June 2016

Manhunt to catch ‘dangerous’ child rapist

An international manhunt is under way to catch a ‘dangerous’ child rapist who fled to India the night before his trial – after being allowed bail AND to keep his passport.

Paedophile Vijesh Kooriyil repeatedly raped a six-year-old boy after trapping him in his bedroom in Oxford in 2010 and 2011, the court heard.

The 29-year-old business manager was due to stand trial four days ago, but boarded a plane to Delhi on Monday night – just hours before his court date.

He had been permitted to keep his passport under his bail conditions, which were unconditional because he had no previous cautions or convictions.

In his absence, Kooriyil was unanimously convicted of two child rapes and sentenced to an extended prison term of 18 years at Oxford Crown Court.

Now a global manhunt is under way for the child rapist, from Eastbourne, East Sussex, to be brought back to the UK to face justice.

Passing sentence, Judge Peter Ross branded the abuse ‘appalling’ and said Kooriyil had ‘degraded and humiliated’ his young victim.

He found Kooriyil was a danger to the public, and ordered he would have to serve at least 12 years in prison before being eligible for parole.

He added: “Vijesh Kooriyil deployed the all too familiar ways of gaining a child’s trust.

“He would often call the boy to come and play with him.

“Some of those games were innocent enough, but others took place in the defendant’s bedroom.

“It was there, having secured the door with string and a nail, that the defendant began to rape a six-year-old, then-seven-year-old boy.”

Kooriyil, who came to UK from India as a student, was living in Oxford when he carried out the abuse.

David Smith, prosecuting, said the crimes only came to light after the boy started learning about sex at school and realised what had happened to him.

He added: “He started to feel ashamed about what had happened to him, it made him feel angry and confused.

“He is very suspicious, not with children, but with adults. He cannot understand why he did such a thing to him.”

Kooriyil was arrested in Scotland then released on unconditional bail because he had no previous cautions or convictions.

His passport was not seized because his court bail was unconditional, police said.

He was summonsed by post to attend Oxford Crown Court for trial and attended on November 13 last year to deny both charges.

But he failed to turn up on Tuesday, having ‘misled his solicitors’ and fled the country, before the judge issued a warrant for his arrest.

Judge Ross blasted the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) for only charging Kooriyil with two rapes, when he was sure the abuse was much more sustained.

He said: “The indictment that has been prepared by the Crown is inadequate – it allows only to sentence on the basis of two incidents of rape.

“This is frustrating, but there’s nothing I can do about it.

“This is a case which on the evidence which I accept, the boy was raped twice a week, or even three times a week at the peak of the offending and that went on until December 2011.”

Judge Ross said if the defendant had been present, the additional counts could have been put to him and he could have stood trial for them.

However, in his absence, the indictment could not be amended.

June 2016

Child images pervert denied costly psychologist’s report into his ‘perversions’

A man who admitted possessing indecent and prohibited images of children will not have a psychologist’s report into his “problems” because of the cost.

Ryan Gunn, 19, pleaded guilty to possessing an indecent photograph of a child, possessing extreme pornographic images, and possessing prohibited images of children.

He denied a further charge of possessing an indecent photograph of a child for distribution, and his pleas were acceptable to prosecutors.

Gunn, who has oppositional defiant disorder and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, was to have been the subject of a court-funded psychologist’s report into his conditions.

But when he appeared at Hull Crown Court yesterday, Ian Phillip, for Gunn, said he had not commissioned the report after receiving quotes of £2,500 and £1,400 from two psychologists.

Mr Phillip said he would not have authorised such spending without the express permission of the court. Judge Jeremy Richardson QC said he had made the right decision and the court would not have approved it.

“The cost of the psychologist would outweigh the cost of the lawyers, the Crown Prosecution Service, and indeed the court itself, by some margin put together,” he said.

But the judge said Gunn would not be disadvantaged by the lack of the psychologist’s report, and he would be assisted by a nine-page probation service report when sentencing him.

No further details of the offences were given in court

Gunn, of Grange Park, Brough, will be sentenced on June 13.

Adjourning the case until then, Judge Richardson QC told Gunn: “I have read enough of the [probation service] report for it to be clear to me that there are a number of problems in your life.

