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Michael Sibbald – Wirral

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July 2015

Fraudster who ripped off prisoners by promising to fight convictions is convicted paedophile

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A gang of fraudsters who ripped off prisoners by promising to fight their convictions but pocketed £220,000 were jailed for 13 years.

Convicted sex offender Michael Sibbald set up Kingdoms Legal Services in 2011 – while on bail for stealing more than £1m of taxpayers’ cash.

Michael Sibbald, 53, of Tern Way, Wirral, who received a five-year sentence for sexual offences against boys in 1999

The bogus law firm defrauded nine inmates by falsely claiming it would instruct solicitors to appeal against their convictions.

Liverpool Crown Court heard its victims included prisoners serving sentences for murder, sex offences and fraud.

Judge Stephen Everett said: “The audacity of what you did really takes the breath away.

“You were involved in concocting a plan to target highly vulnerable prisoners and their entirely innocent families and friends.

“You then used what seems to me to have been lax security and checking systems in the prison estate to enter prisons masquerading as lawyers or their staff, knowing any discussions between you would be private.

“You made outrageous claims designed to get their hopes up and make them think there was a real chance of a successful appeal when there was none.”


Clive Gard – Torquay

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April 2016

Torquay man, 55, faces jail for possessing indecent images of children

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A 55-year-old Torquay man has been told he faces jail after hundreds of indecent images of children were found on his laptop.

Police arrested Clive Gard after seizing computers with indecent images from his home in June 2014, Exeter Crown Court was told.

He was released on police bail and left the marital home as a result of the incident, said prosecutor Ian Graham.

But when police went to his new address in July 2015 they found he had downloaded more indecent images of children.

Gard admitted 14 counts of possessing or making indecent and prohibited images of children and two of possessing images of extreme pornography.

The court was told the images included a number from the most serious category which showed children being raped by adults.

Judge Graham Cottle said he wanted a second pre-sentence report to be made which would take into account the defendant continuing to offend while on bail after his first arrest.

He said the defendant had ‘carried on where he left off’ after moving house.

“It needs to be looked at again. Why after you are first arrested and the computer seized are you doing it again very shortly afterwards?”

Gard, of Abbey Road, Torquay, was released on conditional bail until sentence on May 26

Nigel Brunner – Fareham

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May 2016

Paedophile locked away for abusing two young girls

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Perverted Nigel Brunner has been jailed after abusing two young girls.

The 61-year-old was also caught with thousands of indecent images on his computer after police raided his home in a separate investigation.

Brunner, of Mayles Lane, Knowle, denied abusing the girls when he was arrested.

But in the end, he admitted his crimes when in court.

The girls were both aged under 10-years-old when the abuse 
took place at various locations.

Jailing Brunner, Recorder Michael Vere-Hodge QC said: ‘The aggravating factors of course in this case are that the children at the time were very young.

‘It’s extraordinary to think how you could think you could behave to somebody in that way, to somebody that young.’

He added: ‘You have a very deep-seated interest in children and the material you had access to is of a very worrying nature.’

Brunner was jailed at Portsmouth Crown Court for four years and eight months and put on the sex offenders’ register for life.

A sexual harm prevention order bans him from contact with young children for life.

The court heard Brunner had images of one of the girls on his computer, but it was not of an indecent nature.

Martyn Booth, prosecuting, told how Brunner was found to have 1,530 images of category A, the worst, 1,785 at B, and 14,333 at C.

Brunner had 259 movies at category A, 94 at B and 160 at C.

Mr Booth added chat logs discovered on his computer revealed Brunner had a ‘deep-rooted and unhealthy interest in children sexually’.

Police analysts found he had shared seven images at category B and C using peer-to-peer fileshare software, the court heard.

Brunner pleaded guilty to two counts of sexual assault against a child under 13 and one count of causing or inciting a child under 13 to engage in sexual activity.

He also admitted three counts of making indecent photographs of children.

Brunner also pleaded guilty to two counts of possession of indecent images of children and one of distributing indecent images of children.

Gary Cawthorne – Plumstead

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May 2016

Former Met police officer admits sexually assaulting 14-year-old girl

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A former Met police officer has today been warned that jail is a ‘certainty’ after he admitted sexually assaulting a 14-year-old girl on two separate occasions.

The court heard that already convicted sex offender Gary Cawthorne, 53, was let off with a suspended jail sentence in 2013 after he arranged to meet a 16-year-old on website Gumtree.com whilst posing as a freelance model scout.

Cawthorne had tricked the girl into believing he worked as a model scout for high profile agencies including Select Model Management, which represents Kelly Brooke and Agyness Deyn.

The sexual predator, who left the police force voluntarily in 1991, then ordered her to strip so he could ‘measure her’ before cupping her breasts.

Also in 2013, he admitted handling stolen travellers’ cheques and sexually assaulting a 20-year-old woman

May 2013

Judge’s fury as former police officer escapes with a caution after molesting a cleaner while on bail for another attack

A judge has demanded to know why a former police officer who molested a cleaner escaped with a caution – just three months after he sexually assaulted a 16-year-old girl.

