December 2016

MAN, 55, ADMITS HAVING INDECENT IMAGES OF CHILDREN ON HIS LAPTOP

A man has admitted having indecent images of children on his laptop.

John Greer, 55, appeared at Aberdeen Sheriff Court and admitted having the images in his possession between November 3, 2013, and April 7, 2015, at an address in Aberdeenshire.

Fiscal Depute Jamie Dunbar told the court on April 7, 2015, police attended at Greer’s workplace.

Greer gave permission for them to examine his laptop.

When it was analysed, 21 indecent images and six videos were discovered

Greer’s defence agent Laura Bell told the court at the time the offences were committed Greer’s marriage was “at the point of breaking”.

She went on to say that he had been “drinking to excess” and “felt isolated”.

She said: “He deeply regrets his involvement in this offence.” She added he accepted it was “abhorrent”.

Sheriff Graham Buchanan told Greer, whose address was given in court papers as Kennishead Avenue, Glasgow, sentence would be deferred until February.

December 2016

Poringland man admits making indecent photographs of children

Mark Connett, of Cawston Meadows, Poringland, pleaded guilty to three charges of making indecent photographs of a child, one charge of possessing a prohibited image of a child, and one charge of possessing an extreme pornographic image portraying an act of oral sex with a dog.

District judge Dodds said the case would be sent to crown court, as the offences were too serious to be dealt with in magistrates’ court.

A date for Mr Connett to appear at crown court is yet to be set.

He was granted bail, with the condition he must not have any unsupervised contact with anyone under 16, and as he entered a guilty plea he must inform police of his whereabouts.

December 2016

Norwich cleaner handed suspended sentence

A cleaner who had previously worked in schools was handed a one-year jail sentence – suspended for two years – after he admitted making indecent pseudo-photographs of a children.

Matthew Fleming, of Shipfield, Norwich, pleaded guilty to three charges of making the images at Norwich Magistrates’ Court at a previous hearing and was sentenced by magistrates at the same court today.

A pseudo-photograph is an image, whether made by computer-graphics or otherwise, which appears to be a photograph.

Jane Foster, prosecuting, said a search warrant was executed at Fleming’s home – where he lived alone – on April 26.

The court heard a number of computer and storage devices were seized so they could be checked for images, and Fleming was taken to Alysham Police Investigation Centre for questioning.

On a mixture of computers and DVDs, police found 221 still and moving images which fell into category A, the most serious category.

They found 252 still of moving images in category B, and 322 in category C.

Mrs Foster said: “Police checked 10,000 video files, a further 5,000 were not checked at the time by police. 265,000 further image files were checked, with 82 images located, and 110,083 have not been checked but may contain images.”

But although she suggested the case be sent to crown court due to its severity, magistrates decided their sentencing powers were sufficient.

Representing himself, 37-year-old Fleming told magistrates he was a cleaner, who in the past had worked in schools and held a DBS certificate.

“But my employer has destroyed my DBS now,” he said, although he had been allowed to keep his job.

He added: “I’m very sorry and I won’t do it again.”

Chairman of the bench Dr Rodney Edrich said: “Clearly these are very serious matters.

“What we are going to do is we are going to send you to prison for four months on each of the matters which means a year in total.

“But we are going to suspend that sentence for two years.”

He also ordered Fleming to undergo 50 hours of rehabilitation activities.

“Which will endeavour to attend to some of your problems and sort you out,” he said.

Fleming was told to pay costs of £85 and a £115 surcharge.

He will also need to inform police of any changes in his circumstances for ten years, and be subject to a sexual harm prevention order for the same period,

December 2016: Given a three-year community sentence, with a condition of taking part in a sex offender programme, for sexual assault, common assault, and possessing indecent images of children and extreme pornography.

October 2016

Pervert targeted schoolgirls in Stratford

A PERVERT targeted schoolgirls in uniform during two separate incidents in Stratford after indecent images of children had already been found on his computer.

Christopher Gale appeared at Warwick Crown Court after pleading guilty to sexually assaulting one of the girls and two charges of common assault on the other girl.

The 36 year-old of Masons Road, also admitted possessing indecent images of children, possessing extreme pornography and assaulting a police officer.

Prosecutor Daniel Oscroft said in August last year a male acquaintance was at Gale’s home when he noticed a search term on his laptop for a little girl performing a sex act.