“I expressly state to you that I keep all sentencing options open. But you will be sentenced a week on Monday. Sentencing is reserved to me.

“Although it would have been desirable to have had a psychologist’s report, I do not in any way feel disadvantaged by not having one. I have got the measure of you from this report and justice will be done, whatever the outcome.

“I need to hear the case through before making any final decisions. Do you understand?”

“Yes,” said Gunn.

June 2016

Pervert admits child abuse images charges

A MAN who has admitted distributing and possessing images of child abuse images is set to be sentenced next month.

Roger Stevens, 50, also admitted a third charge of possessing an extreme pornographic image, said to feature bestiality, at a previous hearing at Bradford and Keighley Magistrates’ Court.

Stevens, of Long Lee Lane, Long Lee, Keighley, pleaded guilty to making indecent photographs of children between November 2011 and May 2015, admitting distributing some of the images in June 2013.

He denied a further charge of possessing indecent photographs of children with a view to them being distributed or shown to others between November 2011 and May 2015, and prosecutor Stephen Wood told Bradford Crown Court that the not guilty plea was acceptable to the Crown Prosecution Service which would not be seeking to pursue a trial.

Mr Wood said that the categorisation of the images sent by Stevens to others was still being confirmed, and Judge David Hatton QC ordered that the results be determined by July 1.

Stevens is due back at Bradford Crown Court to be sentenced on July 22.

June 2016

Teacher quits after sending sexy messages to boy, 11

A female primary school teacher who sent flirtatious Instagram messages to an 11-year-old pupil has been banned from the classroom after being found guilty of “unacceptable professional conduct”.

Kay Elizabeth Hollingsworth, 31, who taught at Notley Green Primary School in Braintree, Essex sent the boy, who she called Dimples, a series of highly inappropriate messages.

Messages Hollingsworth sent to pupil

• About to have a shower #mental image for you lol

• U probs distracted thinking about how fabulous I am

• Going to bed now dimplesxx

• I split up with that guy back in October so I’m single and ready to mingle lol

When the boy’s parents found out about the messages, Hollingsworth asked them not to tell the school.

However after appearing before a teachers; disciplinary panel, she admitted the charges and was banned from teaching.

The National College of Teaching and Leadership (NCTL) panel ruled that it was both “proportionate and appropriate” to ban her and that her conduct could bring the teaching profession into disrepute. 

As well as the exchanges with the 11-year-old boy, Hollingsworth also had Snapchat exchanges with a former pupil.

She was dismissed from the school in May last year for gross misconduct.

In its findings the NCTL panel says she was a ‘phase leader’ and class teacher at the school.

The panel stated : “By sending messages to an 11 year old pupil, including some messages containing sexual innuendo which could have been confusing to the pupil, Miss Hollingsworth failed in her position of responsibility to that pupil and her obligation to safeguard pupils’ well-being.”

However, the findings say that she had “shown remorse for her actions” and that after admitting what she had done had said she would “forever regret the actions that I took.”

In a statement she had said : “I am shocked and horrified by what I wrote, putting the pupil in an inappropriate position, the school’s reputation in jeopardy and my own career, [to] which I have dedicated nine successful years, in ruin.”

Imposing the ban on behalf of the Education Secretary, Nicky Morgan, Alan Meyrick, Deputy Director of the NCTL said the conduct of Miss Hollingsworth “was a serious departure from the personal and professional conduct elements of Teachers Standards.”

He continued : “The nature of the conversations passing between Miss Hollingsworth and Pupil A (which included sexual references and innuendo) and the age of Pupil A, pushed the behaviour over the boundary of seriousness.

“I agree with the panel that most parents of 11 year olds would think Miss Hollingsworth’s behaviour was inappropriate and serious.”

He added : “I also support the view of the panel that Miss Hollingsworth’s actions constituted an abuse of her position of trust, in that parents put their trust in teachers to behave in an appropriate manner towards pupils.

“Miss Hollingsworth had behaved appropriately towards current and former pupils and had recognised that she had acted in violation of her position when she pleaded with Pupil A’s parents not to tell the school.”

He said he supported the panel’s recommendation that she should be banned from teaching but also supported their recommendation that the way should be left open to her to seek to return to teaching in the future.

