October 2016

Depraved paedophile raped and abused four children

A paedophile who raped and sexually abused four children as young as six has been jailed for 15 years.

Jack Pickering, 63, threatened to kill his victims if they ever tried to expose his depravity. On one occasion he brandished a pair of scissors.

The offences all took place in the early 2000s.

John Thackray, prosecuting at Hull Crown Court, said Pickering used a camera to record some of the abuse he meted out to his terrified victims.

The barrister summarised four victim personal statements.

Referring to the first victim, Mr Thackray said: “Their childhood was taken from them. They feel angry, frustrated and hurt. They say it has affected their relationships.”

The second victim was so badly scarred they contemplated taking their own life. The abuse affected their feeling of “self worth”, said Mr Thackray.

In respect of the third victim, Mr Thackray said they suffers mood swings and aggression and has developed a “mental block”.

The fourth victim now suffers from low confidence, struggles to sleep and “continues to feel shame”, said Mr Thackray.

Pickering, who was living in 11th Avenue, north Hull estate, when the abuse occurred, pleaded guilty to 25 sexual offences, including three counts of rape.

Patrick Palmer, for Pickering, said his client is remorseful.

“Pleas of guilty in cases like this are very rare indeed,” he said. “Notwithstanding overwhelming evidence many who are guilty of this type of offending would rather brazen it out in court. This defendant has not attempted to do that.

“He is distressed at what he has done. He is disgusted and ashamed at what he has done. There is no excuse whatsoever for what he has done. He knows that. He knows that he has ruined the lives of his victims.

“He has now spent the best part of a year in custody. For some considerable period of time he has not eaten. He is being treated for depression. He is not seeking sympathy. He does not deserve any. But he has shown insight into what he has done.”

Sentencing, Judge David Tremberg told Pickering: “You used these four children as objects for your sexual desire. This case stands out.

“You caused serious and deep-seated harm. You robbed them of their innocence and deprived them of a normal childhood. You caused each one of them enduring, emotional harm.”

Pickering wept in the dock during the sentencing.

Judge Tremberg said: “It’s all well and good saying you are full of remorse now. But you knew only too well what you were doing was wrong. At the time you were either unable or unwilling to stop.”

He said he believed Pickering still represented a risk to young children.

“I am quite satisfied that if you found yourself in a position where you had unsupervised access to a pre-pubescent child you would continue to be a risk to that child,” he said.

Pickering was jailed for 15 years, but told he could expect to be released on licence after serving approximately half the sentence. Judge Tremberg told him he would have to serve an extra year on licence, due to recent changes in sex offender legislation.

October 2016

Pervert took photo of child abuse and shared it with paedophiles

A man who had sexual activity with a toddler took a photograph of it and shared it with other paedophiles.

“Socially isolated” John Downs, 26, “fantasised about child abuse and sex with animals”, Hull Crown Court heard.

When he was questioned by police, Downs also said he “had an interest in incest,” prosecutor Patrick Palmer said.

Downs was caught after police received information on September 14 that he was using an internet system called Omegle to upload indecent images.

Officers visited his mother’s home off Spring Bank in west Hull and spoke to Downs, while also seizing a Galaxy mobile phone, an iPad, and memory sticks.

The phone contained four indecent images at Category A – the most serious – three at Category B, and two Category C images.

It also had four Category A movies, and one extreme pornographic image.

The phone also revealed he had been “chatting about child abuse”.

The iPad contained one Category A image, three at Category B, and showed he had been receiving and distributing images.

Downs immediately admitted what he had done in interview.

He would talk about how he had abused children on Omegle, “even though he hadn’t”.

Mr Palmer said: “He said he would be sent images to Dropbox which would contain images of child pornography.”

Downs told police he “thought he had some form of obsessive compulsive disorder”.

Downs, who had no previous convictions, admitted sexual activity with a child, three offences of possessing indecent photographs, two of distributing indecent images, and one of possessing extreme pornography.

A probation service report, described as “extremely helpful” by the judge, said Downs posed a “high risk” of re-offending.

Sentencing Downs to a three-year community order, the judge told him: “It seems to me that it is far better for society in general to subject you to an intensive programme, requiring close monitoring of you over a period of three whole years, rather than extend your period of incarceration for a short period of time, which will simply keep you out of circulation for a short period of time but do nothing to address the underlying risk factor, cogently identified by the probation officer in this case.”

The two requirements of the order are for Downs to complete the Northumbria sex offender programme, and have 60 days rehabilitation.

He must sign the sex offenders register for seven years, and comply with a sexual harm prevention order for the same period.

October 2016

Man had 500+ indecent photos and videos of children

A MAN with a decade-long addiction to watching sexual acts involving underage girls is today on the sex offenders’ register and subject to controls on his use of the internet.

Police found more than 500 indecent videos and photographs of children on Ernest Teasdale’s computers and Blackberry when they raided his home on March 24, said Austin Newman, prosecuting.

