June 2016

Pervert says he had ‘addiction’ to indecent images of young boys

A man who spent 14 years sailing the world with the Royal Navy was spared an immediate prison sentence so that attempts may be made to cure his “addiction” to pornographic images of boys.

Alan Gorman, 59,of Penn Hill, Yeovil, was convicted by South Somerset magistrates last month of making indecent photographs and committed to Taunton Crown Court for sentencing

His offending was discovered by an American organisation which notified the UK authorities in January 2014, and he was visited by police officers who seized three mobile phones in January last year.

They found about 1,500 indecent images had been downloaded along with nearly 3,000 “borderline” images, the court heard last week.

Simon Cooper, prosecuting, said the stills and movies were mainly of young teenaged boys but some were aged about six to eight years, which he had been viewing “for quite a number of years”.

There were a large number of Category A images and he made full admissions when interviewed.

Patrick Mason, defending, said he was in a children’s home for ten years and joined the Navy after leaving school. He spent 14 years, mainly at sea, and visited 97 countries before leaving after being told he was to be shore-based.

His last job was as a manager for a large retail chain and he lived a quiet and uncomplicated life on his own. His health was poor and he had artery problems following many years of smoking.

The Recorder said he would not be helped by sending him to prison “with others who have the same condition”, and he had mental health issues.

The images were freely obtainable and extremely easy to get at, and fuelled the addiction of those who wished to see them.

In prison, he would be in a unit where he would be surrounded by offenders “who have done similar things, or worse” and it would be in the public interest if the probation service felt he could be helped by attending an internet offenders’ course.

Sentencing him to nine months, suspended for two years with supervision, the judge said he was not getting away lightly and there were good reasons why attempts must be made “to cure you of your addiction. If the probation service thinks that’s possible, it’s worth trying”.

The “real problem” of the offences was that victims in the images were exploited by others and “you increase the possible harm to the children who are subject to that exploitation. This is something which needs to be instilled into you”, he added.

Gorman was also ordered to sign the sex offenders’ register for ten years and was handed a sexual harm prevention order banning access to the internet.

June 2016

Man who used dating website to groom North Devon teenagers avoids jail

A Craigslist user has been sent on a sex offenders’ course after trying to meet an under age Barnstaple girl for sex.

Carpenter Stephen White posted a notice on the ‘casual encounters’ section of the dating website which asked ‘Any young teens near Torrington M4MW’.

The last part is code which showed it was a man seeking a man and a woman, and White started e-mail exchanges with a 14-year-old girl in Barnstaple and a 16-year-old boy from Bideford.

He discussed meeting with the girl in an exchange of messages which started late on Christmas Eve, 2014 and continued into April 2015.

No real meeting took place and White later told police he thought the whole thing was a spoof and that the girl was an adult transvestite who was sending messages to wind him up.

The messages were found on White’s computer after his home was raided because he had downloaded images of child rape from a peer to peer website.

White, 43, of Victoria Road, Barnstaple, admitted attempting to meet a girl under 16 with the intention of taking part in sexual activity and three counts of making indecent images of children.

He was jailed for 15 months, suspended for two years, ordered to attend a sex offenders’ treatment programme, pay costs, and sign on the sex offenders’ register for ten years by Judge Graham Cottle at Exeter Crown Court.

The Judge also imposed an indefinite sexual harm prevention order which restricts White’s access to children and allows the police to monitor his internet use.

He told him: “You were clearly interested in meeting an under age girl for sex, and that is a serious offence. In fact, you either stopped or were stopped before any damage was done.

“Your activities clearly disclose a sexual interest in children and until you fully acknowledge that, the way forward is going to be difficult.”

Janice Eagles, for the prosecution, said White was living with his parents in School Lane, Torrington in April 2015 when police executed a warrant and arrested him when he returned during the search.

He told them he accessed adult pornography and used peer to peer sites to download music but admitted he had been sent some ‘dodgy looking’ files which he had deleted.

An examination showed a total of 13 still images including four at the worst category A, including one depicting the rape of a girl aged eight to 12.

