December 2016

Paedophile who shared images of child abuse images was caught through his Twitter account

Paedophile Marcus Turner, 24, was caught because he used Twitter to share vile child sexual abuse images with others, a court heard today.

Turner, of Bristol Road, Quedgeley, tweeted pictures and added messages using crude sexual language.

Some of the images found on his computers showed young children being raped, Gloucester Crown Court was told.

Turner admitted three offences of making indecent images of children, one of distributing indecent images and one of possessing extreme pornography showing women having sex with horses and dogs.

The offences were dated between March 2015 and May this year.

Judge Robert Linford sentenced Turner to a three-year community order with a 15-day rehabilitation activity requirement and an order to attend an internet sex offender programme.

Turner was also fined £200 and will have to sign the sex offender register for five years. The judge also made a five year sexual harm prevention order against him.

Judge Linford told Turner “As a result of reports to the police about concerns regarding your Twitter account they raided you and seized your computers.

“Found on them was material depicting the sexual abuse of children. You need to understand that these were real little boys and little girls who were being raped. Somewhere, in some part of the world, a child was being raped and you were getting your kicks out of it.

“This material is disgusting.

“But when arrested you did co-operate with the police. You are now receiving specialist counselling because of what you have done. Even so, you have come very close indeed to going inside today.”

Juian Kesner, prosecuting, said police who had been alerted to the Twitter feed traced the account to Turner’s address and raided it.

Found were seven Category A videos – the worst kind – of victims aged 9-16 being raped. There were 65 minutes of such film.

Two Category B still images of boys aged 7-12 engaged in sexual touching were also found, along with 231 Category C pictures of children

Mr Kesner said “On his Twitter account he was talking to other people, I presume men, who shared his interest in children.

“One message sent by him said ‘Yeah, she’s hot.’ He sent some pictures with it.

“In another message he said ‘Couple of pics for you. Let me know if you want to trade.’

Judge Linford told defence solicitor Sarah Jenkins that having read all the reports and references for Turner he was prepared to pass a non custodial sentence.

December 2016

Voyeur Elvis singer jailed for sex crimes

A voyeuristic Elvis impersonator has been sentenced to 18 years in jail for a string of sexual offences including the attempted rape of a child.

Derrel Weaver, 62, from Widegates near Looe, Cornwall was branded a “dyed in the wool, predatory paedophile” by a judge.

Weaver filmed women using secret cameras and sexually abused children.

As he left the dock at Truro Crown Court, Weaver threatened to curse those in the courtroom.

Jurors took three hours to find Weaver guilty of 19 counts of sexual assault and gross indecency with a child, and two of attempted rape.

He had already pleaded guilty to eight voyeurism offences – and admitted filming women with hidden cameras disguised as light switches in a toilet.

Recorder Iain Hughes QC told Weaver: “I am absolutely sure you are and will remain a substantial danger to children physically and psychologically”

He said Weaver had an “ingrained, long-term and continuing sexual depravity towards young women and children”.

Throughout the trial the Elvis impersonator wore aviator-style sunglasses, and he was animated throughout the sentencing.

As he was led away from the dock he shouted: “My Grandma is a real witch and I call upon her to curse everyone in this courtroom”.

“Apart from my friend”, he continued, pointing to a man in the public gallery.

He then appeared to cast a spell on the court as he was taken away, saying: “You think it’s mumbo jumbo but you wait.”

He was also found guilty of attempting to take an indecent photo of a child.

He was found not guilty of two charges of indecent assault and one of indecency with a child.

Weaver is already serving a five year sentence for firearms offences.

December 2016

Sex offender snared by Guardians of the North

A man who thought he was meeting a 14-year-old boy for sex was caught by online child protection team the Guardians of the North

Craig Bellfield arranged to meet the boy at a McDonald’s restaurant in Ryhope, Sunderland, via a conversation on social media.

However the 29-year-old was confronted by the team who had set up the fake account to expose men looking for sex with children.

Newcastle Crown Court heard how Bellfield told the boy he was 24 during their initial conversation during the early hours of October 29.

The group, posing as a boy called Thomas, told Bellfield he was 14 but he still requested to meet the teenager.

Paul Rowland, prosecuting, told the court the group confronted Bellfield, who begged them not to go to the police, outside the fast food restaurant on October 29.

Bellfield, of Station Road, Penshaw, Houghton, was arrested and pleaded guilty at magistrates’ court on October 31 to attempting to groom a child under 16.

