-minded people and images were exchanged.

“You accept you got sexual gratification from those images.

“People in your position often pretend that because they are just looking at photographs tat these people are not real. They are.

“You pretend, and others like you, that those children want to take part in what is happening, they do not. Their lives are damaged and in some cases, forever.

“You encourage people to do that, and you went a step further by distributing them to other people.”

He handed a Westhead a two-year community order with a rehabilitation requirement, told him he must take part in the internet sex offenders’ treatment programme, and sign the sex offenders’ register for the next five years.

He also warned him over his future conduct.

“If you breach the order you will come back before me and no other judge,” he told him.

“I will remember you and what I said to you and we both know what will happen – you will be back inside for years.”

March 2016

Pervert caught with almost 1,000 indecent child images

A MAN caught with almost 1,000 indecent images of children on a computer has avoided going straight to prison.

Paul Spillett, aged 52, also shared a handful of the pictures with others, Plymouth Crown Court heard.

Judge Ian Lawrie suspended his prison sentence, saying probation supervision was the best way to stop him re-offending.

He remanded Spillett in custody for about ten minutes while making his decision. 

Judge Lawrie told the defendant: “Just remind yourself that if ever you are tempted by your inner demon again while in front of a computer, that is an indication of your future in terms of accommodation.”

Spillett, of South View, Crownhill, admitted three counts of making indecent images of children between 2012 and 2015.

He also pleaded guilty to a single count of distributing eight images over that period.

Kelly Scrivener, for the Crown Prosecution Service, said police raided Spillett’s home on April 23 last year.

She said the police found 983 indecent images and movies on his laptop, including more than 300 of the most vile category.

Miss Scrivener said there was evidence that he had tried to share the images with others.

She added that perverted search terms showed that he had been hunting indecent images for three years.

Miss Scrivener said he also had a device which allowed access to illegal parts of the internet which would not be accessible through a normal browser.

The court heard he had distributed eight images through the Skype transfer system.

Miss Scrivener said he had admitted the offences in his police interview.

He was given an eight-month prison sentence, suspended for 18 months.

Spillett must remain under probation supervision and do 60 hours of unpaid work.

He must also pay £500 costs.

March 2016

Facebook pervert who targeted girl, 13, walks free

Top judges have allowed a Chesterfield child sex pest to walk free – despite the Solicitor-General arguing his community sentence was far too soft.

Facebook pervert, Nathan Patrick Bray, 25, requested an obscene video of his vulnerable 13-year-old victim as well as sending her a picture of a soiled condom.

Robert Buckland QC, the Solicitor-General, argued Bray should have been locked up for around three and a half years for his sickening crimes.

But judges at London’s Court of Appeal refused to interfere with the community sentence which required him to take part in a child sexual offenders’ programme for 110 days.

Unemployed Bray contacted the teenage virgin on Facebook and she soon told him she was just 13, Lady Justice Rafferty told the court.

Despite this a ‘torrent of messages’ were sent between the two which soon became sexual.

Bray, of St Augustine’s Crescent, asked for a picture of the schoolgirl’s private parts and sent her one of his own.

He ‘urged’ her to send him sexual footage of her pleasuring herself and sent her the condom image.

Bray tried to arrange a meeting with the girl for sex, telling her he would use a condom and ‘be gentle’.

But his crimes came to a halt when Facebook alerted the police about the inappropriate messaging.

He admitted five offences at Derby Crown Court on January 8.

These were causing a child to watch a sexual act, two counts of causing or inciting child sexual images and two of arranging or facilitating a child sex offence.

He had three previous convictions for crimes including battery, the court heard.

A psychiatrist’s report described Bray as having the ‘emotional maturity of a child’.

Jake Hallam, for the Solicitor-General, said: “These offence were so serious that only a custodial sentence was justified.”

He pointed to the victim being particularly ‘vulnerable’ because she was ‘so young’ and mentally disabled.

A ‘message’ needed to be sent to adults who target children on social media, the barrister told the court.

Lady Justice Rafferty said it was a ‘far from easy’ sentencing exercise.

But it was ‘in the hands of an experienced judge’ who ‘rightly’ considered the ‘expertise’ offered by the psychiatrist as important.

The crown court judge was ‘heavily swayed’ by the psychiatric report and followed its recommendation to impose a community order, including the treatment programme.

He was ‘entitled’ to take the view that the interests of other young girls would be ‘best served by every attempt being made to render this offender unlikely or less likely to reoffend’.