There were also advertisements he posted on the casual encounters section of Craigslist.

One said: “Any young teens near Torrington M4MW”

A second said: “Any young boys or girls fancy meeting up M4MW.”

Miss Eagles said e-mail conversations were found on a laptop and phone including one with a person who said they a 14-year-old called Amy living in Barnstaple and another with a 16-year-old called Edward in Bideford.

The conversation with Amy started late on Christmas Eve, 2014 and within hours she told him she wanted to meet for sex and ‘really liked sleeping with older guys’.

White suggested in e-mails to Edward he was interested in a threesome and asked ‘do you know any young girls or young boys’.

June 2016

Keynsham man jailed for making over 350 indecent images of children

A Keynsham man has been jailed for a year after pleading guilty to making more than 350 indecent images of children.

Andrew Hicks, 44, was charged with making 368 such images and four indecent films of children at his home in Temple Street between January 2007 and July 2015.

Of the images he allegedly made, 103 are the most serious Category A, 35 Category B and 234 Category C.

Hicks was also charged with distributing four Category C indecent photographs of children to four separate Skype users between December 2013 and March 2014.

Hicks was sentenced to a year in prison when he appeared at Bristol Crown Court yesterday (Monday, June 6).

He was also handed an indefinite Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) banning him from unchecked internet use.

June 2016

Caithness man jailed for having sex with underage schoolgirl

A Caithness man has been jailed for repeatedly having sex with an underage schoolgirl – despite knowing how old she was.

Martin Budge first met his young victim when she had just started secondary school.

And over the course of a year the 21-year-old met her at locations in Wick and Thurso to have sex.

The pair also exchanged intimate pictures of one another via their mobile phones.

And their meetings only came to and end when the teenager discovered Budge was on bail after being accused of serious sex offences.

Those allegations have since been dropped by the Crown.

Yesterday, Budge appeared at Aberdeen Sheriff Court and admitted having sex with a minor between February 2014 and January the following year.

He also admitted possessing indecent images of children as well as causing a child to look at a sexually explicit image.

Fiscal depute Kelly Mitchell said Budge would often meet the young girl in the woods near Wick Airport and on a few occasions they stayed at the home of one of his victim’s friends.

Miss Mitchell said the child, who cannot be named for legal reasons, eventually told her mother about the relationship and Budge was reported to the police.

The court heard the girl had always been a willing participant and that Budge, of 1 Toutie Street, Alyth, had no previous convictions of a similar nature.

Sheriff William Summers told him: “It is of great concern that you had a sexual relationship with his girl during a time when she was only 14 over the period of 12 months.

“At that time you were four or five years older than her. I can’t and I do not accept that at any point you did not know she was underage.

“You were aware of that and just carried on with complete disregard for her age.”

Sheriff Summers said that any recommendation to place Budge on a community payback order was “not appropriate” given the “gravity of the offences”.

He jailed Budge for 12 months and placed him on the sex offenders register for 10 years.

June 2016

Inverness man says he was “glad” when arrested over child abuse images

An Inverness man told police he was “glad” they had raided his home after a tip-off that he was downloading child porn.

Scott Cunningham, 31, admitted to officers on September 24 last year that he had been doing it for a number of years and told them where to find it.

Yesterday, Cunningham, of 39 Milton Crescent, admitted to Sheriff Margaret Neilson, on indictment, that he had downloaded 6,255 indecent still and video images, with more than 1,000 being of the most graphic kind.

The 457 videos recovered from a desk-top, a hard drive and two lap-top computers, lasted a total of three days, 14 hours and 37 minutes.

Fiscal Roderick Urquhart told the court that when officers entered his property “he started shaking and became emotional”.

Cunningham told them: “I’m glad you’ve come. It’s been going on now for a couple of years. I know what this is about.  The laptop is upstairs in my bedroom.  I can get you it.”

He was detained and taken to Burnett Road Police Station where he told police he had been downloading and watching indecent videos of children since 2010.