He ruled that she can seek to have the ban lifted after two years but made it clear that she would have to convince another NCTL panel that she was fit to return to the classroom before the ban would be lifted.

It is open to her to appeal to the High Court against the ban.

June 2016

Frenchman downloaded child abuse movies in Devon because ‘it was easier than his home country’

A FRENCH national downloaded films of child abuse while staying in Devon because he believed it was easier to do so in Britain than in his own country.

Benois de Godos used the internet connection at a girlfriend’s home in Bideford, North Devon, to access clips on peer to peer websites showing children as young as five being abused.

The 40-year-old, who claims he has an addiction to pornography, returned to his home in Cannes but was arrested at Gatwick Airport after a police investigation had identified him.

Experts found 179 indecent movies or images on three portable hard drives including 68 films showing the most serious sort of abuse of children by adults.

He claimed he had downloaded the material by accident while building up a massive library of pirated feature films which were more readily accessible in Britain than France.

He admitted three charges of making indecent images and was jailed for eight months, suspended for two years, by Judge Ian Lawrie, QC, at Exeter Crown Court.

The sentence meant he was able to fly straight back to France after the Judge told him: “The images and films were appalling and by downloading them you were contributing to a trade in human misery in which youngsters are exploited for the sexual gratification of people like you.”

Janice Eagles, prosecuting, said de Godos’ female friend was initially arrested after her IP address was linked to illegal downloads.

However. she was cleared by the inquiry but told police that de Godos had been staying there at the relevant times.

He was arrested and among the material found on his computer was one movie that was 21 minutes long and had been catalogued under subfolders with names which reflected the type of activity depicted.

Miss Eagles said: “It seems he found it easier to obtain this material in this country, which may have been the reason for the length of his stay.”

Kelly Scrivener, defending, said de Godos had a legitimate interest in mainstream movies which were more easy to access in Britain where the copyright laws are less strict than France.

She said he was addicted to adult pornography and had downloaded the child abuse material by accident but then viewed it.

She said he plans to go straight back to France and has no intention of coming back to Britain because his eight year relationship with the woman in Bideford ended as a result of this case.

He is now paying privately for psychotherapy in France to address his addiction to pornography.

June 2016

Man sentenced to three years’ imprisonment for sexual offences 

A man has been sentenced to three years’ imprisonment after being convicted of sexual offences against a child.

Talisin Mills, aged 21, of Santa Cruz Avenue, Newton Leys, was sentenced at Aylesbury Crown Court yesterday (2/6).

He was charged on January 6, 2016 with causing a child under the age of 15 to look at an image of sexual activity and breach of a Sexual Harm Prevention order.

Mills pleaded guilty in February 2016 to breaching the Sexual Harm Prevention Order. He pleaded guilty to the charge of causing a child under the age of 15 to look at an image of sexual activity on the same day that he was sentenced.

The offence occurred on January 4 this year, and breached the terms of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order which had been imposed on Mills at a court hearing in October 2015.

The victim of the offence was a 14-year-old boy.

Mills was sentenced to three years’ imprisonment for causing a child under the age of 15 to look at an image of sexual activity and 12 months’ imprisonment for breach of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order. This activated a two year suspended sentence for similar offences.

The sentences will run concurrently, meaning that Mills’ total sentence is three years’ imprisonment.

June 2016

Wirral pensioner jailed for 19 years for sex offences

An OAP was put behind bars for 19 years for a catalogue of sex offences.

William Riley, 78, of Penkett Road, Liscard, Wirral , was found guilty of 18 counts of sexual abuse against one victim in the 1960s and 70s, including rape of a female under 16, indecent assault on a girl under 16, and gross indecency with a girl under 14.

In a victim impact statement, read out to Liverpool Crown Court, his victim said: “Growing up I was very shy of my body especially in school on trips. I did not laugh or joke and I often felt I was not like the other children.

“The abuse affected my life on a daily basis in many ways including my schooling and relationships.

“I have lived with the abuse for most of my life and I have not until more recently been able to fully tell anyone about it. Even now I am still feeling quite low in mood and avoiding people. I only seem to feel in control and safe in my own home. I could never forgive William Riley for what he has done to me because I don’t know at times who I really am.”