They found 124 of the images and videos were on file sharing software that enabled others to access them, but there was no evidence he had sent them to anyone.

Teasdale, aged 35, of Camellia Close, Norton, pleaded guilty to three charges of possessing indecent images and videos of children and three of distributing sexual images and videos of children by not limiting access to the 124 pictures and videos on the file sharing equipment.

Mr Newman said Teasdale had told police he had downloaded the images for ten years and was addicted to them, but he would never harm a child or carry out any of the acts in the videos and pictures.

Recorder Richard Wright QC told him: “Every time you view such an image, you are perpetuating the suffering of these children. Every image is the result of a child suffering sexual or physical abuse. Every time you view such an image, you fuel that industry, for that is what it is.”

He made a three-year community order at York Crown Court with 30 days’ rehabilitative activities including sex offender treatment and 250 hours’ unpaid work. He put him on the sex offenders’ register for five years and made a sexual harm prevention order restricting his use of the internet indefinitely.

October 2016

Dad guilty of child cruelty after baby daughter died sat in front of fire at highest setting

A dad has been found guilty of child cruelty after the death of his 18 week-old baby daughter who was left in front of a gas fire on its highest setting.

Tragic Kayleigh Sheard was found by paramedics in her bouncer – smeared with Sudacrem antiseptic healing cream and declared dead minutes later.

She suffered burns to her face and also had bite marks and extensive fractures to her right shoulder and arm from the weeks before her death.

Despite her internal and external injuries her cause of death could not be determined and investigators were unable to say she died from an unlawful act.

Instead, her parents were charged with cruelty to a person under 16.

Her mother, Lucy Damen, 22, pleaded guilty to the offence several weeks ago but her father Daniel Sheard, 24, elected a trial.

Yesterday he was found guilty after a three-week hearing at Leeds Crown Court – and will be sentenced together with his wife in a few weeks.

The court heard that Sheard claimed he put little Kayleigh in front of the fire “to wake her up”.

He phoned for an ambulance around 4.10am on September 30 2013 saying she was in a collapsed state and felt hard.

He said she was fine when he put her bed, adding “I don’t know what happened”.

Prosecuting, Nicholas Campbell QC said: “The attendants found what turned out to be the body of Kayleigh, sitting in that bouncy chair in the living room.

“The gas fire on the was burning at is maximum heat.

“Kayleigh was dressed in a babygrow and a pair of white socks, her face was covered in Sudacrem, it was clear she had suffered burns to her face.

“There was evidence of both bites and bruises to her face, head and body.”

Kayleigh was pronounced dead just minutes after the attendants arrived.

Mr Campbell said the lack of inflamed tissue “indicated the burns could not have been caused while she was alive”.

The Crown said the couple had “neglected Kayleigh by failing to provide adequate medical care”.

Before granting Sheard bail, Judge Tom Bayliss QC told the court: “This is a very serious matter.”

The defendant did not react as the verdict was read out.

The couple, of Heckmondwike, West Yorks., are on bail until their sentence date.

October 2016

Soldier jailed after being caught trying to meet schoolgirl for sex

A DECORATED soldier who arranged to meet a teenage girl he met online for sex has been jailed following a sting operation by a fellow serviceman who posed as the 15-year-old.

Private Nicholas Mathews, 28, continued to chat with ‘Ellie’ after she revealed she was 15 on dating app Tinder and sent an array of crude sexual messages to her, including asking ‘what underwear are you going to wear when we meet?’

‘Ellie’ was invented by rifleman Daniel Sutor, who set out to catch paedophiles by starting the ‘Vigilante Nonce Hunting Group’, having been inspired by Channel 4 documentary ‘The Paedophile Hunter’.

A court martial heard that Mathews, who was 27 at the time, asked if she was going to perform a sex act on him and even told her ‘not to brag about having sex as he could get in a lot of trouble.’

However when Mathews arrived at a car park in Durrington, Wilts, where they planned to meet, he was greeted by a large crowd of soldiers who hurled abuse at him, charged at his car and even threw eggs and flour at it.

The court heard Mathews, who coincidentally turned out to work on the same base as the soldiers – Picton Barracks in Bulford, Wilts – was caught after the riflemen who egged his car were reported for their behaviour.

When the soldiers were investigated they revealed the sting operation and Mathews was then officially investigated.

Disgraced Mathews was dismissed from the army and jailed for 14 months at Bulford Military Court, Wilts, as the court heard he has been awarded medals in Cyprus and Afghanistan.

Mathews, who admitted one count of attempting to meet a child for sex following grooming, met Ellie on Tinder and then ‘took the initiative of getting her on a more anonymous site’, messaging service Kik.

Prosecutor Lieutenant Colonel Graham Coombes said Ellie’s account was originally listed 18, to meet Tinder’s requirements, but soon after they ‘matched’ she revealed she was 15 and asked if it was a problem.