Gary Cawthorne, 50, groped the 20-year-old woman at his home 12 weeks after he sexually assaulted the 16-year-old girl while posing as a freelance model scout.

Cawthorne told the teenager he worked for top agencies including Select Model Management, representing celebrities including Kelly Brooke and Agyness Deyn.

The sexual predator, who left the police force voluntarily in 1991, then ordered her to strip so he could ‘measure her’ before cupping her breasts.

Cawthorne is facing jail after being convicted of sexual assaulting the teenager at the Grand Hotel in Northumberland Avenue, central London, following a trial at Southwark Crown Court.

While on bail he then assaulted the cleaner after paying her £30 for an erotic massage at his home in southeast London and was handed a police caution. 

Adjourning sentence until May 17 for reports including an assessment on Cawthorne’s dangerousness, Judge Loraine-Smith said: ‘My view is this man is a potentially a sexual predator. 

‘The evidence is he assaulted a young girl having advertised on Gumtree.com. 

‘While on bail for that matter, three months later he did something remarkably similar. 

‘A young woman aged 20 cleaned his house for several hours and offered him an erotic massage for £30.

‘He paid her the money but he went too far.’ 

Judge Loraine-Smith also described the decision by Kent Police to caution Cawthorne as ‘extraordinary’, adding: ‘I want an explanation for why it is they decided a caution was a suitable way of dealing with this offence, committed and admitted by someone on bail for something similar.’ 

Patrick Duffy, defending Cawthorne, said the liaison between him and the cleaner was ‘consensual’ but he chose to accept a caution. 

‘He has benefit fraud on his record, which he pleaded guilty to and was given a community order and 140 hours unpaid work. 

‘He was a Metropolitan Police officer, which didn’t come out during evidence.
‘He was in the force up until 1991 when he left of his own accord to follow other opportunities.’ 

Cawthorne, who also has a previous conviction for benefit fraud, claimed to have worked for various high profile modelling agencies, and said the fashion brand Gap was among his clients. 

The girl initially accompanied a friend who arranged to meet Cawthorne advertising herself as an aspiring model on the website Gumtree.com. 

He pretended to have a vast knowledge of the industry and gave the girls the impression he could help them find work. 

The girl, who cannot be identified, broke down in tears as she told how she was in ‘shock’ as Cawthorne groped her. 

Earlier prosecutor Anita Arora told the jury: ‘This is a case about a man who took advantage of a young and naive girl who put herself in a vulnerable situation.

‘She and a friend put an advert on Gumtree advertising themselves as models.

‘As a result, the friend was contacted by a man called Gary and a meeting was arranged between the two girls and him.’

The girls initially met Cawthorne last April 2 at the hotel to talk about the modelling industry, Ms Arora said.

A second meeting was organised two days later, during which the two girls were also accompanied by a third friend.

‘Things took a slightly unusual turn,’ Ms Arora said.

‘He asked to measure the girls for what they would wear at some stage as models.’

Cawthorne and the girl went in a lift for a ‘fitting’, jurors heard.

‘She said she was feeling nervous, she had never done anything like this before.

‘They went in a toilet, not in a room, just her and Gary Cawthorne.

‘He asked if she was ok then asked her to take her clothes off, which she did.
‘He then pulled out a tape measure and started to take measurements including around her breast area and her legs.

‘He was making comments to her about her body and she felt uncomfortable.
‘She was shocked but she carried on.’

Cawthorne then told the girl to take her bra off or the measurement would not be ‘accurate’, jurors heard. 

She covered her breasts with both hands and let him measure her.

‘He cupped both breasts with his hands and said there was nothing wrong with them’, Ms Arora told the court.

‘She didn’t ask him to do that. She didn’t agree to that and that, say the prosecution, is a sexual assault.’

The girl initially kept quiet but confided in her mother a few days later, who demanded Cawthorne’s phone number, the jury heard. 

‘She decided to make enquiries about whether he was a legitimate model scout. 

‘He convinced her he was a professional involved in the field of finding models, effectively a freelance model scout.

‘He maintained he worked for reputable model agencies including Select Model Management in London. 

‘She asked him about his clients and he mentioned Gap. She was impressed by how professional he sounded.’

But the girl’s mother became alarmed when Cawthorne told her he had a psychology qualification and was a ‘doctor’ of some sort.

After contacting a modelling agency, who they said they had never heard of Cawthorne, the mother called police, jurors heard.

In a prepared statement, Cawthorne admitted being in contact with the girl and her friend but insisted nothing ‘untoward’ happened, adding: ‘I have no intention of touching someone without their permission.’

James Willis – Stamford/Telford

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May 2016

Paedophile jailed for four years after admitting offences of grooming

A paedophile who admitted historic sex offences against an 11 year old boy was jailed for four years at Lincoln Crown Court.

James Willis befriended his victim as the boy walked back from school.

Phil Howes, prosecuting, said Willis, who was working in his garage in Arran Road, Stamford, groomed the boy giving him gifts and money.