Cunningham admitted to downloading indecent images of children using a peer-to-peer software programme.

In total, 6,255 indecent images were recovered that remained accessible by the accused at the date of the police search.

“The images and videos were created between 16 September 2009 and 24 September 2015 and showed predominantly female children, estimated to be aged between four and 14 years.” Mr Urquhart said.

Defence lawyer Alison Foggo told the Sheriff: “He has been seeing a psychiatrist since this came to light and we will be obtaining a report from him.”

Sheriff Neilson deferred sentence for a background report until June 28, allowed bail to continue and placed Cunningham on the Sex Offender’s Register.

June 2016

Coventry man escapes jail after downloading indecent images of children

A COVENTRY man claimed he downloaded indecent images of children out of ‘curiosity’ – to see whether images he had been convicted of downloading six years ago were still available.

But despite his earlier conviction and the very young ages of some of the children in the images, Robert Swain escaped being jailed at Warwick Crown Court.

Swain (33) of Sedgemore Road, Coventry, was sentenced to nine months in prison suspended for two years after pleading guilty to three offences of making indecent images of children.

He was also made subject to supervision for two years and ordered to take part in an accredited programme for 100 days and to register as a sex offender for ten years.

Prosecutor Lal Amarasinghe said in August last year police officers went to Swain’s home at 6am with a search warrant.

They forced entry and arrested Swain, who made no reply when he was cautioned.

The officers then searched the address and seized a hard drive, a computer tower and a laptop.

When Swain was interviewed he admitted he had downloaded a program to enable him to download indecent images of children from a website.

He claimed he had done so to see whether images were still available following his conviction in 2010 for downloading a total of 208 indecent images of children.

Swain said he had then decided to uninstall the program without looking at the images, and had not searched for them on any other occasion.

And Mr Amarasinghe pointed out that the images recovered by police experts had in fact been deleted.

He said the images involved both boys and girls, some of whom were as young as six or seven.

When Swain was then interviewed again, he admitted being responsible for the images and agreed he knew he should not have had them, whether deleted or not.

June 2016

Tinder cop groomed girl and had image of horse oral sex

A former policeman has admitted grooming a 15-year-old girl through Tinder and storing an image of a woman performing oral sex on a horse on his mobile phone.

Stephen McMillan, 26, of Viridian Square in Aylesbury, who was a serving police officer when the offences took place in 2014 , met the victim through dating app Tinder.

High Wycombe Magistrates Court heard how she agreed to send him an image of her breasts, which he sent to three of his friends.

The court then heard how the girl, aged 15 at the time, took an overdose. And when McMillan was arrested, the extreme porn image was found on his phone.

Yesterday, he pleaded guilty to four offences which includes inciting the girl to prostitution/pornography, distributing an indecent photo of a child, and possessing a picture of a woman performing oral sex on a horse.

He will be sentenced on July 4 .

McMillan was one of eight men charged with sex offences against the same girl, part of Operation Royce.

Magistrate Neil Arnold described the offences as ‘extremely serious’.

They all appeared at High Wycombe Magistrates Court yesterday and were released on conditional bail – which requires them not to contact the victim.

Read more: http://www.bucksherald.co.uk/news/more-news/tinder-cop-groomed-girl-and-had-image-of-horse-oral-sex-1-7420052#ixzz4AyM5CyWZ

June 2016

OAP jailed for abusing young boys at Jesus Army homes

A member of the Jesus Army has been jailed for five years for sexually abusing two boys at communes in Preston run by the Christian organisation.

Clifford Brett, 66, now living in Northampton targeted one boy as he slept in his bed at a Jesus Army house in Preston, and lured another to his bedroom with the promise of dried fruit.

Preston Crown Court heard Brett, who worked as a school caretaker and crossing patrol in Preston, lived as part of the religious community and was trusted by his fellow members.

But while staying at a house in Preston, Brett crept into a youngster’s bedroom and lured him to his attic room, where he started talking about sex and made the youngster engage in sexual behaviour with him.

On another occasion, the paedophile promised another boy dried fruit but said he would have to come to his bedroom to get it.