Lt Col Coombes said: “It started when a rifleman in the local area set up social media accounts for a fictitious girl with the intent on catching men who attempt to meet young girls.

“The group the rifleman set up was the ‘Vigilante Nonce Hunting Group.’ He used a friend’s sister’s picture for the social media accounts of the girl, named Ellie.

“On dating sites Ellie’s age was listed as 18 as that is the minimum age on them. This was based on a Channel 4 documentary where a vigilante catches paedophiles.

“The rifleman intended to confront individuals and pass on information to the police.

“Not long after the accounts were set up Private Mathews started communicating with Ellie in April last year.

“Soon after Ellie told him she was not 18 but 15 instead, and asked him if he had a problem with that.

“Private Mathews said no and asked her if she had Kik so further conversation could take place.

“Conversation was mainly sexual between the pair and Mathews suggested they meet up for sexual activity and later asked her what underwear she was going to wear when they met up.

“He asked to meet her in a car park in Durrington and then go back to her parents’ house.

“He arrived at the car park and then a number of riflemen shouted abuse at him and charged at his car, throwing eggs and flour at the same time. Private Mathews drove off.”

One message from Mathews said he would meet Ellie ‘when it gets darker so he doesn’t get seen by anyone who knows him’ and he also asked ‘if she used tongue while snogging’.

Defending, Mark Ashley said: “So far as this matter is concerned it has an unusual background as it was a sting operation by soldiers.

“It’s quite clear his intention was not to meet young girls. He was on Tinder where you have to be 18, and he was not actively looking for girls under 18.

“His judgement has completely failed him and he realises it’s completely unacceptable. As a result of his stupidity there are consequences to follow.”

Judge Advocate Alistair McGrigor said: “You were the subject of a sting operation set up by a serviceman.

“You initially responded to a photograph on Tinder, however very soon after you were informed that Ellie was 15 – you were aged 27.

“You made it clear that not only did this not trouble you but then took the initiative of getting her on a more anonymous site [Kik] and moved on her in a sexual way.

“You asked what underwear she would be wearing and knew what was going on was wrong by requesting she not brag about it.

“While messaging you arranged to meet and go back to her parents, in due course you arrived only to find a group of servicemen waiting with eggs and flour.

“This is a serious and shameful offence.”

The court also heard rifleman Daniel Sutor intended to catch paedophiles near him and it was coincidental that he trapped a fellow soldier.

October 2016

Didcot paedophile jailed for five years after targeting woman and schoolgirl

A PAEDOPHILE who abused two victims shook his head in disappointment as he was thrown behind bars for five years.

Jurors convicted Derek Collins by a majority of sexually assaulting a woman and a schoolgirl after seven hours and 16 minutes deliberating at Oxford Crown Court today.

The former maintenance worker, who was based at Harwell Campus, was also slapped with a sexual harm prevention order and must sign the sex offenders register.

Jurors heard the 53-year-old targeted the woman in 2010.

Collins called her over to a window, claiming there was something she needed to see, before he sexually assaulted her, the court heard.

The sex offender then told her she was an ‘easy target’ and warned her to keep his offending a secret.

The court heard the attack left the woman, described as having ‘child-like’ qualities, feeling distressed.

Collins targeted the schoolgirl almost five years later, assaulting her while she was sitting under a duvet on a sofa in her home.

He attempted to ‘tickle’ the youngster before assaulting her.

Defence barrister Roger Carne told the court Collins cared for his father, who suffers from Alzheimer’s disease.

Collins, of Foxhall Road, Didcot, must also pay a victim surcharge.

October 2016

Pervert newsagent groped young girls

A NEWSAGENT who boasted about having affairs with a string of females is facing jail after he was exposed as a pervert who molested young girls in his shop.

Tariq Chaudhry, 59, groped his victims as they worked behind the counter in Darroch’s newsagents in Bothwell, Lanarkshire.

He would rub himself up against them, make sexual remarks and set up a television in the shop where he watched explicit films.

Chaudhry employed the girls to work after school and weekends between 2005 and 2008.

One girl reported his behaviour eight years ago but nothing was done until another victim contacted police about him last year following an unconnected sex attack in the area.

A probe was launched and led to three girls telling police they had suffered at his hands and he was arrested.

Chaudhry, of Glasgow, went on trial at Hamilton Sheriff Court and denied the allegations against him forcing his victims – who cannot be identified for legal reasons – to testify from behind screens.

He accused them of lying but was found guilty of three charges of using lewd, indecent and libidinous practices against them between October 2005 and November 2008.

One victim, who is now 22, told the court she was 15 when she was employed in the shop.

She said: “He told me that I would be working in an adult environment so there was behaviour that I just assumed was part of being in that environment.

“There was excessive discussion about his sex life and affairs that he had had.

“He would look at models and talk about their breasts which made me feel uncomfortable.

“He would ask me how my boobs looked, grab my bum and say how nice my legs were.