Concerned, the man contacted the police who went to the address and seized Gale’s computer. On it they found images of naked young girls together with extreme pornography.

Then on December 3, a 15 year-old girl and a schoolboy friend were waiting inside Morrison’s in Alcester Road, for their mothers to collect them after leaving school.

Gale approached them and asked them to go outside. They went and Gale then asked the boy for a sweet and, with his hands behind his back, opened his mouth and put his tongue out for the boy to feed him the sweet. The girl, who was in uniform, thought that was ‘a bit creepy,’ and she and the boy walked away.

After her friend was collected by his mother, the girl went back into the store, and when she came out again a little later to see if her mother had arrived she saw Gale by a bench. He came over to her, put his hand on her shoulder and began to slide it down to her breast.

She pushed him away and told him to get off her, and raised the alarm with customer services who arranged his detention.

The police came and arrested him, and again he displayed “very curious behaviour,” said Mr Oscroft, telling the officer: “haven’t you got big brown eyes? What a beautiful man.”

But he began flailing his arms around, so was handcuffed, and he then suddenly lunged at the officer grabbing at his arm before being restrained again.

He was granted bail, and in February a 17 year-old girl, again in school uniform, was pushing her bike along the footpath near Stratford railway station.

As she approached some steps Gale approached her, and she thought he was going to tell her off for having her bike on the pavement – but he pointed towards her waist, and as she looked down, he flicked her nose with his finger.

He then told her to put her bike against the wall because she was under arrest, but she realised he was not a policeman.

Gale asked her how old she was, and when she told him he responded: “Ooh, you’re a bit young, but it is my birthday.”

Suspecting he had some sexual motive, the girl rolled her bike into the road and tried to ride off, at which he grabbed her arm, but she managed to get away.

Jamie Strong, defending, said Gale had been in custody since that incident, but a probation officer had been unable to assess him for a community order or suspended sentence ‘because of the stance he was taking’ when he was interviewed.

And since then a psychiatric report had been prepared, which the probation officer had not had the opportunity to see.

Judge Richard Griffith-Jones adjourned the case for the probation officer to investigate whether any programmes and residential condition might be available for Gale in the light of the psychiatric report.

December 2016

Sex addict took pictures of young children using toilets

A pervert with a fetish for filming young boys using urinals was caught videoing a teenager in toilets in the Metrocentre.

Over two years and for his own sick sexual gratification, Wayne Wilson hid in public loos and used his mobile phone to make videos of unsuspecting males aged between five and eight

A court heard that the 33-year-old paedophile made at least 29 twisted films and photos of young boys and had downloaded more than 100 indecent images of children by the time he was arrested earlier this year.

Married Wilson, whose wife is sticking by him, was finally caught when he tried to film a 16-year-old in the male toilets in the Blue Mall of the Metrocentre, in Gateshead, on May 22.

Newcastle Crown Court heard that the teen had been in one of the cubicles when he saw Wilson’s penis through a gap in the partition wall and was horrified when he realised he was performing a sex act on himself.

Shocked and shaken, the youth then saw a mobile phone being held over the top of his cubicle and quickly realised what Wilson was doing.

Michael Bunch, prosecuting, said: “He [the boy] left his cubicle and banged on the cubicle next door but had no response, so he left the toilets and advised police officers on patrol in the Metrocentre of what had taken place.

“Police officers reviewed CCTV footage of the toilets. That showed this defendant had gone into the toilet block some two hours earlier.”

Mr Bunch said officers used CCTV to watch Wilson walk to his car before noting his registration and arresting him at his house in Brackenway, Washington.

“Officers attended and arrested him,” Mr Bunch added. “As a consequence, they also seized a number of electrical items.

“Those items were subsequently sent to analysis.”

He admitted his covert photographs of boys using public toilets were for his “sexual gratification” but said the pictures he shared over Skype were images he had found from the internet, not ones taken himself.

The court heard the illegal images and activity found on his phone had been deleted but was able to be retrieved by police experts.

Wilson, of Brackenway, Washington, pleaded guilty to voyeursim, making indecent images, distributing indecent images and possession indecent images.

The court heard his offending took place “over a number of years”.

Judge Robert Spragg sentenced Wilson to a community order for three years with rehabilitation and group work requirements with a Sexual Harm Prevention Order for ten years and sex offender registration for five years.