Once in the bedroom, Brett groped the youngster as he pretended to be picking up the fruit.

Judge Stuart Baker, sentencing, said: “You were part of the community. Those children and their mothers were entitled to expect that anyone living in the house with the would not abuse them.”

Throughout the 1990s the pensioner moved between Jesus Army’s network of properties in Preston and Northampton.

He took on work as a school caretaker and crossing patrol at Fulwood High School and Kennington County Primary School in Preston. There is no suggestion any abuse took part in the execution of those roles.

Last year allegations emerged that he had carried out a string of rapes and sexual assaults on children living within the Lancashire Jesus Army community and Brett was called to stand trial.

The boys – who are now in their 20s – appeared visibly distressed as they recounted they abuse they suffered at Brett’s hands during their childhood.

Brett was cleared of 13 charges – including separate allegations relating to two girls – but convicted of three counts of indecency and indecent assault against the two boys who were living at the home.

Judge Baker said: “I take the view that for a 50 year old man as you were then to commit offences against two very young boys in domestic circumstances in which you were all living are offences so serious that had I been sentencing at the time, you would have inevitably faced an immediate custodial sentence.”

The judge handed Brett a four year sentence for abusing the first boy and a further 12 months for his attack on the second boy.

Both boys were still at primary school when they were targeted by Brett.

The pensioner, who lives in supported accommodation in Louise Street, Northampton, has been placed on the sex offenders register for life and made the subject of a sexual harm prevention order to protect other children.

June 2016

29-year-old jailed for exposing himself on webcam to schoolgirl

A 29-year-old webcam flasher has been jailed for exposing himself to a 12-year-old girl and asking her to show him her breasts.

Stuart Bennett used a false name to contact the girl and when he saw she was wearing a school uniform he encouraged her to take it off.

He contacted her again on her birthday, asked her to show her breasts, and told her ‘age is just a number’. On both occasions he exposed himself to her on webcam.

The girl was so keen to get him to hang up the conversation she claimed her mother was a police officer. She told a teacher three days later. She was so upset she needed counselling.

Police traced Bennett through his IP address and found images of young girls on his computer and searches for child images.

Bennett, aged 29, of Parkers Hollow, Roundswell, Barnstaple, admitted two offences of engaging in sexual activity in the presence of a child, one of distributing and three of possessing indecent images of children.

He was jailed for 20 months by Judge Geoffrey Mercer, QC, put on the sex offenders’ register for ten years, and made subject of a sexual harm prevention order which restricts his access to girls and use of the internet.

The judge told him they were serious offences involving a 12-year-old girl and he clearly knew her age.

He said Bennett, aged 29, engaged in sexual conversations with her and exposed himself to the girl.

“Having done it once, this conduct was further aggravated a few days later when essentially you did the same thing again.

“What you did had a very real effect on her and she understandably required counselling because of it. It has had an untold effect on her.”

Stuart Bennett appeared at Exeter Crown Court

Mr Joss Ticehurst, prosecuting, said Bennett’s first contact with the girl was on an instant messaging service but he moved it onto a webcam chat. Bennett used the false name of John Bishop and claimed to be 21.

He said:”The girl had just come home from school and was in uniform. She told him she was 12. He said he liked her uniform but she would look better out of it. He said she looked pretty and she described feeling flattered.”

He added: “Mr Ticehurst said Bennett messaged the same girl three days later and there was a second video call in which he exposed himself again. She told him to stop and claimed her mother was in the police. He asked her not to report him and said he suffered from panic attacks.

The girl took a screen shot of the instant message chat in which he asked her to flash. He said ‘go on, it’s just a bit of fun.”

June 2016

Pervert feared being caught but still met woman to have sex with her 6-year-old

A pervert feared he was being ‘set up’ when he engaged in a discussion with a mother to have sex with her 6-year-old daughter 

Youth Homelessness Education Worker Carlton Loo told her he was worried it was part of a police operation and that he would be arrested.