He remained in custody until his sentencing at Newcastle Crown Court.

Judge Stephen Earl handed Bellfield a 12-month sentence suspended for two years and ordered him to complete 60 days of rehabilitation.

Judge Earl said: “On October 29, you engaged in what you believed was a conversation with a young 14-year-old boy. “You told him you were 24, you are 29. “

What you believed was a wholly inappropriate relationship was forming online with this 14-year-old boy.

“It was clear that that was your intention; it was a clear attempt at meeting somebody with a sexual relationship in mind.

“You didn’t answer any questions in interview but you did plead guilty at the magistrates court at the first opportunity. “You are yourself a man who is under a number of particular difficulties which means you are a person who is socially isolated and suffering from depression.

“It is absolutely clear to me that people who engage in this sort of activity in attempting to meet young children online for sex must get a custodial sentence.”

The judge said he took into account the fact that there was no complainant in the traditional sense, given that there was no real child involved.

Judge Earl prohibited Bellfield from having any contact with a child under the age of 16, and also from possessing a device which could access the internet without recording the history.

December 2016

Scottish pervert is snared meeting girl, 14

An undercover online protection team snared a beast who travelled 150 miles from his Scots home to abuse a child.

Simon Smith, 45, sent messages on social media to 14-year-old “Rebecca” begging her for “kisses and cuddles”.

The postal worker travelled from Kilmarnock to Gateshead to meet her.

But “Rebecca” was in fact a fake profile set up by “paedo-hunting” group, the Guardians of the North. They confronted Smith and police were called in.

After his arrest, Smith told the Record: “I’ve never done anything like this before. I’ve never been in trouble with the police. This is my first monumental mistake.”

Unmarried Smith pled guilty to three charges relating to grooming a girl under 16 with the intention of sexual abuse.

He said: “It was a fake Facebook account the Guardians of the North had set up. Yes, I was messaging her.

“I did know [she was 14] but I didn’t know it was the Guardians of the North.

“I was planning to go to the Metro Centre to do some Christmas shopping. I asked if she would like to meet. She said yes. We messaged about time, dates …”

He travelled to the Metro Centre to meet “Rebecca” on November 26 but was cornered by the self-styled vigilante group who made a citizen’s arrest.

Smith said: “They held me down and phoned the police, who came and arrested me. I pled guilty to it and I’ve been released on bail.”

When asked whether he felt like he was lured into something he wouldn’t normally do, Smith replied: “Yes, I do.”

He added: “I do feel remorseful. I am prepared to face whatever comes my way.”

Asked if he had sexual designs on Rebecca, he said: “No, none at all.

“Through the messages, they will say that it was sexually orientated, but it just said things like kiss and cuddle.”

Smith, who has no children, worked for Royal Mail. He added: “I have resigned from work. I have spoken to my family. I am quite wary of retaliations.”

Northumbria Police confirmed Smith was charged with “attempting to meet a girl under 16 following grooming”.

He admitted three charges at South Tyneside Magistrates Court last month and is due to be sentenced in January.

December 2016

Paedophile admits viewing extreme porn

A convicted paedophile admitted viewing extreme pornography at his home in Newark.

Taran Tyrell, also known as Trevor Quick, viewed indecent images of children and extreme pornography at his home on Long Row.

The 51-year-old, who is in custody in Lincoln Prison, appeared via video link at Nottingham Crown Court when he admitted possession of two extreme pornographic images involving bestiality.

Tyrell, a former lorry driver, also admitted making 37 incident images of a child between September 10, 2015, and October 16, 2015.

They included 29 category A images, which carry the heaviest penalty, as well as two category B images and six category C images.

Category A images can involve penetrative sexual activity, sexual activity with an animal or sadism.

Tyrell admitted breaching a sexual harm prevention order at an earlier hearing at Nottingham Magistrates’ Court.

Tyrell was due to be sentenced at a hearing on Thursday last week, but it was put back because evidence of the 37 indecent images of children had only just come to light.

Prosecutor Mr David Allan told the court a number of witness statements had been given to the Crown Prosecution Service concerning the images.

He asked for Tyrell to be indicted again and offered no further evidence.

Defending, Mr Raglan Ashton said the files had been discovered in the recycle bin of a compact computer belonging to Tyrell.

“There is no evidence of him searching specifically for any indecent images of children,” he said.

Mr Ashton said he had searched for adult pornography and the indecent images of children popped up.

“He is in custody for those sexual offences,” he said.