Judge Spragg said Wilson had a “prospect of rehabilitation” given his previous positive character, good work record and determination to engage with professional help.

The judge said Wilson had been frank with the authorities about his addiction to pornography and had sought treatment from a psychosexual therapist in the past, before he committed the offences.

Judge Spragg told Wilson: “Unless you receive treatment you remain a high risk of repetition.

“You are not assessed as a high risk of harm to children.

“The public are better served in the long term by you getting to the root of your addiction and put a stop to this kind of behaviour.”

Kate Barnes, defending, said Wilson’s family, including his wife, are standing by him to offer support and assistance.

Miss Barnes said the pictures found on Wilson’s phone dated back to 2014 and had since been deleted.

She added: “He is highly motivated to address the problems that have led to his offending.”

December 2016

Man convicted after being caught by paedophile hunters

A man who was snared by self-styled paedophile hunters has been convicted of child sex offences.

Mark Porter, 55, thought he had been in contact with a 14-year-old girl called Jenny, Luton Crown Court heard.

But when he arrived at the town’s railway station in March he was confronted by Katie and Neil Ivall, who target paedophiles.

Porter, of Amersham Hill, High Wycombe, was found guilty of attempting to meet a child following sexual grooming.

The court heard the couple had found his profile on Facebook and, posing as Jenny, began exchanging messages with him in January.

Prosecutor Will Noble, said: “The defendant repeatedly sends flattering messages complimenting Jenny, offering to take her to Thorpe Park and promising her gifts and treats.

“He asks for pictures of Jenny as the conversations become more sexual”.

Mr Noble said the defendant had tried to persuade Jenny to come to his flat in Buckinghamshire during a series of secretly-recorded phone conversations.

Porter finally agreed to a meeting at 20:00 on Friday 25 March outside Luton rail station, where Mr and Mrs Ivall were waiting.

They said he tried to drive away but, with the help of others, they were able to detain him while the police were called.

In the witness box Porter told the jury that he knew it was a hoax all along.

Under cross-examination he claimed he had driven to Luton to confront the people behind the hoax.

Porter was bailed and is due to be sentenced on 27 January.

December 2016

Paedophile must wear ankle tag ‘for life’ after messaging girls as young as 12

A “sexual predator” was told he may need to wear an ankle tag for life after sending seedy messages to girls as young as 12.

Philip Kevin Graham was locked up for two years at Liverpool Crown Court yesterday after repeatedly flouting a court order banning him from contacting children.

Judge Steven Everett made the rare order, meaning the 52-year-old must be electronically monitored so police can keep tabs on his location, after stating: “I’m quite satisfied you are a real danger to the public.”

Graham, of no fixed abode but from Garston, had pleaded guilty to five breaches of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) originally imposed for sexually assaulting a young girl in 2011.

The sex predator, who has three other convictions for indecent assault, was rumbled after messaging one 12-year-old victim on Facebook, on May 21 last year, to say: “Hi, will you go out on a date with me, how old are you?”

But the sex offender immediately incurred the rage of the girl’s mother who branded him a “pervert.”

Geoffrey Lowe, prosecuting, told the court: “(The victim) had never seen him before and had never sent a friend request to him, and had no idea who he was. Straight away, being a responsible child, she contacted her mother. Her mother took a screen shot and told her daughter to leave matters to her.

“She quite robustly took control of the girl’s Facebook page and used quite graphic terms towards the person on the other end. She told him she was her mother and the child was 12 and they would be taking matters further. She said ‘looking at your Facebook page there are a lot of other girls on there you pervert.”

Mr Lowe said police investigating the incident found Graham at his mother’s address, where he claimed he “did not even have facebook.”

He told officers he had his phone stolen and that someone else must have used his details – but phone records showed he had taken a call from his doctor after the message was sent.

However even while he was being investigated for those offences Graham made a second Facebook page, made out to look as though he was 16, and contacted four other girls aged 13, 14 and 15.

The messages included questions such as “would you like to be my friend?” and “how old are you?”

When he was questioned over the incidents he claimed he would never have met up with the girls and said: “I’m just lonely.”

Judge Everett said: “I have no doubt that if you were able to persuade one of these girls to meet you, you would have met them. Your behaviour in the past makes it quite clear that you would have done so.”

Graham was told he could apply to have the SHPO, imposed indefinitely, amended or lifted in the future.