The boy was later invited into the home of Willis where he was sexually abused.
Mr Howes said the offences had a significant effect on the victim and he still suffers flashbacks related to the incidents.

The matters came to light in 2015 when the victim told his GP and a family member. As a result police were contacted.

The court was told that Willis had previously been jailed in May 1999 for sexual offences against a 15 year old girl.

Willis, 49, formerly of Stamford, but now living in Telford, Shropshire, admitted two charges of indecent assault on a male person on dates between September 1988 to September 1990.

Judge Michael Heath, passing sentence on Friday, told him: “The boy trusted you and was entitled to think he would be safe in your company. It is clear from the victim that these offences have had a profound effect on him.

“The only sentences I can justify for these offences are custodial sentences.”
Mark Watson, defending, said that Willis , who was aged 21 at the time of the offences, has since shown genuine remorse by pleading guilty to the charges he faced.
He added: “Since 1999 he has led an unblemished life.

“In the period of almost 30 years that has passed since these offences he has worked consistently until last year when his ill-health got the better of him. He has increasingly poor health. He suffers from a myriad of complaints.”

 

Daniel Robinson – Mold/Gloucester

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May 2016

Man jailed for 6 years after he was convicted of assault by penetration on a girl aged under 13

A FORMER Flintshire man has been jailed for six years after he was convicted of assault by penetration on a girl aged under 13.

Daniel Robinson, 44, who previously lived in the Mold area but now lives in Gloucester, had pleaded not guilty but was convicted by a jury at Mold Crown Court in March.

Judge Rhys Rowlands ordered him to register with the police as a sex offender for life.

A 10-year sexual harm prevention order was made to protect the public from serious harm from him in the future.

Sentencing him, the judge said it was clear Robinson had no remorse for what he had done.

He had no realisation of the harm he had caused the victim. It was a serious sexual assault upon a very young girl.

Robinson had drunk far too much and that may have acted as a disinhibitor, the judge said.

He had been disturbed by another person, told that person to leave the room, and then continued with what he was doing.

Understandably, the victim had been terribly upset and ran from the room screaming.

“Both mother and daughter have been badly affected by what you did to her that night,” said Judge Rowlands.

What he had done to the girl would remain with her for many years to come.

The reality was the defendant was a man of no previous convictions who had behaved out of character. 

He had read references from his wife and his father, and it was clear the defendant was a good father to his own son.

Defending barrister Debra White told how the offence which the jury convicted him of had enormous consequences.

His wife was standing by him, he was a man of no previous convictions who had spent six weeks in Altcourse Prison in Liverpool on remand, and he had been on the vulnerable person’s wing initially.

One night he found his cell mate hanging, Robinson attended to him and fortunately he had lived, but it had an extremely traumatic effect on Robinson.

He had been moved to the health care wing, but he had received threats and had chosen to have a self imposed lock up so he was locked in his cell.

The defendant had worked for a long time, but before the offences had been the sole carer of his son while his wife went out to work.

The separation from his son would make the prison sentence all the more difficult.

At the end of the trial the judge said Robinson had been convicted on pretty overwhelming evidence.

He would probably not have done it if he was sober and no doubt now regretted what he had done.

Karl Scholz, prosecuting, told the jury Robinson had provided nail clippings and DNA analysis provided strong support for the suggestion he had touched the girl.

Miss White said it was her client’s case no such thing had happened.

The jury heard that following the incident in March of last year the victim ran for help and was seen to be crying hysterically. It was Robinson who rang the police.

He was said to be very drunk and told how he was ringing the police because he did not want to be treated like a paedophile.

Kevin Lockett – Stoke

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May 2016

Pervert admits having 3,436 indecent images of children

PERVERT Kevin Lockett has admitted possessing and making indecent photographs and moving images of children.

The 50-year-old, of Woodhouse Street, Stoke, was caught with 3,436 indecent images from category A – the most serious – to category C and 83 indecent moving images of children on December 16.

North Staffordshire Justice Centre heard Lockett made a total of 1,529 indecent images of children between October 19, 2013 and December 6 and making three indecent moving images of children between the same dates.

The defendant was committed to Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court on a date yet to be fixed.

Magistrates granted him unconditional bail.

Alan Baker – Leamington

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May 2016

Pervert Warwick verger escapes jail sentence

AN ASSISTANT verger at the historic St Mary’s Collegiate Church in Warwick fondled a vulnerable teenager he had met away from his church duties.

Eighty-year-old retired teacher Alan Baker pleaded guilty at Warwick Crown Court to two charges of sexually assaulting the teenager, who the court heard was over 16 at the time.

Baker, of Buckley Road, Leamington, was sentenced to 12 months in jail suspended for two years, with an 8pm to 8am curfew for three months, and ordered to register as a sex offender for ten years.

Judge Andrew Lockhart QC also ordered Baker to do 100 hours of unpaid work.

Prosecutor Peter Cooper said Baker had met his victim when the youth was in his mid-teens, and befriended him and allowed him to visit his home.