“When we were working behind the counter he would grab my bum and and put his arms round me, this would happen every shift.

“I eventually handed in my notice because of all of this but the groping escalated.

“My mum would come and pick me up from the shift but I was always aware of not wanting her to come into the shop.”

She added: “I was just embarrassed by it all and I thought I would never fall into something like this.

“When the door of the shop was locked and I was pressed against the counter it was a very intimidating experience.

“Last year there was a sexual assault in the area and I thought I had to do something because I knew someone who was in a position of trust and should not be hiring young girls.”

Another victim, now aged 25, said she reported Chaudhry when she was at school but he was not investigated.

She said: “He would read porn magazines and discuss sexual activities he had with other women.

“He told me he used to work in a restaurant and how he had an affair with a woman, he would have sex with her when they were locking up at the end of a shift.

“He also told me about what his wife would do to him as well.

“He would deliberately brush past me, he would touch my arms and my back and I didn’t like it.

“I don’t trust men anymore and always question their motives and I don’t like being alone with them.

“I reported him when I was at school for what he was doing but nothing was ever done about it.”

Chaudhry was placed on the sex offenders register and will be sentenced next month. He refused to comment.

November 2011

Ribchester man who sexually abused young girls jailed

A RIBCHESTER man has today been jailed for 19 years for the sexual abuse of young girls dating back more than 30 years.

Vincent Whittingham, 69, preyed on girls aged between five and 13.

The court heard that after molesting the girls he told them they must keep the matter a secret.

Whittingham, of Stydd Lane, denied a series of offences of rape and sexual assault, dating back to March 1980.

But he was convicted of 10 rapes, six indecent assaults, three offences of sexual activity with a child, four other sexual assaults and one other charge of inciting a child to engage in sexual activity.

Judge Simon Newell also ordered Whittingham to sign the sex offenders’ register for life and he will also be barred from working with children.

Prosecutor Louise Whaites said that at least one of the girls was left exposed to sexually-transmitted diseases, after the defendant had unprotected sex with her.

October 2016

Man jailed for sexual activity with girl, 14

A man has been locked up for 30 months after committing a sex offence against a vulnerable 14-year-old girl.

Dominic Middleton, 19, was sentenced at Carlisle Crown Court today, having previously admitted one charge of sexual activity with a child. It took place on a single occasion.

The court heard of the “profound” impact of the crime on Middleton’s young victim.

His lawyer, Keith Thomas, asked for any term of custody to be suspended.

But Judge Peter Davies concluded he was unable to take that step and imposed an immediate 30-month custodial sentence.

“It is too serious, the girl was too vulnerable and the consequences on her are too great,” said Judge Davies.

Middleton, of Greystone Road, Carlisle, must sign the sex offenders’ register indefinitely. He was also made subject to the terms of a sexual harm prevention order for 10 years.

October 2007

Lecturer guilty after child sexual abuse images discovery

A RUBERY lecturer has been convicted of downloading more than 200 pornographic images of children onto college computers and his own laptop.

Ian Duffy, 34, of Hobacre Close, Rubery, had pleaded not guilty at Warwick Crown Court to 11 charges of making indecent images of children.

Duffy, a lecturer and curriculum manager at North Warwickshire and Hinckley College, claimed he was being set up by his wife and a work colleague for whom she had left him.

The jury found him not guilty of ten charges relating to individual indecent images of children which were all downloaded later on the day his wife told him that she was leaving him.

But Duffy was found guilty of the 11th charge relating to making 247 indecent images between April 2005 and March last year.

Prosecutor Andrew Tucker said that Duffy worked at the college’s Nuneaton site, as did Andrew Adams. Mr Adams became a good friend of Duffy and his wife Christine.

In January last year Mr Adams suffered a heart attack, and as he recovered Christine Duffy started an affair with him which came into the open on March 10 when she told her husband and left the matrimonial home.

On March 24 the college computer technical services manager was told that space on one of the computer servers was running low.

He began trying to find files which should not have been there so he could delete them, such as downloaded music.

But when he arrived at Duffy’s area of the system he discovered a series of folders.

He opened them to find a folder called Lolitas and realised the pornography related to children, so reported it to the vice-principal and the police were called.

Joseph Lewis, defending, pointed out that Christine, now Christine Amos-Adams, received a police caution in 1998 when she was 22 for having sex with a 15-year-old boy, as a result of which she was put on the sex offenders’ register.

Christine, who told the court she and Duffy used to go to “swinging clubs”, denied it was her who wanted to watch pornography.

After the jury returned its verdicts the case was adjourned for a pre-sentence report to be prepared. Duffy was granted bail.

June 2016

Appeal refused for serial paedophile who abused young girls

Lionel Fruen was sentenced on 29th January 2016 having pleaded guilty at an earlier stage.

The applicant was convicted of 19 counts of sexual offences at Liverpool Crown Court.