But Judge Everett said: “The only reason would be if they can be satisfied you are no longer a risk to young girl’s in my judgement that is highly unlikely.”

December 2016

Paedophile who sexually abused schoolgirls jailed

A paedophile who committed a series of sex offences upon two schoolgirls, including raping one of them, has been jailed for 15 years.

Robert Nevols, 65, abused the youngsters who were both under 13, in Leicestershire, more than 10 years ago.

He was convicted by a jury of more than 20 offences at a recent Leicester Crown Court trial.

Gary Short, prosecuting, said at Friday’s sentencing hearing that the two victims had been psychologically affected by the abuse.

Nevols, of Prayle Grove, Cricklewood, Barnet, London, denied all the charges.

In relation to the first victim, the jury convicted him of eight indecent assaults, four offences of indecency with a child, two of rape, an attempted rape, two counts of sexually assaulting a child and two of causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity.

He was also found guilty to two counts of indecently assaulting the second victim.

Recorder Stuart Sprawson told Nevols he would serve half of the 15 year sentence and extended his licence period by an extra year.

Nevols was placed on a sexual harm prevention order and will have to have his address recorded on a sex offender register for life.

The recorder said he took into account the defendant was suffering from poor health.

December 2016

‘Predatory’ rapist locked up for 12 years

A man who took pictures of himself sexually abusing a girl and made another pose for him has been jailed for 12 years.

Stanley Jade, 45, formerly of Cleveleys but whose address was listed in court as HMP Preston, held his head in his hands as Preston Crown Court heard how police officers found vile pictures of him abusing a girl – while another was present.

Judge Heather Lloyd said he was a dangerous offender and imposed the 16 year extended sentence period, including four years on licence.

December 2016

Pervert jailed after sting by paedophile hunters in Latchford

Self-styled paedophile hunters were behind the latest conviction of a sexual predator in Warrington after posing as children online to snare culprits in the act.

Otto Kungler, of Lockett Street, Latchford, was sentenced to three years in prison after admitting attempting to incite a child to engage in sexual activity.

Chester Crown Court heard how the 34-year-old was exposed following a sting operation.

In May a group of paedophile hunters set up a fake profile on a messaging site using the name Jessie237.

Maria Marselis, prosecuting, said: “On May 22 this defendant contacted the account using the name Faszam1.

“The defendant asked if Jessie237 would like to see his genitals.

“On more than one occasion during the initial conversation Jessie237 informed Faszam1 that she was a 12-year-old girl.

“The defendant was undeterred and continued to contact her and claimed at that time that he was aged 30.”

The messages continued until June 6 and during this time he sent 10 naked pictures of his genitals and asked for inappropriate pictures in return as well as giving away personal details acknowledging his nationality and work.

It was as a result of this information that the paedophile hunters were able to track down Kungler on Facebook where he was selling a car.

The paedophile hunters agreed to meet Kungler at his home address under the false pretences that they wished to buy the vehicle.

On June 12 the group confronted Kungler at his home.

He was later arrested by police as he tried to flee through the back door.

Kungler moved to the UK in 2014 from Hungary and has worked since he arrived.

Judge Patrick said: “You denied intending to meet up with her or having any sexual interest in children.

“I do not accept this account.

“It seems to me that you thought you were dealing with a young girl.”

December 2016

Beast who preyed on young girls is jailed for four years

A paedophile who committed a catalogue of horrific offences against young Cumbernauld and Kilsyth girls has been jailed for four years.

British Aerospace engineer John Reid, 31, showed no emotion as he sat in the dock at Airdrie Sheriff Court on Friday.

Jailing him, Sheriff Morag Galbraith said: “These offences were aggravated as they were committed in front of other children. I will impose a three years extended sentence upon your release when you will be on licence.”

Prosecutor Gordon Crawford last month accepted Reid’s plea to 16 out of 37 sex related offences that he was originally charged with.

Depute Fiscal Crawford said: “The case relates to a pattern concerning young girls aged between 10 and 13, where he contacted them through social media sites, sent them indecent images, met up with them and sexual activity took place.”

Reid, a bachelor, of Bathgate, West Lothian, is presently suspended by his employers.

The court heard the harrowing details of offences he committed on various occasions between January 1, 2015 and December 31, 2015 at a car park at Cumbernauld train station, ASDA car park, Cumbernauld, and other parts of the town and surrounding areas.