On occasions he gave the boy alcohol, cigarettes and gifts, and sometimes took him along when he had cleaning duties at St Mary’s Church, where he was an assistant verger.

But twice when the youth visited his home last year, Baker sexually assaulted him.

And Mr Cooper said ton another occasion Baker had touched the teenager over his clothing.

The boy later confided in his behaviour specialist who then contacted his mother.

After Baker had tried to telephone the victim, the boy’s mother rang Baker who admitted to her what he had done and said he was bisexual.

Mr Cooper added: “In a second call she told him she had made an audio recording, which was not true, and that he had ten minutes to give himself up to the police or she would call them.

“He did so, and went to Leamington police station and said he wished to confess to a sexual offence.

Rebecca Wade, defending, said Baker, who ‘concedes his actions were nothing other than abhorrent,’ had not met the youth through the church, and there had been no grooming.

“He has expressed remorse to a number of people. He assures the court in very strong terms he will never behave in this way again.”

Miss Wade said Baker had been a primary and middle school teacher, with particular expertise in music and French, until his retirement, after which ‘he dedicated his life to the church’ as the music librarian, assistant verger and working with the choir.

Sentencing Baker, Judge Lockhart told him: “You are a man of 80 years of age, and you have led an exemplary life until these offences. But you committed two sexual assaults on a troubled young man.

“Matters came to light because his mother became concerned, and it is right to say that in a series of calls she confronted you and you made admissions, and you then did what was a sensible and honest thing in that you went to the police before any formal complaint had been made.

“I have come to the view I am just persuaded that I can suspend your sentence of imprisonment.”

Detective Sergeant Cawail Wong of Warwickshire Police said: “Baker has sexually abused a young person for his own gratification and these offences have had a considerable impact on the victim and his family.

“The bravery he has shown in coming forward to police must be commended and I would like to thank him for the courage he has shown.

“We hope such a result will help to reassure victims we will always investigate any allegations of sexual exploitation thoroughly and as a consequence bring offenders to justice.

“It can be difficult to recognise the warning signs of child sexual exploitation, but if you think something’s not right, please report it to police.

“The law is clear – no child under the age of 18 can ever consent to being abused or exploited.”


Frank Jones – Gwynedd

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May 2016

Gwynedd man, 78, jailed after sending sex offences confession with list of victims to police

A 78-year-old man who wrote a letter of confession to police including a list of names of alleged victims of sexual offences by him was jailed for a year. 

Caernarfon crown court heard that one was a boy abused by Frank Jones around 1972. 

Judge Philip Harris-Jenkins told the pensioner he came before him “in unusual circumstances.” 

In 1989 Jones had been jailed for two years for indecent assaults on another victim. 

He hadn’t reoffended since and was unwell.

But the judge added to Jones: “Despite your age and ill-health I have come to the conclusion, given the offence, this is an offence where only an immediate custodial sentence will meet the crime you committed against that boy.” 

Jones, of Llwyn-y-Ne, Clynnog Fawr, in Gwynedd, admitted gross indecency.

The offence carried a two-year maximum sentence. 

Prosecuting counsel Matthew Curtis said in November 2014 Jones wrote to North Wales police and he was later interviewed. 

An individual named by Jones had been identified and recalled the abuse.

The defendant had told the young boy: ”It’s a secret.” 

Defence barrister Elen Owen said Jones had decided to make a clean breast of it to police.

He had a number of health problems and prison would be difficult for him. 

The lawyer urged for the sentence to be suspended. 

Jones must register as a sex offender and a sexual harm prevention order was made for ten years. 

Judge Harris-Jenkins told him that the abuse had affected the boy as he grew up and left him with “psychological scars.”

It was a serious offence. 

Paul Armitage – Rugby/Gloucester

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May 2016

Man jailed for downloading child abuse images while living at girlfriend’s home in Rugby

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A man who downloaded child sexual abuse images while he was living at his girlfriend’s home in Rugby was caught after one of her sons became suspicious and checked his computer.

The police were contacted about what was found on Paul Armitage’s computer, and at Warwick Crown Court he pleaded guilty to four charges of making indecent images of children.

Armitage, 54, now of Southfield Court, Gloucester, was jailed for eight months and ordered to register as a sex offender for ten years.

Prosecutor Cathlyn Orchard said that last year Armitage was in a relationship with a Rugby woman and living at her home, but her son had concerns about him.

So when he went to check on his mother’s home when she and Armitage were on holiday in July, he decided to look on Armitage’s computer.

At first he saw a couple of videos of children which, although they were not of an indecent nature, made him suspicious.

“He carried on looking and found a folder which did contain indecent images of children, and he contacted the police who seized the computer, a hard drive and a laptop.”

On the computer officers found 142 images classed as being in category C, showing girls aged between 10 and 14 in naked or indecent poses without actual sexual activity.

But there was one image of a 13-year-old girl which had been copied between the devices which was in category A, the most serious category.

When he was arrested Armitage claimed he had not been looking for images of children, and suggested they were ‘pop-ups’ which had appeared on his computer as he searched for other material.