He was subsequently sentenced on 18th January 2016 to a total sentence of 15 years, comprising a custodial term of 14 years’ imprisonment with a further period of 1 year for which the offender is to be the subject of a licence

For count 1 he was sentenced to 3 years and 4 months’ imprisonment. For count 2 he was sentenced to 2 years and 8 months’ imprisonment to run consecutively.

The total sentence therefore was one of 6 years’ imprisonment. In addition the court made a Sexual Harm Prevention Order of indefinite duration. The Registrar has referred Fruen’s case to the full court.

Count 1 involved a child, A, whose mother was a close friend of the applicant’s then wife. On an occasion between October 1993 and October 1995 when A was aged about 8 or 9, her mother and the applicant’s wife had gone out for the evening.

The applicant was left to look after his own children and A. He was not happy about this.

During the evening he made A sit on his lap and in the presence of his young sons put his hand inside her pyjama bottoms and knickers and touched her vaginal area. He penetrated her vagina with his finger whispering “You like this don’t you”. A was upset but felt too scared to tell anyone what had happened.

Count 2 involved a different child, B. The applicant’s relationship with his ex-wife had come to an end and he began dating another woman whom he later married. She had two daughters, including B, so that the applicant became their stepfather. On an occasion between May 2001 and May 2003 when B was aged between 10 and 12, she went to the applicant’s bedroom to ask if she could go out.

Her mother was out at work and the applicant was in bed. He pulled the bedcovers aside and asked for a cuddle.

B got into bed. He put his hand on her hip, undid her dressing gown and started to rub her thigh. Then he placed his thumb on her vagina and began rubbing her clitoral area for about two minutes saying “Don’t tell mum about this little cuddle.”

Matters came to light in 2015 after the applicant drunkenly told B’s mother that he had touched child A. He had previously admitted to her that he had touched child B but B’s mother was in denial and took no action. The police became involved and both girls, by now young women, reported what had happened.

These are two specific offences against the two young girls.

There were victim impact statements from B and her mother. In the case of B, that showed that this offending has had a very serious effect on her life.

She said that it had destroyed her childhood and teenage years. B’s mother had also been significantly affected as she felt great guilt that she had not protected her daughter and had time off from work with stress and faced the possibility of losing her home as a result of this applicant’s custodial sentence.

The applicant had convinced B’s mother initially that B was a liar and mentally unstable and that what she had said about the abuse was untrue.

In the case of A the victim was younger and had suffered a penetrative offence committed in the presence of other children. Like the offence in relation to B, there was a breach of trust.

This applicant is 59 years of age. He has no relevant previous convictions. There was a pre-sentence report which assessed him as posing a medium risk of harm to female children.

In passing sentence the judge was conscious that the offences had been committed under a different sentencing regime and that the maximum sentence for each offence was 10 years.

He commented that the fact that the applicant had managed to evade justice for some time did not mean that his sentences should be less than they would be if they had been committed today.

He correctly identified count 1 as now being equivalent to a section 6 offence under the Sexual Offences Act 2003, and count 2 being equivalent to a very serious section 7 offence.

Prior to credit for plea, the sentence on count 1 was 5 years which the judge said had regard to totality. On count 2 the sentence prior to credit was 4 years imprisonment.

The grounds of appeal urged that the judge paid insufficient regard to totality in setting the sentence at 9 years prior to credit for plea.

Moreover, it is said that the judge should have given considerable weight to the applicant’s drunken confession to B’s mother which led to his arrest

The facts show that the applicant had sexually abused two step-granddaughters S and A between about 2000 and 2005.

The children stayed most weekends at his home which he shared with their natural grandmother.

The two girls considered the applicant to be their grandfather. It was rare for them both to stay at his home at the same time. In each case the abuse began when the girls were very young.

In S’s case it started when she was about 6 and continued until she was about 10. In A’s case the abuse began when she was about 4 and continued until she was about 8. A period of 4-5 years was involved in each case.

Both girls said that the applicant had watched pornography in their presence. Matters did not come to light until 2015 when A told her mother about the abuse.

After that, S confirmed that she had been abused and the police became involved.

Both girls gave accounts of systematic and repeated abuse occurring almost every time they stayed over.

October 2016

Paedophile baker jailed for abusing very young girl

A baker who sexually abused a little girl over 20 years ago after she visited him to try his cakes has been jailed for four-and-a-half years 

Vernon Foale, 71, molested the youngster between 1989 and 1995 while he was living in Kingswood, Surrey, starting when she was just two.

He got to know her family because it was a friendly neighbourhood and children would often be in and out of each other’s houses to play.

September 2016

Kingswood man Vernon Foale found guilty of sexually abusing young girl by jury at the Old Bailey

A Kingswood man has been found guilty of sexually abusing a young girl as he sang her nursery rhymes before telling her it was “their secret”.

Vernon Foale, 70, of Drive Spur, Kingswood, was found guilty of four charges of indecently assaulting a young girl in the late 1980s and early 1990s by a jury at the Old Bailey today (Wednesday, September 28).