Merseyside police welcomed the sentence.

June 2016

Leeds pervert preyed on boy and girl

A PERVERT who carried out sex offences against a young boy and a girl was found in possession of indecent images of children when he was investigated by police, a court heard.

Lee Bryan was jailed for three years, eight months, after a court heard how he had filmed one of his young victims at a house in Leeds.

Police officers discovered illegal images and movies on Bryan’s computer equipment and mobile phone when they were contacted over an historic allegation of sexual assault on a 14-year-old girl.

Bryan denied the offence but was found guilty of sexual assault and two offences of making indecent images of a child after a trial at Leeds Crown Court.

Bryan, of Back Conway Street, Harehills, pleaded guilty to three offences of making indecent images of a child, one of inciting a child under 13 to engage in sexual activity and one of engaging in sexual activity with a child.

The court heard Bryan has previous convictions for indecent exposure and for assaulting a female.

Judge Penelope Belcher told Bryan: “The jury have found you guilty on very strong evidence.”

Bryan must go on the sex offenders register indefinitely. The judge also commended the West Yorkshire Police officers involved in the investigation of the case for “painstaking” efforts to bring Bryan to justice.

January 2016

Co Down man to be sentenced for having sex with underage girl

A Co Down man was remanded back into custody on Tuesday to await sentencing on a charge of having sex with a teenage girl ten years his junior.

During a two-week trial held at Belfast Crown Court, 28-year old Andrew Williamson, from Ashgrove Avenue in Banbridge, faced a total of eight charges linked to allegations that he conducted a sexual relationship with a 14-year-old when he was aged 24.

Williamson was tried by a jury of six men and six women of one count of sexual activity by an adult with a child, and seven counts of sexual activity including penetration with a child, over a period spanning from August 2011 to February 2013.

After deliberating for over six hours, the forewoman of the jury delivered the verdict – acquitting Williamson of seven of the counts but finding him guilty by a majority of 11 to one on one of the charges of sexual activity including penetration with a child.

Throughout the trial, Williamson always made the case that whilst he knew the teenage girl, he wasn’t involved sexually with her. He also branded her claims that they were in a relationship as lies.

Whilst the jury cleared him of a majority of the charges, they found him guilty of having sex with her at a house in Banbridge when she was 15, in February 2013.

Judge Stephen Fowler informed Williamson that in light of the guilty plea, he would have to sign the Sex Offenders’ Register, adding “the length of time will be detemined by the sentence imposed in this case”.

Williamson will be sentenced on March 4.

May 2014

Rape rap man posts pics of himself with AK47 on web to intimidate victims

Suspected teen rapist Andrew Williamson posted a picture of himself armed with an AK47 to intimidate his alleged victims, a court has heard.

June 2016

Paedophile who abused boy and girl jailed for 12 years

A paedophile who sexually abused a young girl and boy has been jailed for 12 years.

Michael Stanton, 69, committed a series of sex assaults upon the girl when she was between six and eight-years-old and the boy aged nine and 11.

Stanton who formerly lived in Ibstock, Leicestershire, where the little girl was abused, was found guilty of two counts of indecency with a child and three of indecently assaulting her.

Stanton was found guilty in relation to the boy – who was abused in another part of the country – of one count of indecency with a child and three of indecently assaulting him.

The offences were committed on various dates between 1977 and 1984.

Stanton, who formerly worked in medical equipment sales, of Sunbury Drive, Trench, Telford, Shropshire, was acquitted of two offences of raping the girl and two of attempting to rape her; on the direction of the judge.

The jury also found him not guilty of three other indecency allegations relating to the girl.

Judge Philip Head said at Leicester Crown Court: “Both your victims have made statements which are in so many ways heart-rending, describing what you did as absolutely blighting their lives.

“I’m sure that equates to severe psychological harm.”

Of the female victim he said: “You accosted her in the street where she was playing with other children and lured her to your house.

“You were grooming her.”

The judge said that after moving to a village outside of Leicestershire he sexually assaulted the young boy.

He said: “On four occasions you grossly abused him.”

The judge said the female victim “acquired confidence and courage” to speak out as an adult.