But despite his misgivings, the 47-year-old, who previously worked as a Senior Mental Health Recovery Worker  still arranged a meeting and he was promptly arrested.

Now Loo, of Whitehall Road, Ramsgate has been jailed for five years after admitting three offences of arranging or facilitating the commission of a child sexual offence.

Maidstone Crown Court heard that he made contact in January with a woman on the internet not realizing she was in fact an undercover police officer.

Texts and messages were exchanged in which Loo told her: “All I want to do is meet someone with a family like you”

“Hope you are not a scam. I would like to visit. Just don’t want to get either of us in trouble”

“I would like to have a regular thing. Would you like to join in?”

“You sound very cute and petite”

Loo stated what he wanted to do with the young girl, but said she would probably be too young for full sexual intercourse”

He arranged a meeting at the Waitrose coffee shop in Crowborough, East Sussex on February 5th. 

He said he had brought gifts for the children and was very excited.

He continued:” If nothing happened this week-end then he would like to meet again in the future”

His car was searched by police and they found a young girls black dress and sweets.

The court was told that Liverpool born Loo has previous convictions for violence.

A sexual harm prevention order was made and Loo’s name will be added to the sex offenders register

Loo participated is ‘couch-surfing’ in the Kent area for a number of years.

(Couchsurfing refers to the practice of moving from one friend’s house to another, sleeping in whatever spare space is available, floor or couch, generally staying a few days before moving on to the next house)

June 2016

Pervert warned young boy he abused: ‘Your mum will tell you off if you share our secret’

A Ramsgate paedophile who incited a seven-year-old boy to engage in sexual activity has been jailed for seven years.

Aaron Knight, who had previously changed his name from Grant Spain by deed poll, was sentenced at Canterbury Crown Court on May 23, where he was also issued with a sexual harm prevention order after admitting the offences put to him.

Knight systematically groomed his young victim over a period of time between September 2013 and October 2014.

On several occasions he made the boy engage in sexual activity with him and warned the young child that the boy’s mother would tell him off if he were to tell anyone ‘their secret.’

After admitting two counts of inciting a child to engage in sexual activity and one count of sexual assault on a child under 13, unemployed Knight was jailed to a total of seven years in prison.

June 2016

Pervert pensioner who preyed on children in Yorkshire pub goes to jail

A perverted pensioner who tried to lure a seven-year-old girl into a pub toilet as she sat with her family has been jailed.

John Hale, 69, was sentenced to three years, two months after pleading guilty to inciting a child to engage in sexual activity.

Leeds Crown Court heard Hale went into the Blue Bell pub, Hemsworth, and sat opposite the youngster as she sat with her mother and grandmother in August last year.

Heather Gilmore, prosecuting, said Hale spoke to the youngster and then made gestures for her to pull her shorts up so he could see her underwear.

Hale also gestured for the girl to go with him to his house and then come to the toilet.

The girl’s mother then saw her daughter shaking her head.

Hale was went to the toilet and the girl told her mother about Hale’s behaviour.

CCTV footage showed Hale walking upstairs to the toilet before turning around and looking down towards the area where the youngster had been sitting.

Miss Gilmore said the girl had been made aware of the danger of going with strangers and told her mother about what had happened.

Police were contacted but Hale had left when officers arrived at the pub.

Hale, of The Green, Shafton, Barnsley, returned the next day and was arrested after staff alerted police when he was seen sitting next to another young girl.

He pleaded guilty to inciting a child under 13 to engage in sexual activity.

The court Hale had been acquitted of similar allegations on two previous occasion.

He admitted to a probation officer that he had an attraction to pre-pubescent girls.

Katy Rafter, mitigating, said Hale had no previous convictions. She said his wife and family were standing by him despite the offences.

Miss Rafter said: “Mr Hale is already publicly shamed for what he has done and he will have to live with these convictions and the shame that brings.”

Jailing Hale, judge Christopher Batty, said: “You went out of your way to find a family pub in an area where you were not known during the course of the school holidays last summer.