He will be sentenced at the same court on Wednesday, October 26.

The victim – who cannot be named for legal reasons – told Surrey Police Mr Foale placed his fingers on or in her vagina on four occasions between June 16, 1989 and December 31, 1995. She would have been aged between two and eight years old during this period.

Anthony Prosser, prosecuting, told the court on Monday (September 26) that on the first occasion the victim was sitting on Mr Foale’s lap. Mr Foale allegedly placed a pillow across her legs, before touching her.

The victim recalls a “very wet and cold” feeling between her legs.

During the second assault, she was with Mr Foale while he sang “children’s songs or nursery rhymes”, Mr Prosser told the court. Mr Foale then placed his hand inside her knickers.

Two further attacks also took place, during which Mr Foale again touched her vagina.

During the opening to the trial, Mr Prosser referred to a statement written by the victim. It read: “When I think back to it, I know it all happened and that it was terribly wrong, but I think in the moment I never thought it was scary.

“He looked after me at the time.

“He told me it was a secret. It was our secret. And he told me not to tell anyone.”

Mr Foale had denied all charges and insisted any touching was “innocent” and “purely accidental”, when interviewed by police in August 2015. He pleaded not guilty at Guildford Crown Court on March 14.

July 2016

Redditch man jailed for 8 years after he repeatedly abused two schoolgirls

A REDDITCH engineer has been jailed for eight years after a court heard he repeatedly abused two schoolgirls.

Christopher Marklew, aged 69, of Danzey Close, admitted a total of nine allegations of indecent assault against his victims, who are now grown women.

One of the women read her victim statement to the court, speaking behind a screen and saying that Marklew was an “opportunistic abuser”.

She said that what he did to her left her with post traumatic stress disorder, suffering flashbacks and feeling “blank, worthless and used”.

A statement from the other woman victim – read out in court by Siobhan Collins, prosecuting – said she had urges to self harm and suffered “despair, grief, isolation and depression.”

Jason Aris, defending, said: “It’s very clear that this defendant is full of remorse for what happened.

“The acknowledgement of this disgraceful and disgusting behaviour is hard to live with.”

Judge Robert Juckes QC told Marklew: “You are now very nearly 70 and you are a broken man – a man who in every other respect has led a constructive life and has done well in business as an engineer.”

The judge said Marklew would spend at least four years in jail before being allowed out on licence.

October 2016

Pervert who raped and sexually abused a girl when he was 14 will not go to jail

Daniel Poole of Street, 31, and was told going to prison for crimes he committed as a teen in 1999 would have a “questionable” benefit to society.

Judge David Ticehurst said the case was unique after Poole admitted one charge of rape, four charges of indecent activity with a child and one of indecent assault.

Rob Hall, prosecuting, said: “The victim described how the activity started with games and soon became sexual. He made her believe it was normal.”

In 2009, she told her family what had happened, but did not report it to police until 2014.

“Two days after she made that decision, he went to the police station and made a statement that said he fully admitted the accusations against him,” Mr Hall said.

Sentencing him, Judge David Ticehurst said: “Your victim has had to live with the consequences of your actions and it’s clear that they have had a devastating effect on her. To rape and abuse girl of that age is unthinkable.

“Judges are allowed to exercise their judgement, and were I to impose a five year sentence, it would be a wholly unjust outcome in this case,” he said.

“What benefit would be served to society by sending someone to prison for an offence they carried out over 16 years ago, when they were just 14?

“I do not think he’s a risk to other people – but what you did is never going to be capable of being undone.”

He sentenced Poole to two years in prison for rape, and 12 months in prison for each of the other charges, to run concurrently, suspended for two years.

He was also ordered to sign the sexual offenders register for 10 years and must pay £500 costs.

October 2016

Elderly paedophile placed on sex offenders’ register after pictures of four-year-olds found on laptop

A 64-year-old man who shared indecent images of children has been placed on the sex offenders’ register.

At Kilmarnock Sheriff Court on Monday, William Kerr, of Strathmore Park, Irvine, pleaded guilty to two charges relating to images of children and one of possessing extreme pornography depicting bestiality.

The offences were committed between February 2009 and January this year.

The court heard that Kerr came to the attention of the police after they seized computer equipment from another address in January last year.

An examination of the equipment revealed indecent images of children and extreme pornography.

And it became apparent that the computer owner had been sharing images and “the user names of children who could be coerced into performing indecent acts on web cams”.

Further forensic examination found a user name linked to an account held by Kerr.

It was in January this year that police went to Kerr’s home, armed with a search warrant, and seized a laptop computer and other devices.

When he was later interviewed by police, the accused admitted searching for indecent images “five or six years ago”.

But he “didn’t answer questions about communicating with other users through Skype”.

An examination of Kerr’s computer uncovered 51 still and three moving images of children – some at the highest level of severity.

They featured girls ranging in age from four to 15-years-old.