The male victim also made a complaint.

Judge Head added: “I accept you’ve been hard working throughout your life and your health is not good now.”

He said that there was no evidence of further offending since these matters more than three decades ago.

Matthew Lowe, mitigating, said: “He has no previous convictions or cautions and all the evidence indicates that throughout his adult life he has consistently worked hard.

“He suffers from ill heath with high blood pressure, diabetes and takes medication for both and had a bad back.

“It will make his time in prison a bit more difficult.”

June 2016

Staffordshire father who had 350 indecent child images spared jail

A man caught with more than 350 indecent images of children, including some as young as three, has been spared jail.

Anthony Javens, aged 33, had 78 category A images, 100 category B images and 230 category C images on his computer, as well as more than 26 films.

The children in the images and films ranged from three to 15, a court was told

Javens, of New Street, Chasetown, appeared at Stafford Crown Court for sentencing after being convicted of possessing the images where the judge said his previous good character had stopped him from being jailed.

Mr Neil Ahuja, prosecuting, told the court : “In police interview, the defendant originally claimed he just used the computer to search the internet and watch movies.

“He claimed he couldn’t explain how the images got onto his computer, but admitted it couldn’t have been anyone else in his family.

“He also suggested that maybe the images had been downloaded accidentally as a result of the films he had downloaded.”

Despite his initial objections, Javens pleaded guilty to the offences before Cannock Magistrates’ court earlier this year.

Defence solicitor Mr Steven Bailey said: “My client is not working and is in very poor health.

“His financial situation is not good, he is living on benefits.

“He also has the financial burden of a divorce to come.”

Javens was given a three-year community order.

He was also forced to sign on to the sex offenders register for five years and ordered to carry out a 60-day programme with probation officers.

He was also told that he was prohibited from using any device that can access the internet that couldn’t have its history checked for a period of five years.

Sentencing Javens, Judge Mark Eades said: “I have been watching you while you have been in the dock and you have been hanging your head in shame.

“I don’t suppose for one moment that you were hanging your head in shame when you downloaded and used these pictures.

“It is clearly something that you are addicted to and that is a truly sorry state.

“Your family has been ripped apart and that is down to you.

“Your wife and children have left you because you were lying to them.

“You probably thought that this was just you, alone with your computer but there are real victims in these cases and the wider effects are shocking.

“I would have no difficulty giving you a prison sentence but your previous good characters means I am not going to do that.”

June 2016

Suspended sentence for man with more than 700 indecent images of children

A man with more than 700 indecent images and videos of children on his computer was handed a suspended jail sentence.

Joshua Hambridge-Allen, 22, of Banbury Road lied during a police interview and claimed cybercriminals had installed software on his computer leading to the pictures being discovered on his device.

He told police he was “against all crimes against children” but Recorder Stephen Hofmeyr QC lambasted Allen and said his actions fed into an exploitative industry.

He said: “Both offences are very serious.

“Viewing and downloading images creates a market which is built on exploiting vulnerable children, causing immeasurable harm to them and their families.

“Your actions have fed into this industry.

“You have exploited vulnerable children for your own gratification.”

A warrant was executed on Hambridge Allen’s home address on August 7 2014 after Thames Valley Police received information from the National Centre for Missing and Exploited Children.

Forensics found 36 category A images, 81 category B images, 615 category C images and eight category A moving images and four category B moving images on the device.

Cathy Olliver, prosecuting at Oxford Crown Court, on Thursday, said: “Mr Allen was interviewed about the reason for the warrant and he admitted to looking at sites which contained adult pornography but said he knew nothing about indecent images of children.

“He was interviewed after the forensic analysis but he denied the offence and said he was against all crimes against children, especially sexual crimes against children.

“He said he had built the computer himself and any explanation he could think of was his computer had been invaded by what he called a RAT (remote access trojan).

“He said someone must have installed some software onto his computer.

“It has been a long time coming. The warrant was in 2014 but the computer had to be analysed twice because of his assertion there was a trojan on it.”

Graham Bennett, defending, said Allen had an issue which needed to “be dealt with”.

He said: “He has engaged with the probation service about the background of how this incident came about.