Mr Crawford said: “He added a girl who was aged between 11 and 12 at the time, to social media sites Snapchat and Facebook. He told her to put on a skirt and high heels, told her he would pay her money and that he was a paedophile.

“He sent her an indecent picture of himself. She met him at Cumbernauld train station car park in the company of two of her friends. They also met at ASDA Cumbernauld and at a bingo hall in the town.

“On each occasion he sat in the car performing a sex act on himself. On each occasion he gave the children cigarettes and money.

“The next offences happened between April 1 and May 31, 2015. He added another girl to Snapchat, who was 12-years-old at the time and asked her to send pictures of her naked, which she didn’t do.

“He then sent her indecent pictures of himself as well as indecent messages of a sexual nature. She met up with him and he gave her and her friends £20 and cigarettes to share.”

The court heard his next victim was a ten-year-old girl from Cumbernauld, who he added to Snapchat and Facebook.

Mr Crawford said: “He wrote messages to her telling her she was ‘beautiful’ and asking her to dress up in a skirt and high heels, and caused her to look at a sexual image of himself he sent her by social media.

“He then engaged in sexual activity with a 12-year-old girl from Kilsyth, again adding her to his Facebook account.

“She did not know the previous victims. He made a video call to her of him lying on his bed performing a sexual act on himself.

“She met Reid in Kilsyth on May 2, this year, but took fright and ran off. He followed her, but she bumped into a woman out walking her dog and told her what had happened. The girl, when she went home, told everything to her mother.”

Reid’s next victim was a 13-year-old girl, also from Kilsyth, again contacted through Snapchat and Facebook. She told him she was 14, and he wrote messages of a sexual nature to her.

These two incidents happened between April 29 and May 2, 2016.

As a result of the meeting with the first girl in Kilsyth, police got a partial number of his car registration plate and he was traced through both that and his Facebook account. On May 4, he was detained and arrested for breach of bail.

Mr Crawford said: “He was originally arrested on breach of bail as part of the conditions were that he did not communicate with any persons over he internet, other than for work purposes or with family members, and have no unsupervised contact with any child under-16.”

Reid had three computers at home, all of which were seized. They revealed almost 500 indecent images, some of the worst category, of boys and girls aged eight to 14.

Reid pled guilty to taking or permitting to be taken, or made, indecent images of children at his home between January 8, 2011 and March 19, 2014.

Defence counsel Shelagh McCall QC said: “He was acquitted previously by an English court of a serious sexual offence.

“He is not a man in complete denial of what has caused this type of offending. He has been extremely candid that his conversations with these girls is sexually arousing for him.”

Reid was put on the Sex Offenders’ Register for an indefinite period.

December 2016

Jail for man who only admitted sex with girl, 14

A 34-year-old man who admitted having sex with a 14-year-old girl only after standing trial on the charge launched a volley of abuse from the dock as he was jailed.

In April a jury at Swindon Crown Court had failed to reach a verdict on an allegation that James Parker groomed the 14-year-old girl before sleeping with her.

But as a result of the evidence given at trial the police looked more closely at mobile phone messages between the pair.

And they uncovered texts which were so damning that Parker was left with no choice but to change his plea to admit what he had done.

After receiving the four-and-a-half year jail term he launched a foul mouthed tirade at the court before being led away.

Tessa Hingston, prosecuting, told the crown court that the youngster had to give evidence at a trial earlier this year after he denied the charge.

She said Parker admitted he had got her to send him naked images of herself from her mobile phone, but denied anything physical took place.

He also groomed her, she said, by repeatedly flattering her and telling her she was attractive.

And Miss Hingston told the court that Parker continued to chase after the girl despite being warned off on a number of occasions by her sister and a mutual friend.

There was no suggestion that the girl was not a willing participant but it came about due to ‘the grooming that had happened’.

Parker, of George Selman Gardens, Twyford Close, admitted sexual activity with a child at New Year’s 2014 into 2015 and two counts of causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity.

The court heard that at the time he was on a community order for domestic violence offences.

Jailing him Judge Peter Blair QC said: “You pleaded not guilty to having sexual activity with a child when you were in your 30s and she was 14 years old.

“There is really very little mitigation I can find in this case to reduce what is a category 1A offence under the sentencing guidelines.

“This is not something you have had in your past offending history although there is some concerning behaviour in your relationships that has brought you before the courts before.