Katy Dawson told Sheriff Shirley Foran that she would reserve her comments for the next court date and asked only that Kerr’s bail be continued.

Sentence was deferred until November 29 for a criminal justice social work report.

October 2016

Cwmbran man with ‘largest collection of child sex images in Gwent’ avoids jail

A CWMBRAN man found to have in his possession the “largest collection” of child sex images in Gwent has been handed a suspended sentence.

Paul Davies, 64, of Cardigan Close, Croesyceiliog, was found with thousands of indecent images and videos on his computer after a search was carried out by Gwent Police on September 22.

Davies was remanded in custody following the search and pleaded guilty to three counts of making indecent photos of children and one count of possessing extreme pornography at Newport Magistrates’ Court on September 24.

The pre-sentence report at Cardiff Crown Court today revealed that Davies was found with 122 videos classed category A – the most serious – as well as 19 category B and 36 category C.

Davies also had 6,144 images deemed category A, 6,080 category B and 112, 486 category C videos as well as 140,000 assorted images and videos of extreme pornography.

Peter Dennison, prosecuting, said Davies had told officers that “there were a few naughties” on his hard-drive.

He added: “The amount of indecent images found was the largest number that have been recovered by officers in Gwent.”

Ieuan Bennett, defending, said that Davies was “beyond remorseful” for his actions which and that he was “devastated” when his family found out.

“Having a wife, grown children and grandchildren of his own, he understands what he’s done and is beyond remorseful,” said Mr Bennett.

“The sheer volume of the images show that it had become something of a habit.

“He was looking forward to a happy retirement but he knows that he has lost it all.”

Judge Jeremy Jenkins passed a sentence of 10 months imprisonment suspended for two years as well as imposing a sexual harm prevention order for 10 years which prevents Davies from deliberately communicating or living with female children under the age of 16

Judge Jenkins said that he had read testimonies from family members which showed that Davies’ actions were “totally uncharacteristic”

He said: “These images show young, real children being horribly sexually abused by evil individuals and people like you are downloading these images and are simply making their industry bigger.

“More and more children are being abused for sexual pleasure and you should reflect on that long and hard.”

Davies was ordered to pay prosecution costs of £340, a victim surcharge of £140 and is required to complete 25 days of rehabilitation.

October 2016

Child abuse victim speaks out after man is jailed for four and a half years

A WOMAN who was abused as a child by a neighbour has spoken of her relief after her attacker was jailed more than 30 years later.

Graham Carson, 61, from Clacton, denied seven charges of indecent assault and gross indecency with a child but was convicted by a jury after a five-day trial last month.

He was jailed for a total four and a half years at Chelmsford Crown Court.

His victim bravely spoke out about her ordeal after he was sentenced.

She retained her legal right to anonymity. 

“He was someone my family trusted at the time,” she said.

“I was at home when I found out he had been found guilty and just collapsed – I couldn’t believe it.

“It’s affected my whole childhood, my marriage and relationships with my children.

“I have spent most of my life getting counselling or on antidepressants for anxiety which I still suffer from now.

“I still have nightmares.”

Having to give evidence in court after Carson denied the charges was a harrowing ordeal for the victim, who was just eight when the abuse started in Clacton.

She is now in her 40s and still lives in the town.

“Even though he is now in prison, it’s all very raw again,” she said.

“It will never take away what he has done but at least I am relieved he has been convicted.

“It takes a weight of my shoulders knowing he is not walking about because I have bumped into him a few times in the past.

“I am hoping it will bring some sort of closure and later I hope to help other victims – whether it is historical abuse or the present day.

The victim spoke of her relief after Carson, of The Drive, was jailed.

She said: “I think the judge gave the best sentence she could.

“It was never going to be enough. He has ruined the past 30 years of my life and it’s never going to go away – I just have to learn to cope with it differently.

“I was lucky. Some people don’t get justice. I’m just grateful that I did.”

Carson was sentenced to four and a half years for one count of indecent assault.

He was given a year for each of the four other indecent assault convictions and two years for each of the two charges of gross indecency with a child.

The sentences all run concurrently.

Update: Now living in Fenton Road, Southbourne, Bournemouth

August 2011

Weymouth paedophile jailed for 3 years at Dorchester Crown Court

A PAEDOPHILE has been jailed for three years after he was found guilty of abusing a seven-year-old girl more than 12 years ago.

Following a trial, Stephen Philip Coulter, 50, was found guilty by a jury sitting at Dorchester Crown Court of two charges of indecently assaulting the girl.

He was handed a jail sentence by Judge Samuel Wiggs when he appeared at Bournemouth Crown Court.

A previous court heard how the offences dated back to between December 4, 1997, and December 3, 1998.

Jurors at the trial heard the victim claim that Coulter forced her to sit on him while he lay naked during the night when she was staying at his flat.

She also told how he then indecently assaulted her in the bath the following day.