“He says he was an adolescent and this has no doubt come about from sexual curiosity.

“There is an issue that needs to be dealt with and I would ask your honour to think about a sexual offenders treatment programme as a better way of sentencing to protect from future offending of this type.”

Allen admitted to two counts of making indecent images of children and was handed an eight month jail sentence suspended for 24 months with a supervision requirement.

He must also attend a sex offenders treatment programme for up to 60 days, pay a victim surcharge of £100. An indefinite sexual harm prevention order was also made.

June 2016

Warwickshire Police officer jailed over indecent images

A Warwickshire Police office has been jailed for making an indecent image of a child.

Balrai Paul, who worked as a patrol officer based at Bedworth, has been sentenced to two years nine months behind bars for misconduct in a public office and making an indecent image of a child, after appearing at Birmingham Crown Court.

Paul, aged 30 of Burbage, Hinckley, was arrested on October 1 last year after it was alleged that he had formed an inappropriate relationship with a vulnerable female.

During this investigation, he was then arrested on suspicion of making an indecent image of a child.

He was suspended from his role as a patrol officer based at Bedworth on October 2, 2015, and charged with both offences on March 24 this year.

Speaking after sentencing, Det Supt Gary Watson, head of professional standards forWarwickshire Police, said: “Balraj Paul has committed a serious criminal offence for which he has now been sentenced to a significant custodial sentence.

“His behaviour was appalling and represented a serious breach of the trust placed in him by a vulnerable female and the wider community of Warwickshire.

“As soon as his behaviour was suspected he was the subject of robust and proactive police action.

Balraj Paul’s role with the police will now be subject to a special case misconduct hearing before Chief Constable Martin Jelley on June 10.

June 2016

Daughter’s info about father’s child abuse images shame unearths even more sinister secret

A WOMAN shopped her father to police when she found vile photographs of children being sexually abused on the 63-year-old’s computer.

But an investigation sparked by the discovery unearthed an even more sinister side to one-time self-employed joiner Terence Gilligan.

The probe by detectives in Darlington uncovered evidence that the grand-dad had also groomed and sexually abused a vulnerable schoolgirl years ago.

He “treated” the nine-year-old to cigarettes and made her watch depraved sex acts in his workshop.

Prosecutor Shaun Dodds told Teesside Crown Court Gilligan “performed painful acts on himself involving an electric sander and a vice”.

Judge Simon Bourne-Arton, QC, jailed him for six years and eight months after he admitted a string of sex charges.

Gilligan, of Westmoreland Street, Darlington, also pleaded guilty to making, possessing and distributing indecent images.

In an impact statement, his brave victim said: “He robbed me of my innocence and my childhood, but he won’t rob me of my future.”

Judge Bourne-Arton told him: “For many years, you had a depraved and criminal interest in young girls, and it’s come home to roost.”

The court heard how the offending emerged in 2014 when Gilligan’s daughter found indecent images on his computer and contacted police.

Mr Dodds said he quickly dumped two hard-drives in the River Skerne, but they were fished out by the fire brigade.

When police examined the machines, there were 227 illegal photographs of children and 157 images of extreme pornography.

Mr Dodds said one of the pictures showed an eight-year-old masked girl being raped by a man wearing a clown’s mask.

Gilligan shared the dreadful scene with others on the internet, and it has now been viewed more than 15,000 times worldwide.

Robin Denny, mitigating, said: “He had a substantial drug problem and reality completely went out of the window.”

Judge Bourne-Arton told Gilligan: “You took advantage of that young girl, aged nine. She was undoubtedly vulnerable.

“You made sure she was violated. She thought she was looking to you for care and attention and love, and you abused her.”

In her statement, the victim said: “I struggle to understand how a man I trusted could violate me as he did.

“I began to blame myself for what he did to me, and around 13 or 14 years of age I began to punish myself by cutting myself.”

Gilligan admitted causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity, causing a child to watch a sexual act, and engaging in a sexual act in the presence of a child.

June 2016

Seven years for Anglesey caravan park paedophile

A man who befriended families holidaying at an Anglesey caravan park in order to sexually abuse young girls has been locked up for seven years.