But he then admitted he had ‘a voyeuristic interest’ in them – and eventually accepted he did get sexual gratification from the images.

And Miss Orchard added that in the 90s Armitage had been given a caution for indecent exposure after performing a sex act in a car in a public area.

The court heard that since his arrest Armitage has had an accident which caused a brain injury, as a result of which he says he has no recollection of downloading the images.

Jailing Armitage, Judge Andrew Lockhart QC also imposed a sexual harm prevention order preventing him having unsupervised contact with children and imposing conditions on his use of the internet.

Lee Lawrence – Rhos

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May 2016

Rhos man downloaded more than 800 indecent images

A MAN has admitted downloading more than 800 indecent images of children.

Lee Edwin Charles Lawrence, 61, of Erw Llwyd, Rhos, pleaded guilty at Wrexham Magistrates Court to eight charges relating to a total of 853 images of photographs an eight extreme films of children.

Tracey Willingham said the images were found by investigators after police searched Lawrence’s home on June 12 and recovered seized a computer, mobile phone and scan disk drive.

Lawrence pleaded guilty to three counts of making an indecent photograph of a child between October 11 2016 and June 13 2015.

He also pleaded guilty to possessing 804 indecent images of children on June 2015 and to two counts relating to possession of 46 prohibited images of children on the same date.

Miss Willigham told the court that of the 804 images, 74 were in category A – the most serious – 246 in category B and 484 in category C.

One image featured a boy under eight years and another had three boys aged about nine.

He also pleaded guilty to possessing eight extreme movies and to possessing a photograph of a sex act between a female and a dog.

Miss Willingham asked for magistrates to decline jurisdiction for sentencing at crown court.

Ian Barnes, defending, said that magistrates had “perfectly sufficient” powers to deal with the matter.

Lawrence was a man of no previous convictions and good character who had pleaded guilty at the earliest opportunity.

He added that Lawrence had downloaded the images from the internet, rather taking them himself, and that they had not been distributed.

The number of images was “not insignificant”, but the courts often dealt with cases involving thousands and even hundreds of thousands.

This case was “towards the lower end of the spectrum”, Mr Barnes said.

Lawrence, he added, could not access the images at the time police searched his house as he had deleted them, which was a mitigating factor.

Investigators had found the images on a sub folder.

Magistrates decided to retain jurisdiction and adjourned the matter until May 23.

Lawrence was bailed on condition that he has not unsupervised access to any child under the age of 16.

Philip Green – St Helens

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May 2016

Man with more than 100,00 indecent images of children is given a Community Order

A MAN found with almost 107,000 indecent images of children on computers has avoided a jail sentence.

Philip Green had enough hard drives to store millions of such photos, Liverpool Crown Court heard.

He also had a sophisticated computer, but police decided to analyse just three of the storage devices, said Derek Jones prosecuting.

Forensic analysis revealed the photos and videos of children including some as young as three.

Passing sentence Judge Robert Trevor-Jones said: “You have an entrenched addiction to accessing these images”, adding that Green continued to deny looking at them for sexual gratification.

He said Green had been accessing them for “many years” and there was a massive global industry involving the exploitation of young children.

The judge imposed a three year community order and said he must attend a sex offenders’ programme.

He also ordered him to sign the Sex Offenders Register and made a ten year Sexual Harm Prevention Order.

Green had pleaded guilty to three offences of downloading child porn images and one of possessing them.

Mr Jones said that police raided his home in Highfield Street, Peasley Cross on June 16 last year and seized the computer and dozens of hard drives.

The equipment that was analysed revealed a total of 106,737 images in all three categories of seriousness but with the vast majority in the least serious category. Some had been obtained from news groups and others from other platforms.

Mr Scholes said that Green has no previous convictions and his wife, who had known nothing about his behaviour, is standing by him.

He said that he used to have a major weight problem but has lost 50 per cent of his weight. However he has some health problems following surgery, he added.

Duncan Langtree – York

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May 2016

Voyeur is banned from working as photographer

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A VOYEUR has been stopped from continuing his career as a wedding and family photographer, as police protect children from him.

Duncan Langtree, now 49, had already been banned from owning a camera without letting police know and allowing them to inspect it whenever they want.

Langtree was jailed in 2013 for 18 weeks after he admitted two charges of filming a 13-year-old girl taking a shower and two charges of having indecent images of a child.

He used to run a wedding photography business in Strensall covering York and the surrounding area. The business is now closed.

When they jailed him, York magistrates also made a sexual offences prevention order prohibiting him from owning or using any device capable of taking or storing images without letting the police know about it and letting them inspect it whenever they wanted to, among other conditions.

After his arrest Langtree moved to his current address in Stanley near Wakefield, where West Yorkshire Police decided the order needed a condition about his career.

So they asked York magistrates to vary the order to including a clause forbidding him from working or advertising to work as a wedding or a family photographer wherever there were likely to be children aged under 16. York magistrates varied the order.

Langtree will be on the sex offenders register for another four years. The other conditions relate to his use of the internet and protect the victims of his crime.