At the trial Coulter, formerly of Buxton Road, denied entering the girl’s bedroom on the night in question and denied the assault in the bathroom.

Tim Bradbury, prosecuting, told Bournemouth Crown Court: “On June 21, 2011, Coulter was found guilty of two charges of indecent assault.”

Timothy Shorter, mitigating, told the court how Coulter had already served a five-year prison sentence for other sexual offence matters which took place after 1998 and that a further prison sentence would not be appropriate.

He said: “He has served a substantial prison sentence with everything that goes with that.

“A custodial sentence will mean he will go back to prison and no work will be done with him.

“They will say: ‘He has done all the courses and there is no point in doing them again’.

“Then after a period of time he will come out with no home, no prospects for a job and the country will have simply punished him without achieving anything in my respectful submission.”

Judge Wiggs said to Coulter: “This was very serious. It was a young child and you had a position of responsibility.”

He added: “I cannot say what sentence the judge on the previous occasion would have imposed if he had known about these matters.

“All I can do is impose what I regard as the appropriate sentence today.”

Judge Wiggs sentenced Coulter to a total of three years in prison.

Coulter is already on the Sex Offenders Register and a Sexual Offences Prevention Order is in place.

October 2016

Irvine man admits persuading girls, 15, into taking part in perverted photoshoot in Ayr

AN Irvine man has admitted enticing underage girls into a bogus modelling shoot.

Vile Frank Collins, of Drumelzier Court, lured two 15-year-old girls to a flat rented under a false name in Ayr in June 2015.

At Ayr Sheriff Court last week, the 46-year-old admitted setting up a Facebook page offering work to the girls to do a modelling shoot.

Thereafter, Collins got the girls to dress up for sexually suggestive photoshoots and offered to pay the teens £50 for taking part.

But the money never arrived and police were contacted.

Collins, a delivery driver, was later arrested at his home address and charged with two counts of sexual offences.

He pleaded guilty to the charges at court last week and is due to return to the dock in November.

Collins was placed on the Sex Offender’s Register.

October 2015

Doctor found guilty of making, possessing and distributing child sex images and movies

On 16 October 2015, Dr. Graeme Harrington pleaded guilty to 11 counts of making, possessing and distributing child sex images and movies

The hearing heard that Harrington had also distributed the images and movies to other paedophiles online

In total over 29,000 images were discovered on Harringtons computer. Of which almost 1000 were classed in the highest category, which showed children being raped or tortured.

Dr Harrington was charged on 8 August 2015 and at his first appearance in court, he pleaded guilty to all the counts and in due course received an immediate custodial sentence of a total of 20 months.

• On 16 October 2015 at the Crown Court at Guildford Dr. Graeme Harrington was convicted upon indictment of:

• a. Count 1: Making an indecent photograph or pseudo-photograph of a child; Found Proved

• b. Count 2: Making an indecent photograph or pseudo-photograph of a child; Found Proved

• c. Count 3: Making an indecent photograph or pseudo-photograph of a child; Found Proved

• d. Count 4: Making an indecent photograph or pseudo-photograph of a child; Found Proved

• e. Count 5: Making an indecent photograph or pseudo-photograph of a child; Found Proved

• f. Count 6: Possession of an indecent photograph or pseudo-photograph of a child; Found Proved

• g. Count 7: Possession of extreme pornographic images-act of intercourse/oral sex with a dead/alive animal; Found Proved

• h. Count 8: Possession of prohibited images of children; Found Proved

• i. Count 9: Possession of prohibited images of children; Found Proved

• j. Count 10: Distributing an indecent photograph or pseudo-photograph of a child; Found Proved

• k. Count 11: Distributing an indecent photograph or pseudo-photograph of a child. Found Proved 2.

• On 6 November 2015 you were sentenced to:

• a. Count 1: 12 months imprisonment (Concurrent); Found Proved as amended

• b. Count 2: 1 month imprisonment (Concurrent); Found Proved

• c. Count 3: 16 months imprisonment (Concurrent); Found Proved

• d. Count 4:6 months imprisonment (Concurrent); Found Proved

• e. Count 5: 3 months imprisonment (Concurrent); Found Proved

• f. Count 6: 4 months imprisonment (Concurrent); Found Proved

• g. Count 7: 1 month imprisonment (Concurrent); Found Proved

• h. Count 8:1 month imprisonment (Concurrent); Found Proved

• i. Count 9: 3 months imprisonment (Concurrent); Found Proved

• j. Count 10: 20 months imprisonment (Effective Sentence); Found Proved

• k. Count 11:20 months imprisonment (Concurrent). Found Proved

• ii. a Sexual Harm Order (SHPO) for a period of 10 years under

  s.103 of the Sexual Offences Act 2003; Found Proved

• iii. to sign the Sex Offenders Register for 10 years;

  3. By virtue of your conviction and sentence, you are subject to notification

  requirements as a sex offender, for a period of 10 years. Found Proved