“The effect your behaviour will have on this young lady as she grows up and develops and the memory she will never be able to delete. And she is worried about her reputational damage, and that is understandable.”

As well as jailing him he said he must register as a sex offender for life and abide by a sexual harm prevention order restricting his liberty.

December 2016

Rastrick man sentenced for ‘sexting’ teenage girl

A Rastrick man who sent hundreds of sexual messages to an under-age girl via Whatsapp has avoided an immediate jail sentence.

Over a six-month period Michael McPhee, 24, sent sexually explicit messages and requests for photos to the teenager, who cannot be identified for legal reasons.

Prosecutor Geraldine Kelly said the complainant had “laughed off” McPhee’s comments and had ignored his requests. “Over a substantial period of time you sent her a series of quite disgusting Whatsapp messages in which you made it plain, notwithstanding your knowledge of her age, you wanted sexual intimacy with her”

Judge Jonathan Rose told McPhee. “It is to the credit of this young girl that she was having none of it. “Your immaturity and isolation, of which I have heard, do not justify what you have done, but they provide the beginnings of an explanation.”

McPhee, of Bramston Street, admitted causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity, but in his police interview he suggested that the messages were all “fantasy”.

McPhee will be subject to supervision for two years and a 50-day rehabilitation activity requirement.

Judge Rose said McPhee was not going to get away with it because he would receive punishment by way of 240 hours of unpaid community work. “

That will be a constant reminder of just how disgusting your behaviour has been,” the judge added.

McPhee will have to register as a sex offender for the next 10 years and he will also be subject to an indefinite sexual harm prevention order.

December 2016

Odd job man hugged and kissed young sisters 

An odd job man is to be assessed for dangerousness after being convicted of sexually assaulting two young sisters who were playing near a shop he was renovating.

Raymond Bolton, 62, of Hessle Road, west Hull claimed he had never met the girls and told police he could not remember whether he was at the shop that day, despite being arrested and interviewed just six days later.

But he was convicted by a jury of two counts of sexually assaulting a child under 13, and breaching a sexual harm prevention order, after a five-day trial at Hull Crown Court.

The nine men and three women of the jury had been told he was previously convicted of ten offences of indecently assaulting a female under 16 at Warwick Crown Court in March 1997.

After delivering their verdicts, they learnt yesterday he had also been convicted of child abduction.

Judge Mark Bury said the circumstances in which he assaulted the sisters in west Hull this summer were “worrying”, and given his previous convictions, ordered a report to assess whether Bolton should be treated as dangerous, which could affect the time he serves in prison.

The court heard Bolton assaulted the youngest girl in the shop after hugging her and kissing her on the lips.

When her sister went to question him about it, he hugged and kissed her as well, telling her he “loved her” after following her into an alley.

They confided in their mother days later, and were able to describe distinctive tattoos on Bolton’s arms, and his discoloured teeth.

The judge told him: “Raymond Bolton, stand up. You have been convicted on what I regard as compelling evidence of two offences of indecent assault of a child under 13.

“The assaults themselves were not the most serious, but the circumstances in which you came to commit them are, in my view, worrying, particularly when considering your background, your previous convictions for committing offences like this, and more serious offences.

“It seems to me you do have at the moment a clear and present sexual interest in girls under the age of 16.

“Before I sentence you, therefore, I require a report from the probation service to help me in the assessment of whether you are a dangerous offender or not.

“Rest assured, Mr Bolton, that the sentence I will impose in two weeks time will be a custodial sentence. The only issue is the length of that sentence.”

Bolton was remanded in custody and will be sentenced on December 23.

December 2016

Morecambe dad guilty of murdering his baby son

A dad has been found guilty of murdering his seven-month-old son by inflicting ‘frankly obscene’ injuries.

Kane Kennedy, 20, was said to ‘bad-tempered’ when he could not get hold of cannabis to smoke.

Preston Crown Court heard he forcibly got hold of Oskar Jobey-Kennedy’s testicles, by either gripping, pinching or twisting them, and then pushed his fingers down the throat of the defenceless baby.

December 2016

Gainsborough sex attacker jailed for abusing girl, 6

A Gainsborough sex attacker who committed a series of offences against a young girl was jailed for four years.

Matthew Shanks, who wept throughout his 20 minute hearing, was told by a judge he has caused “immeasurable harm” to his victim – who was just six years old when he first abused her.