Brian Hamilton – Scarborough

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January 2011

Man will be sentenced on child abuse images charges

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A SCARBOROUGH man has admitted to downloading more than 13,000 indecent images of children.

Brian Hamilton, 28, wept in the dock at York Crown Court as he pleaded guilty to 17 charges, relating to offences he committed between November 2007 and November 2009.

The images were discovered after police raided Hamilton’s home address and seized his computer.

Taryn Turner, who represented Hamilton, asked the court for a pre-sentence report to be prepared and for a medical assessment of her client to be carried out.

The court, which heard that Hamilton’s only previous conviction was for dangerous driving, ordered that he be placed on the Sex Offenders Register as a result of his guilty pleas to the new offences.

Hamilton, of Main Street, Cayton, was granted unconditional bail ahead of his sentencing, which will take place in York on March 14.

The Recorder of York, Judge Stephen Ashurst, told Hamilton that “no promises were being held out as to the type or length of any sentence”.

 

Kandyce Downer – Birmingham

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May 2016

Mum-of-four battered 18 month old toddler to death

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A mum-of-four has been convicted of murdering the 18-month-old girl she was caring for at her Birmingham home.

Kandyce Downer caused Keegan Downer’s death by battering her and through severe neglect less than a year after she was appointed her legal guardian.

Medical evidence given in court stated Keegan had sustained 200 injuries on her body, including seven broken ribs, brain and spinal injuries and bruises on her face and body.

There were 153 scars & bruises found on her, including on her face and neck. 

The court was told the toddler had suffered from an untreated spiral leg fracture which had caused a deformity, leaving one leg shorter than the other, and a head injury which would have hindered her ability to fight infection. 

Downer never sought medical help for the injuries – despite Keegan, also known as Shi-Anne, being in “excruciating” pain.

The post mortem found that Keegan had died from a combination of septicaemia, infection, blunt chest trauma and old head injuries.

Examinations showed Keegan had suffered fractures to her legs and ribs and injuries to her head and spine before her death last September.

A jury at Birmingham Crown Court found the 35-year-old woman guilty of murder after deliberating for just over two and a half hours.

Mrs Justice Patterson adjourned sentence until Wednesday, May 4, and remanded Downer in custody.

The court was told that on finding the toddler “unwell” in her cot, she drove off to dump the child’s old mattress near a skip before alerting emergency services.

She weighed just 8.05kg when she died.

A trial heard Downer was paid a weekly fee by the local authority to care for the tot.

Forensic scientists discovered more than 80 blood spatters on the walls by her cot, more than 30 within the cot, and more on the doors of an under stairs cupboard.

She was not only horrifically hurt, but desperately unwell. Untreated breaks led to some of her bones becoming infected. She had a large amount of pus in her pleural cavity. She would have been short of breath, feverish, and suffer headaches

Downer, of Beckbury Road, Weoley Castle, had denied the charge and also causing or allowing the death of a child.

Nigel Power QC, prosecuting, said Keegan, who was born on March 9 2014, was put into foster care soon after because her mother was a drug addict and unable to look after her.

In January last year she went to live with the defendant who became legal guardian of the toddler, also known as Shi-Anne.

Initially the child had been healthy and happy and had gone straight into nursery where she was last seen on June 5.

However three months later, on September 5, Downer called 999 from her address saying Keegan was not breathing.

Mr Power said a large number of people tried to save Keegan but it was already too late.

An investigation was carried out which revealed a picture of repeated episodes of inflicted injury and neglect.

He said Keegan was found to have 49 older scars and other marks to the face and body, 29 signs of recent injury to the head and neck and 13 of recent injury to her body.

She also had bruises to both arms and her right leg.

Downer had told the court most of the “day-to-day” care of Keegan was down to her son and three younger children and claimed her eldest son may be to blame for the fatal injuries.

“There were numerous old and new fractures to her legs and ribs and there was historic traumatic injury, possibly cause on more than one occasion, to her head and spine.

All those repeated traumas ultimately caused Keegan to die from a combination of septicaemia , blunt chest trauma and old head injuries.”

Downer had told the court she had been pregnant and bed ridden at the time the injuries had been inflicted and that she had not been responsible for causing them.

Although they shared a surname, the pair were not related by blood.

Although they shared a surname, the pair were not related by blood.


John Creagh – Ormskirk/Wigan

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May 2016

Paedophile priest who abused boys while working as scout leader is jailed

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A paedophile priest who abused three boys while working as a scout leader was jailed for four years.

John Michael Creagh, 79, was handed nine months in prison in 1992 after molesting a boy at a Roman Catholic boarding school in Berkshire.

Today, Liverpool Crown Court heard how the pervert had previously been a scoutmaster in Ormskirk .

He sexually abused three scouts in the 1970s, when he was in his late 30s, but the offences only came to light last year.

Judge Norman Wright said: “For your own selfish sexual desires you have cast a blight over the lives of some of those boys.

“This was a gross breach of trust. You were the scoutmaster charged with the welfare of the young scouts in your care and you totally abused that position.”