“(the victim) had fortunately been properly educated by her family as to the existence of people like you and, as parents, everybody has concerns that there are strangers in this world who are prepared to take children and have sexual relations with them – and you are one such person. That is what you were about on that day.

“You have a problem and a problem that needs dealing with. But I have a duty to the public to protect them through the sentence that I impose.”

June 2016

Pervert pleaded guilty to possessing extreme images and movies involving children as young as five

HE was the retired senior army officer who’s work for the community and charity gained him a top award.

But shamed Charles Hellard, a former lieutenant-colonel in the Army Catering Corps, led a double life of public charity work and the sordid solitary private life of watching child sexual abuse

And now he has avoided jail after admitting possessing extreme pornography involving the sexual abuse of children as young as five.

In 2014 he received a Mayor of Winchester Community Award for his work with the Winchester charity, Live at Home Scheme. 

Edward Phillips, prosecuting at Winchester Crown Court, said the offending came to light after police traced who has been accessing certain websites.

Mr Phillips said Hellard was technologically aware and had given his laptop to his adult daughter knowing that encryption would prevent her stumbling on the images.

Hellard, of Gar Street, Winchester and of previous good character, admitted three counts of possessing extreme pornography and two of indecent images.

In total there were more than 180 images, photos and videos.

Some pictures involved bestiality and people being seriously injured, the court was told.

Two other charges were dropped and will lie on the file.

Mr Phillips said Hellard told police he was motivated by “curiosity” and had not shared the images with anyone.

Mitigating, Andy Houston, said a report of a personal matter helped explain why Hellard was before the court, the details of which were not publicly disclosed with the agreement of Judge Keith Cutler.

Mr Houston added: “He is deeply ashamed and embarrassed about where he is now.”

Sentencing, Judge Cutler, the Recorder of Winchester, told Hellard: “This is the end of your public shame and humiliation. I hope it is the beginning of you leading a new and better life.”

The judge said he had read tributes to Hellard: “I want you to thank those people who have written in to me because I have read what they said.

“It is important for judges to take these matters into account.

“I can see how you went off the rails, leading one life publicly and another one in private.”

He sentenced Hellard to a 24-month community order with the requirement to complete an internet sex offender treatment programme, along with a 60-day rehabilitation requirement.

Hellard must also be on the Sex Offenders Register for five years and under a Sexual Harm Prevention Order for the same period.

Since retiring from the Army, Hellard has been involved in charity work including as a volunteer driver for the Live at Home Scheme and accountant for nine years for the Gurkha Museum at Peninsula Barracks in Winchester, near his home.

He was a director of the Peninsula Barracks Management Company and the Lower Peninsula Barracks Management Company, posts he resigned after his arrest last year.

In March 2014 he received a Mayor of Winchester Community Award for his work with the Live at Home Scheme that helps elderly people stay independent.

Hellard has also been involved with the Worthy Winchester Hash House Harriers running club.

June 2016

Pensioner jailed for sexually abusing two girls under 10

A PENSIONER has been jailed for sexually abusing two children under 10 years old in the 1960s.

Robert Walton, aged 68, of Central Avenue, Pantside, Newbridge, was jailed at Cardiff Crown Court charged with two counts of indecent assault and one count of indecency with a child.

He denied all allegations but was found guilty of the charges by a jury at trial.

The court heard the charges relate to two girls under 10 years old, one girl was abused in a single incident and the other girl was abused over a period of two years.

The offences took place during the 1960s to 1970s when the defendant was in his mid-20s.

Jeremy Jenkins, prosecuting, told the court that in their victim impact statements the women expressed the ‘anxiety’ and ‘stress’ they felt coming up to the trial and during the proceedings.

He said: “Each expressed a difficulty all of this had on their married lives and since then.”

David Elias, defending, said Walton had a ‘serious’ heart condition and on the recent bank holiday Monday Walton was taken to hospital from prison after having a suspected heart attack.

He said the defendant’s cardiologist said his life expectancy for the next five to 10 years is 80 per cent.

The court heard Walton has no previous convictions.