Judge Michael Heath told Shanks: “There have to be prison sentences for these offences and they have to be of considerable length.”

Shanks , aged 28, of Morton Terrace, Gainsborough, admitted six offences of sexual assault on a child under the age of 13.

He also admitted causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity and a further charge of engaging in sexual activity in the presence of a child. He was placed on the sex offenders’ register for life and given an indefinite sexual harm prevention order which bans him from having contact with any child under 16.

Clive Stockwell, prosecuting, said that Shanks abused the girl on a number of occasions. He also tried to persuade her to let him photograph her but she refused.

The offences came to light after the victim disclosed to her family what had happened.

When Shanks discovered that the girl’s family had been told of the abuse he wrote a letter to his victim apologising to her.

Mr Stockwell said: “The disclosure by the girl led to his arrest. When he was seen by the police he fully admitted the offences.”

The victim, in a statement read out in court, said she felt disgusted by what Shanks had done to her and said she has since had to have counselling.

Directing her comments at Shanks she said “The sobbing and remorsefulness you have shown is only guilt. I will never, ever forgive you for what you have done. Any sentence is temporary for you. Mine is a life-time sentence.”

December 2016

Serial child abuser evades punishment due to senile dementia

A SERIAL child abuser has avoided all punishment – because he is unfit to stand trial.

There were gasps from the public gallery as a crown court judge said he had no option but to give predatory paedophile Edgar Wallace an absolute discharge.

His co-defendant, Anthony William Howard, of Chapel Road, Mortimer, was convicted of one count of indecency with a child and will be sentenced at a later date.

In Wallace’s case, Reading Crown Court heard that he was suffering from senile dementia and had been deemed medically unfit to plead or stand trial.

Instead, there was a ‘trial of the facts’, following which the 82-year-old, who lives with his carer in Jennets Hill, Standford Dingley, was found to have committed multiple offences of indecent assault and indecency with a child.

He was cleared of one charge of attempted rape and another of indecent assault.

All the offences were committed in West Berkshire between 1954 and 1957.

Judge Ian Grainger said of Wallace: “It’s accepted that he is no longer legally responsible for his actions.

“But the number of victims in this case shows there’s a real risk that the urges that motivated him in the past might continue to lead him to commit offences against children.”

He therefore made Wallace subject to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order, which would allow police to remove him from areas of risk, such as the vicinity of a schoo,l and which prevents him from having unsupervised contact with children.

The court heard statements from some of Wallace’s victims in which they outlined the devastating effect his abuse had on their lives.

Judge Grainger indicated that, had he been fit to stand trial, he would have received a “significant” sentence.

The court heard that Wallace, a former lorry driver and mechanic, has previously been jailed for other sexual offences against children.

Steve Molloy, representing Wallace, who did not attend the hearing, said: “It may be of some comfort to some to know that he had an unpleasant time of it in prison.

“He suffered degradation, as sometimes happens to those convicted of sexual offences against children.

“He had food and liquids thrown over him and was assaulted, elderly as he was.

“Some may feel those were his just deserts, as it were.”

Judge Grainger said: “This was a difficult and distressing case.

“But I must resist the temptation to do something just to be seen to be doing something.

“Having reflected on it carefully, I’ve reached the firm view that, despite the shocking nature of these historical offences – he was a serial abuser of children – it is not sensible to make him subject to a supervision order.”

He added that he would instead give Wallace an absolute discharge.

The Sexual Harm Prevention Order will last indefinitely.

His co-defendant, 66-year-old former garage mechanic and stock car racer Howard, was cleared of one count of indecency with a child but convicted of another.

The charges relate to incidents in the 1970s.

Howard, who was brought up in Pangbourne and ran Tony Howard’s Garage next to his present home, was released on conditional bail while pre-sentence reports are prepared.

August 2007

Pervert jailed for years of abuse

A PERVERT is behind bars after molesting a boy and a girl over a period of six years.

Father-of-five Michael Brabazon, of Farmway, Alkrington, pleaded guilty to 13 counts of indecent assault stretching back more than 20 years at Bolton Crown Court on 17 August.

The grey-haired 55-year-old was jailed for three years after admitting sexually abusing the youngsters between the 16 September 1985 and 3 April 1991.