The court heard Creagh had been a “highly regarded individual within the community” and “ingratiated himself” into the children’s families.

David Potter, prosecuting, said Creagh grabbed the first scout inappropriately over his clothing when they were alone in a scout hut.

Creagh then repeatedly attacked him at his then home in St Helens Road, after showing the boy pornographic magazines.

Mr Potter said the victim did not report the abuse as he did not think he would be believed.

The prosecutor said: “Although some 40 years ago, he said there has hardly been a day when he hasn’t thought about the times when this defendant did this to him.”

Creagh took the second boy on a camping holiday in Wales, when the victim thought other children would be present, but ended up sharing a tent with just Creagh.

The pervert had a stash of pornography with him and asked the victim “whether he was a bad boy” before sexually assaulting him.

Mr Potter said the petrified boy spent the rest of the night wrapped tightly in his sleeping bag trying to fend off the paedophile, but felt too embarrassed to tell anyone.

Creagh attacked the third scout after grooming him with presents including records and taking him to the cinema.

Creagh, now of Douglas Drive, Orrell, Wigan, pleaded guilty to five counts of indecent assault.

After he left Ormskirk he was ordained as a priest and became deputy house master at Douai Abbey School – a boarding school in Reading run by Benedictine monks.

He admitted gross indecency and two counts of indecent assault after targeting a 12-year-old boy in similar circumstances.

David Watson, defending, said Creagh was sent on an eight-month residential sex offenders course run by the church.

He said Creagh and those who supported him, including his boyfriend in the public gallery, would say his remorse was genuine.

Judge Wright handed Creagh an indefinite Sexual Harm Prevention Order and told him to sign on the Sex Offenders Register indefinitely.

Kirstin MacRuary – Dundonald

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May 2016

Jedward fanatic jailed for having sex with two 14-year-old boys

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A JEDWARD fanatic who boasted of her lust for the pop duo was today caged for having sex with two schoolboys aged 14.

Kirstin MacRuary, who told friends on Facebook she craved “some Jedcest now”, was caged for two years and placed on the sex offenders’ register for 10 years.

The 39-year-old admitted grooming and having sex with the two schoolboys, who can’t be named for legal reasons, after inviting them to her Dundonald home to use the internet, watch films and drink booze.

Jailing her, Sheriff John Montgomery blasted MacRuary – who he said had shown no remorse.

He said: “I’ve read the social work report – it’s an astonishing report in many ways because you don’t express any remorse.

“There is, in my view, no alternative to a custodial sentence.”

The 39-year-old allowed teenagers into her house in Dundonald to drink alcohol, watch films and use the internet, Ayr Sheriff Court heard.

But during one such session between October and November 2013, MacRuary sat on the arm of a couch beside one of the boys, who can’t be named for legal reasons.

She then slid down next to the boy before inviting him upstairs.

After presenting him with contraception, she went on to have sex with the boy, who later said it made him feel “weird”.

Then, between December 2013 and the following January, she made a move on another 14-year-old boy who had also been in her house watching a movie.

MacRuary suggested he go upstairs for a sleep, before following him up to the spare bedroom. She took his clothes off, and had her way with the boy.

Fiscal depute Hayley Robertson said: “The complainer thought it would be okay if they
had sex, so he went along with it.”

But he became “worried,” and pushed MacRuary off before making a dash from the house.

The police were informed and she was arrested.

Officers examining her laptop found a chat with teen boys in which she admitted she missed one victim’s “cute little face”.

MacRuary regularly posted about Irish pop duo Jedward on Facebook, referring to Edward Grimes as “hot” in a picture of the singer before he found fame, where he is thought to be just 12.

The picture had the caption: “Very disturbing that EDBB (a reference to singer Edward Grimes) smile is still hot.”

In another post, she said: “I miss my Jeds, need some Jedcest now.”

At Ayr Sheriff Court, MacRuary was also placed on the sex offenders’ register for 10 years.

(pictured) Kirstin MacRuary on her way into court

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From her Facebook page

KIR

Mohammed Ullah – Loughborough

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May 2016

Sex offender who raped five-year-old boy jailed

A sex offender who raped a five-year-old boy and sexually abused a six-year-old was jailed for 10 years and six months.

Mohammed Ullah, 20, formerly of Loughborough, was caught after the victims reported what he had done to them.

Ullah pleaded guilty to rape, on one occasion, between 2013 and 2014.

He admitted sexually touching the second victim at the end of last year.

Paul Prior, prosecuting, said the second victim was distressed and immediately told his parents what had happened to him.

The earlier offence on the first victim – committed when Ullah was 17 – then came to light when the boy also told his parents, Leicester Crown Court was told.

Sentencing, Recorder Ahmed Nadim said: “You gave way to your personal sexual gratification in preference to the obligations and needs of society.

“The aggravating feature is you committed these offences against two children of very tender years.”

The recorder said Ullah had “used an opportunity” to abuse the victims.

He said: “The second victim complained to his parents about what you’d done.

“Instead of showing some decency and social responsibility you caused distress and anxiety by denying it.