“We decline to interfere with the sentence, which was not unduly lenient,” ruled Lady Justice Rafferty, who was sitting with Mr Justice Cooke and Judge David Griffith-Jones QC.

February 2016

Paedophile jailed for offences against young girl

A violent paedophile has been sentenced to 20-years after he was found guilty of abusing a young girl multiple times over several years.

Doorman Sean Andrew Canavan (24/08/1968) of Caerphilly was convicted at Cardiff Crown Court of five charges in total for sexual offences including: 

• Sexual assault of a child under the age of 13

• Penetration of a child aged under 13 with part of body/object

The offences took place in Cardiff during his time living in Llandaff North and the Llanedeyrn area

The court heard that Canavan has been to court several times in the past for racial abuse, domestic violence, drink driving and breach of door licence

February 2015

Paedophile convicted of sex offences against 5-year-old girl

A paedophile has been jailed for serious sexual offences against a young girl.

Unemployed Rory Kelly of Bidston, Birkenhead was sentenced at Liverpool Crown Court and was given a custodial sentence of five years and three months

He was convicted of:

• Eight counts of taking indecent images of a child aged under 13-years-old

• One count of sexual assault on a child aged under 13-years-old

The offences took place during October 2014 and were against a five-year-old girl. 

The court heard that Kelly took photos of himself molesting the child

Kelly initially pleaded not guilty, however changed his plea during the trial.

The sentence imposed was a determinate sentence which means half is served in prison and half in the community. His projected release date is June 2017.

He was told he must register as a sex offender for life

March 2016

Man jailed for grooming boy on Facebook

A Preston man who groomed a boy on Facebook has been sentenced to 26 months in prison and given a Sexual Harm Prevention Order after he abducted the 13-year-old.

Kirk Yates, 18, of Fishergate Hill, Preston, appeared at Liverpool Crown Court today (Wednesday 9th March).

Yates pleaded guilty to abduction after he met up with the boy in Skelmersdale several times in August 2015. He also pleaded guilty to perverting the course of justice.

March 2016

Police officer convicted of rape and string of child sex offences

A POLICE officer who “trawled social media” for young victims has been convicted of rape together with a string of sex offences against under-age girls.

Mohammad Arshad, of Luton, was found guilty of 17 charges following a trial at St Albans Crown Court , Bedfordshire Police – his former employer – confirmed.

The 35-year-old was found guilty of nine counts of causing a child to engage in sexual activity, three of sexual activity with a child and two of meeting a child following sexual grooming.

He was also convicted of one count each of rape, causing a child to watch a sexual act, and paying for the sexual services of a child.

The convictions relate to 12 victims, and cover a two-year period.

Arshad was a trainee police officer between April 2014 and October 2014 but was suspended when one of the victims came forward.

Police who searched Arshad’s home found images of teenage girls on his phone and computers. Officers managed to trace a number of potential victims though social media messages.

Arshad, 35, groomed underage girls over the Internet, cruised around Luton with them in his black Mercedes and persuaded them to indulge in sexual activity.

He persistently pestered them for sex and raped one 14-year-old girl on the back seat of his car.

Arshad, who called himself Waz, began abusing girls in 2012 when he was a CCTV operator in Luton town centre.

He applied to join Bedfordshire police the following year and became a probationer with the force in April 2014.

He was suspended in October that year when an investigation began and left two months later in December.

It was discovered that he had contacted his victims over Facebook, Blackberry Messenger, WhatsApp or mobile phones and texts, St Albans Crown Court was told.

Prosecutor James Newton-Price told a jury of 6 men and 6 women: “He flattered girls and complimented them and sent sexually suggestive messages.

“Some of the girls liked the attention and may have been flattered, but if they are under 16 it doesn’t matter.

“Most refused his sexual advances. Some thought it was a joke.

“He persistently pestered girls for sex or some sort of touching or groping.”

Mr Newton-Price said the youngest of the girls was 13, nearly 14. Arshad sent her a picture of his penis.

Arshad paid one 16 year old girl for sex – something that was illegal as she was aged under 18.

The other 12 girls were aged under 16 and too young to consent to sexual activity with an adult.

The prosecutor said: “He is more aware of the letter of the law than most people because he had a responsible position in the community.

“At the time he was seeking sexual contact with underage teenage girls, he was also a Police Constable with Bedfordshire police.”

The court was told that when his home was searched, images of teenage girls were found on his Blackberry phone.

188 more images of teenage girls were also on his computers.

He will be sentenced on April 15.