Barry John Hopcutt from Macclesfield, Cheshire, had denied four charges of engaging children under 13 in sexual activity but a jury found him guilty after a trial.

The jury heard Hopcutt owned a caravan at the site near Holyhead and kept his boat nearby and would offer families trips in the vessel.

Two of the offences took place on the boat while another occurred in the awning of his caravan.

Sentencing the 59-year-old Judge Geraint Walters at Caernarfon Crown Court said: “You befriended parents with young families at the caravan park where you also had a caravan and was known as something of a character.

“You were liked by the parents, you were trusted. You are therefore a predatory individual who befriended families and when you gained their trust you abused it.”

During the trial Hopcutt claimed the allegations made against him by three young girls were false.

Hopcutt was acquitted of one charge.

Gareth Roberts, prosecuting, said two offences took place on board his boat while another offence took place in the awning of Hopcutt’s caravan.

The offences on the boat had been reported to police but the nine year old girl’s family, at that stage, decided not to press ahead with the complaint. When they heard of the latest allegations they reconsidered.

Victim Impact Statements by the victims’ parents read in court told of the long-lasting effects Hopcutt’s behaviour had had on their children.

Defence barrister Simon Rogers said that Hopcutt realised a jail term was inevitable.

“He is of previous good character and has a good work ethic. A custodial sentence, of any length, will be very difficult for him,” he said.

Hopcutt was jailed for four years for one of the offences and three years for the other. Both sentences to run consecutively.

In addition Hopcutt’s detail will remain on the sex offenders register for life and he must observe a Sexual Harm Prevention Order which prevents unsupervised access with children under 16. Hopcutt must also not work with children under 16.

Investigating Officer DC Shona Campbell at Caernarfon CID said: “Hopcutt is a sexual predator who exploited a two families who befriended him whilst holidaying in North Wales so he could target and abuse their children.

“The young victims and their families have been particularly brave and showed significant strength of character in coming forward to report what happened.

“The sentence rightly reflects the severity of Hopcutt’s crimes.”

June 2016

Dover pervert posed on Facebook as barber for young boys

A pervert caught posing on Facebook as a barber for young boys is set to be sentenced for breaching a Sexual Offences Prevention Order (SOPO).

Nicky Booton, of Belgrave Road, Dover, even used a computer he knew was being monitored by police to launch the fake account.

He posed as “Nick Boot”, advertising on the social media site as a barber for boys aged under 16, breaching a 10-year SOPO.

In 2009, he was jailed for 18 months after admitting possessing and making indecent images of children.

He was sent back to prison in October last year and appeared before Margate magistrates on Friday.

The magistrates committed him to Canterbury Crown Court for sentence. A date has yet to have been set.

His brother Matthew Booton is also a convicted paedophile – click here

Matthew was sentenced to eight months in jail and ordered to sign the sex offenders register.

He admitted six charges of possession of indecent images of children and one charge of making indecent images of children.

The images included five categorised as the most serious level five, meaning they depicted sadism or bestiality with children.

In total police found 677 indecent images and one movie clip.

June 2016

Dunstable sex offender jailed for 20 years

June 2016

Ex-soldier in court over child sex abuse images

A former soldier denied knowing anything about the child sex abuse on computer discs the police discovered at his Rugby home, claiming he had found them in a bag of women’s clothes.

But an examination of the discs proved that they had been downloaded from the internet with Stephen Bell’s user name.

Bell, 59, of Alfred Street, Rugby, at the time, pleaded guilty at Warwick Crown Court to three charges of making indecent images of children by downloading them onto his laptop.

He denied ten charges of possessing the indecent images on the computer discs – but later changed his pleas to guilty.

Bell, now of Princes Street, Rugby, was given a three-year community order and ordered to attend a sex offenders’ group work programme and to register as a sex offender for five years.

Prosecutor David Jackson said that in September last year the police turned up at the house in Alfred Street in the early hours of the morning with a search warrant.

The door was answered by Bell, who was arrested, and the officers searched an upstairs room he used as an office.

They seized his laptop computer, which was found in the wardrobe, and three discs from a shelf, together with a fourth disc from the boot of his car.

At first Bell denied having any indecent images, but accepted the laptop was his and that he had the password to it.