Recorder Peter Rouch QC said: “You have health issues but I have been told by your consultant this issue would not be exacerbated by a term of imprisonment.

“You are before the court for so serious a matter the only appropriate sentencing would be an immediate term of imprisonment.”

Judge Rouch sentenced Walton to three years for the indecent assault to run concurrently with 12 months for indecency with a child.

He was also sentenced to 12 months for indecent assault making the total he will serve is four years. Walton has already signed the sex offender’s register.

June 2016

Warminster dad who lured 14-year-old into sex jailed

A WARMINSTER father-of-four who had sex with a 14-year-old girl has been jailed for seven years by a judge who described his behaviour as “abhorrent.”

Sean Patton, 37, had frequent sex with his victim, who he became ‘friendly’ with after he met her and she visited his house for tea, the court was told.

Patton, of Portway, was reported to police by the victim’s mother, who became suspicious after she heard her daughter talking to him often on FaceTime.

On Tuesday he pleaded guilty at Winchester Crown Court to three counts of sexual activity with a child under 16, taking indecent photos of a child and possessing indecent photos of a child. He also admitted distributing indecent photos of a child and causing or inciting sexual activity with a child under 16.

The court heard Patton that between August 2014 and February 2015 he had sex with the schoolgirl in his sitting room, his car, a garden shed and even once at his mother’s house.

Patton, who has worked for a waste management company, videoed himself having having sex with the girl and then sent clips of it to her and her friend.

He then persuaded the girls to send him explicit photos of themselves from their phones.

James Tucker, prosecuting, said: “The defendant targeted and groomed a girl who was 13 when he first made contact and 14 at the time of the offences.

The court heard the victim’s relationship with Patton changed and he began to ‘cuddle’ her when they were left alone together.

Mr Tucker said: “She described on another occasion he was driving her home and he pulled the car over.

“She said she didn’t want to have sex in the car, but reluctantly agreed to do so.”

Mr Tucker added: “There was frequent full sex between them.

“It happened in the sitting room at his house, in the garden shed, in the car, and in the room he shared with his now ex-partner.

“Once it happened at the defendant’s mother’s home address.”

In a police interview, the victim told Patton once filmed them having sex.

Mr Tucker said: “That footage was then used by him to persuade her and her friend to send sexually explicit images to him from their phones.

“In one text message to the girls he said ‘what colour panties are you both wearing?’

“He then requested explicit images in order for them receive clips of the video of him and the victim having sex.”

The court heard the victim’s mother became suspicious because of the amount of time her daughter was spending on FaceTime with Patton.

The mother asked her partner to look at the girl’s phone and he took a screen shot of their text messages. She latter reported him to police.

Mr Tucker said: “This was not a relationship based on affection from him to her.

“Rather it was him targeting her, making her feel loved and special and using the trust she placed in him to exploit her sexually for his gratification.”

June 2016

Teen jailed after raping four-year-old

Vile perverted internet games involving horrific child sex abuse led a teenage student to rape a four-year-old girl.

Socially inept Philip O’Brien spent hours alone in his bedroom playing roles in the online games in which child characters were abused and tortured.

The judge said: “Games involving sexual abuse and torture were found on your computer, particularly babysitting scenarios”

A stunned court listened in silence to how one such game would end if the child character died and the player would have to start over again.

Sentencing 19-year-old O’Brien to eight years detention with an extended one year licence Judge Andrew Hatton said: “You had been an active player in these games and you saw a game through to reality by sexually abusing this girl.”

He said that his involvement in the games came to light after police seized his computer after the victim told her shocked mum what he had done to her. As well as 302 prohibited images of children the internet games were also found.

“Games involving sexual abuse and torture were found on your computer, particularly babysitting scenarios,” said Judge Hatton.

He pointed out that when quizzed by the child’s parents and later the police he denied the allegation of orally raping the girl who consequently had to go through the ordeal of giving evidence via video link at a pre-trial hearing.

Sarah Holt, prosecuting, told Liverpool Crown Court that the offence came to light in May last year after the girl suddenly announced to her mum that he had abused her.