Ordering Brabazon to sign the sex offenders’ register for 10 years, Judge Robert Warnock said: “You deprived those two people of what they were entitled, a normal and happy childhood, having deprived them of their childhood I am in no doubt I must deprive you of your liberty and a custodial sentence must follow.”

Abigail Hudson, prosecuting, said that nine of the charges related to abuse suffered by the girl between the ages of 11 and 17 while the remaining four charges related to indecent assaults carried out on the boy when he was aged 10 to 14.

Brabazon, who was married for 35 years and had moved from Devon to the Rochdale area, was finally arrested in January 2007.

The court heard that the female victim, had been deeply affected by the attacks.

Passing sentence, Judge Warnock said: “You have pleaded guilty to 13 counts of indecent assault and the sentence I’m going to pass takes into account those guilty pleas and the fact the victims were not obliged to give evidence. I also take into account your remorse.

“You now know the affect you have had on those children and the victim statements are perfectly clear.

“You have damaged those children who are now adults and left them with permanent problems.

“I take into account your guilty plea. I also take into account that these matters took place some time ago but these are serious matters involving young children and a breach of trust.”

December 2016

Pervert jailed for 14 years after blackmailing young victim

A JUDGE has praised the young victim of a pervert who sexually abused her and later blackmailed her into sending him indecent images of herself.

Stratford man Joaquim Pereira was jailed for a total of 14 years for a number of charges of sexual activity with a child, causing or inciting her to take part in child pornography, and a further offence of witness intimidation.

The 52 year-old was found guilty of all the charges following a second trial at Warwick Crown Court – after the jury in the first trial in July had to be discharged for legal reasons.

After protesting loudly from the dock there was ‘no justice’ and the judge had been unfair to him, Pereira of St Andrews Crescent, was sentenced in his absence after Judge Andrew Lockhart QC ordered him to be taken to the cells before detailing the sentences.

He was jailed for ten years for the sexual offences, with three years consecutive to that for causing child pornography and a further year for intimidation.

Judge Lockhart then praised Pereira’s young victim and her family for the ‘dignity’ they had showed in facing ‘the most awful of experiences,’ which he said was ‘something this court can only marvel at.’

Prosecutor Gary Short said a few years ago Pereira, who knew the girl’s family, sexually abused her by touching her when she was about 12, and took indecent pictures of her exposing herself.

Some of the abuse took place in a lock-up garage Pereira had, and progressed to him having sex with her when she was older.

Then last year Pereira contacted the girl by e-mail, sending her a copy of one of the pictures he had taken of her when she was younger.

He demanded more photographs of a sexual nature from her, threatening to show the ones he already had to her family and friends if she did not comply.

Despite her doing as he asked, Pereira sent a copy of a picture to her boyfriend who quizzed her about it – prompting her to the police.

Pereira denied any sexual abuse of the girl or making her send pictures to him, sacking his lawyers during his first trial because he was not happy with the way they were putting his case.

Following his conviction at the second trial, Caroline Bray, defending, said Pereira could not express remorse, because he maintained his innocence.

Jailing Pereira, Judge Lockhart also ordered him to register as a sex offender for life and imposed a Sexual Harm Prevention Order banning him from contacting his victim or having unsupervised contact with any girl under the age of 16.

The judge also praised the police officers for the way the investigation had been carried out.

December 2016

Pervert jailed after sexually assaulting schoolgirl

A pervert who sexually assaulted a 12-year-old schoolgirl and who amassed hundred’s of images of child sexual abuse has been sentenced to 12 months in prison

At his trial on the 2nd of December at St Alban’s Court, Steven Young, 35 of Ninian road in Hemel Hempstead was found guilty by the jury of one count of sexual assault on a child who was aged under 13-years-old and making indecent images of children.

The court was told that Young who worked at Gist, was caught with several hundred indecent images of children of which some were in the worst category showing young children being raped. Ages of the children were estimated to be as young as four years old.

Other images found on his computer were classed as extreme pornography which involved animals and humans engaging in sexual activity.

Young showed absolutely no remorse for his actions.

A probation report given to the court outlined Young’s refusal to accept any wrongdoing nor any need to change in the future

The judge told Young: “There are no other words to describe you, but a paedophile”

Young was given a 12 month prison sentence of which he will serve six months.

He was told he would be placed on a sexual harm prevention order for a period of 10-years.

He must also register as a sex offender for the next ten years.