“Matters were reported to the police and were fully investigated.

“You maintained your denial and purported to give some explanation which was investigated and found to be utterly wrong and false.

“You told the rape victim to keep the matter a secret.”

Ullah, who was of previous good character, was made the subject of a sexual harm prevention order for 12 years, which included banning him from having unsupervised contact with children.

His future addresses will be on a sex offender register, for life.

The recorder said: “It’s a matter of concern that despite having committed two sexual offences, some years apart, you seem not to recognise your offending was because of a desire to obtain sexual gratification.”

Mr Prior said the parents were “deeply distressed” on learning what had happened to their children.

He said: “There was considerable anxiety about the possibility of a disease being passed on and taking precautionary medicine was distressing for the boys.”

Sarah Cornish, mitigating, said: “He has feelings of revulsion due to shame and embarrassment and he’s genuinely remorseful.

“He was depressed following the death of his father.”

In a letter quoted in court, the defendant said: “I feel what I’ve done is absolutely sickening” and “I am very sorry.”

He said he was accepting of punishment that was due to him.

Richard Jones – Warrington

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May 2016

Cheshire paedophile sent thousands of Facebook friend requests to schoolboys

A twisted paedophile sent thousands of Facebook friend requests to schoolboys in the hope he would eventually meet up with them.

Richard Jones, 51, used multiple mobile phones and sim cards to contact the young boys, many of whom were under the age of 13.

Jones had been put on a 10-year sexual offences prevention order in March 2012 and was previously jailed for breaching it before he was released in April 2015.

He was locked up again for three years at Chester Crown Court on May 3.

Judge Roger Dutton said: “This is the second time you have breached a sexual offences order.

“You previously spent time in prison. It seems upon your release you’ve begun to make contact in your own way with underage victims of your sexual activities.

“Probation are of the clear view there’s an ongoing clear pattern of sexual offending.

“You are sexually motivated and you were hoping for contact with those you messaged.”

Jones, of James Lee House, Brick Street, Warrington, was caught out by the mother of a boy he added on Facebook.

She looked at his profile and saw he had 77 friends, who were mostly young boys, before contacting the police.

Jones said he had sent out ‘thousands of friend requests’ to schoolboys in Cheshire, from ‘a number of Facebook accounts’.

He was friends with 13 boys at the same school in Runcorn and admitted sending one of them a message which said ‘Merry Christmas’ on Christmas Day 2015.

The sexual offences prevention order he had been put on in 2012 did not permit him to contact anyone under the age of 16.

Anthony Rose, defending, said this was ‘clearly an innocuous season greeting’.

Judge Dutton said: “Well that’s the problem isn’t it? He was contacting them because he has a sexual interest in young boys.”

Jones was arrested on January 2, 2016.

The pre-sentence report found he represented a ‘high risk of sexual harm towards children, especially boys’.

Mr Rose said the fact Jones had finally admitted he had a problem meant probation could move forward and work with him.

He said: “He has agreed with me that his actions were sexually motivated. He didn’t say that to the people who made the pre-sentence report.

“At this stage he appears to be taking some responsibility.”

Jones also pleaded guilty to possessing nine indecent images of children and an image of extreme pornography.

These were found after further forensic examination of his phone after his arrest.

He was sentenced to 12 months in prison for these further five counts.

Judge Dutton said: “When he is released what he does and where he lives will be clearly monitored.

“You will again be made to sign a sexual offences prevention order, but this one will last without the limitation of time.”

Mitch Tomkins – London

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May 2016

Man jailed for sexually abusing three children in Ashford

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A vile pervert who preyed on three child victims has been given a 20 year sentence.

Mitch Tomkins, 43, used an alleged illness to wheedle his way into the lives of the girls from Ashford.

At his trial at Canterbury Crown Court, the former soldier tried to claim the children – one just five years old – had lied.

But the jury rejected his claims and convicted him on 12 sex abuse charges – after he refused to give his doctor’s permission to reveal details of the alleged medical condition.

Now Judge Simon James has jailed him for 16 years – and ordered an extra four years be served on licence when he is finally released.

He told Tomkins, from London, it had been a “quite deliberate and systematic” abuse after gaining the trust of the victims.

The former squaddie had then groomed the vulnerable victims to enable him to live out his twisted sexual desires.

Judge James said it is impossible to know what emotional damage he had caused the children, who were forced to give evidence at his trial.

He added: “Whether you ever had a medical condition remains a matter of some conjecture, bearing in mind your refusal to permit the release of your medical records and the complete absence of any expert evidence.

“But whether your condition was real or not matters little because you clearly utilised it as a way of getting to the children.

“The jury saw through that as a vain and desperate attempt to avoid the consequences of your unnatural sexual attraction to children.”

The judge added that Tomkins’ continual denials revealed he has shown no genuine remorse.

Tomkins, who pleaded not guilty to 12 offences, was also barred indefinitely from working with children or staying in a house where children live without meeting strict guidelines.

He will be eligible for parole after serving two-thirds of the 16 year term but, even if successful, would be subject to the nine year licence.

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