Her devastated mum asked her to repeat what she had said which she did and after discussing the matter with her husband and relatives the police were informed.

The case was listed for trial but this was postponed so material on his computer could be examined and 302 prohibited images of children were found as well as the internet games.

One of these involved “children” aged between one and nine being abused, tortured, mutilated and burnt, she said.

O’Brien, of Broomfield Terrace, Ince, who has no previous convictions, pleaded guilty to oral rape. He does not face any charges relating to the indecent images.

Zia Chaudhry, defending, said that O’Brien, who was 18 at the time of the offence, is an intelligent college student but is “somewhat socially inept and immature.”.

He became involved with the games after someone sent him a link and he developed “a morbid curiosity and began to conduct various searches on his computer. These searches revealed the games outlined today.”

Mr Chaudhry said that they were not human children but cartoon characters including Sonic the Hedgehog.

“Despite his activities on the computer the incident was isolated and not planned and he had not groomed the girl. “He took advantage of her on one occasion,” he said.

June 2016

Man jailed for 11 years for committing sex offences against young girls during Luton carnival

A MAN who let himself into a house and committed sexual offences against young girls during Luton Carnival has been jailed for 11 years.

Martin Druce, 57, of Fourth Avenue, Luton, entered the property near the town centre in May last year by telling the children he needed to use the toilet.

The mother of one of the girls had been asleep in a room upstairs.

Druce then indecently exposed himself to the two girls and tried to force them to engage in sexual activity.

Bedfordshire Police were able to use CCTV footage from Luton Council and a nearby supermarket to place Druce near the property and link him to a vehicle.

He was later arrested and remanded into custody after being charged in connection with the offence.

At a hearing in Luton Crown Court last Monday (March 14), Druce was sentenced to 11 years imprisonment after pleading guilty to trespass with intent to commit a sexual offence and two counts of inciting a child to engage in sexual activity.

Detective Constable Mohammed Hussain, investigating, said: “This was an abhorrent act against two innocent children which will no doubt have left them scarred.

June 2016

Father and son jailed for sexually abusing young girls

A father and son have been jailed for sexually abusing young girls in Darwen.

Peter Yates, 67, was found guilty of 36 child sex offences against 10 girls aged between six and 15, in the 80s and 90s.

He was sentenced to 25 years.

June 2016

Brighton man admits downloading and distributing indecent pictures of children

A MAN has admitted distributing indecent images of children as well as possessing other banned images.

Steven Palmer, of Hodshrove Place, Brighton admitted downloading and distributing indecent photographs of children, when he appeared at Brighton Magistrates’ on May 26.

Palmer, 36, also admitted two counts of possessing prohibited images of children – this offence covers pictures that are not real photos such as computer generated images, cartoons or manga drawings depicting children in a sexual manner.

He was released on bail to June 15 to be sentenced, but ordered not to use the internet, email address or be in the company of any children under 16 without a social services risk assessment.

June 2016

St Albans toilet spy caught by little girl’s mum

A man who spied on a three-year-old girl in a toilet was caught after her mother took a picture of him and put it on social media, a court heard.

Malcolm Hawkins, 57, was found guilty of voyeurism by a jury at St Albans Crown Court.

Hawkins, who was given a 12-month community order, was caught on camera when he stuck his head under the door.

The mother shouted “dirty pervert” and took a picture, which was later spotted on social media by Hawkins’ neighbour.

The neighbour told him about the picture, taken inside the toilets of Verulamium Park in St Albans in 2014. He then handed himself in, the court was told.

Hawkins, of Oakmere Avenue, Potters Bar, must register as a sex offender for five years and was fined £250 and told to pay £1,500 in costs.

Will Noble, prosecuting, said consideration would now be given seeking a ban on Hawkins going to women’s toilets.

Prosecutor Will Noble said that on July 17, 1998 he sexually assaulted a woman by pushing her against a fence and touching her. She screamed and he ran away.

He received a probation order for that offence in 1999.