And when the laptop was examined there was a category A image, the most serious category and one category B image.

There were also 317 category C images, defined as being indecent but not involving sexual activity.

On the computer discs were a further five category A images, 13 category B images and a total of 627 category C images, said Mr Jackson.

Bell then accepted he had used the laptop to access indecent images of children, but continued to deny responsibility for those on the discs.

“So far as the discs were concerned, he said he had found them together with a bag of women’s clothes in a layby, and although he kept them, he had not looked at them.”

But Mr Jackson said a further examination of the discs by a police hi-tech expert showed the images had been obtained using Bell’s user name.

“When that was made known to him, he’s had a change of heart,” added Mr Jackson.

Kevin Saunders, defending, said: “He does not now seek to dilute the prosecution case.”

Of Bell, he said: “He is of hitherto good character and has worked hard and committed his time to public service, spending 30 years in Her Majesty’s forces.”

Mr Saunders explained that Bell had served for nine years in the regular Army, followed by 14 years in the Territorials before signing on for a further term in the regular Army – and had served in Bosnia, Kosovo and Iraq.

“He has lost his good character now. He has suffered a tremendous fall from grace.

“This defendant is, to a degree, socially marginalised. His only real ally was his partner. But, by reason of his conduct, that relationship is no more. She has left him.”

And Mr Saunders added: “He is assessed as being of a very low risk of re-offending, and would benefit from intervention.”

Sentencing Bell, Recorder Michael Burrows QC told him: “There are some aggravating features, one being the ages of the children, as young as seven, and that you obtained them over a long period and retained some of those images.

“But there is also mitigation in your case. You have no previous convictions and you pleaded guilty, albeit not at the first opportunity to some of the offences, and I also take into account your service to your country.

“You could not complain if I imposed a custodial sentence, but I’m concerned to maximise the protection of the public – and that is best achieved by a long community order with the maximum period of supervision.”

June 2016

Former church elder spared jail after raping young girls in Nottingham

A ‘wicked’ former church elder has been spared jail after he was found to have raped two girls and indecently assaulted a third.

Samuel Nugent, 86, was given an absolute discharge at Derby Crown Court on Monday.

He was not present at the hearing.

The pensioner, who lives at the Lyn Gilzean Court care home in St Ann’s, has dementia, and was unfit to plead to the charges.

He faced a hearing of facts in February and a jury found he committed all ten of the accusations made against him.

He was indicted for three rapes on one girl, six indecent assaults on a second and raping a third girl, all while a respected church elder at a city church during the 70s and 80s. All the girls were under the age of 16.

Handing down the sentence, Judge Nirmal Shant said: “This does not in any way detract from the seriousness of what this defendant did and the havoc he wreaked on each of these complainants’ lives.”

She added that he had pursued “wicked” and “perverted” behaviour from a “position of power in a church”.

She said that because psychiatrists found that he was unfit to stand trial, sentencing guidelines left her with three options – a hospital order, supervision order or an absolute discharge.

But because of his poor state of mental and physical health, and evidence given by doctors that said he was at no risk to himself or others, the judge said her only available option was the absolute discharge.

The court also heard that Nugent is almost blind and almost deaf and incapable of walking between rooms without assistance.

“One can perfectly well understand the frustration but I was satisfied with the evidence that this defendant was not fit to stand trial,” added Judge Shant QC.

“These three complainants have had to wait a long time to see justice but it is right to say that they don’t feel they have had justice.”

The hearing also heard a witness statement from one of the victims who had been raped by Nugent as a teenager.

The woman, whose identity has been protected, said: “I don’t trust people easily and my relationships have suffered greatly. I have been put in a situation where I just felt used and even to the point of feeling abused. There have been times where I have sat and cried and times where I didn’t want to be here because of what he did to me.

“It seems like a lifetime that I have carried this with me.”

Judge Shant added: “The result for her and the other complainants in this case was that they lost their faith in people, they lost their faith in their church and they are frustrated with the criminal justice system.

“On the face of it, given the serious nature of the offending, it may seem incongruous to some and I understand that.”

The church has said Nugent no longer holds a membership and worked there on a voluntary basis as a lay preacher at the time of the offences. A spokesman said he was never employed by the church.