The court heard Tyrell was convicted in 2010 for making indecent images.

He was also convicted of similar offences in 2003.

Tyrell completed a rehabilitation programme for sexual offenders following his conviction in 2003.

Mr Ashton said: “Mr Tyrell downloaded a programme that stops similar images being downloaded from a peer-to-peer platform after these images had been downloaded to prevent it from happening again.”

He said police seized a number of items but only discovered indecent images on his compact laptop.

Tyrell told the court he had got rid of the peer-to-peer file sharing programme he used to download the images.

The case was adjourned so a pre-sentence report could be prepared on the latest indictment.

Tyrell is due to be sentenced at Nottingham Crown Court on January 20.

December 2016

Couple GUILTY of feeding drugs to tragic four-year-old daughter so they could have sex

A mum and her ex-partner face jail after fatally feeding sedatives to her four-year-old daughter because she was an “inconvenience” to their sex lives.

Michala Pyke and John Rytting force fed Poppy Widdison to eat sedatives because they felt she was getting in the way of their relationship, the trial at Hull Crown Court heard.

Poppy died in June 2013 after suffering a cardiac arrest at drug dealer Rytting’s “squalid” home in Grimsby, North East Lincolnshire.

Tests carried out after she died found that Poppy had ingested a variety of drugs for a period of up to six months before her death, including sedatives, heroin, methadone and ketamine.

Text messages between Pyke and Rytting talked about Poppy having a “blue Smartie” – believed to be a reference to the sedative diazepam in the form of a blue tablet – and going to sleep.

David Gordon, prosecuting, told the jury earlier in the three-week trial: “We say Pyke and Rytting, the defendants, are just wanting to get on with their love life, wanting to enjoy each other’s company and it may be this young girl was something of an encumbrance.

“It’s apparent from the text messages that Miss Pyke viewed Poppy as an inconvenience, who she felt was in the way with regards her relationship with Mr Rytting.”

An ambulance was called to Rytting’s home in Oliver Court on June 9, 2013 where Poppy was found to be “unresponsive, blue and not breathing”.

She was taken to hospital but died the next day.

A post-mortem examination could not establish a cause of death but toxicology tests carried out on her blood and hair found various drugs and showed the young girl had been exposed to and had ingested significant amounts of heroin and methadone for a period of between two and six months before her death.

The drugs did not directly contribute to Poppy’s death but experts agreed there was a “long period of ill-treatment and neglect by the grossly inappropriate administration of various drugs to the child by the defendants”.

The trial was told that Pyke was in the process of moving into Rytting’s home, where prescription and controlled drugs were “left lying around”.

Both defendants pleaded guilty to child cruelty by allowing Poppy to be accommodated in a house where prescribed and controlled drugs were unsecured and within reach of the child.

Pyke, 37, also pleaded guilty to child cruelty by emotional abuse after neighbours heard her shouting at Poppy, threatening her and calling her a “little bastard”.

On Friday, a jury took just over two hours to find both defendants guilty of one count of child cruelty by encouraging Poppy to ingest prescription and or controlled drugs.

Rytting, 40, who admitted one count of importing drugs and two counts of supplying controlled drugs, was also convicted of possessing cannabis with intent to supply.

Pyke, who admitted a charge of supplying methadone, was found guilty of possessing methadone with intent to supply.

Recorder of Hull Judge Jeremy Richardson QC said: “You have been convicted by the jury of very serious crimes. You have, prior to today, pleaded guilty to very serious crimes.

“These crimes will inevitably attract a substantial prison sentence.”

The defendants showed no emotion as the jury returned the verdicts but shouting could be heard coming from the cells after they were remanded in custody and taken away from the court.

The pair will be sentenced in January

A count of child cruelty by assault causing bruising against both defendants was dropped by the prosecution during the trial.

December 2016

Jail term for Facebook paedophile

The jailing of a Sutton-in-Ashfield paedophile for asking underage girls to perform sex acts online has led to a warning to parents to make sure they know what their children are doing on the internet.

Michael Kirk, 44, approached 12 victims aged between 13 and 15 from Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire, Staffordshire, Northern Ireland, South Yorkshire and Lancashire over Facebook, messaging them and asking them to commit indecent acts – sometimes pretending to be a young boy himself.

December 2016

Paedophile gave schoolgirls fake diet pills

A paedophile gave two schoolgirls fake diet pills and persuaded them they would lose weight quicker by engaging in sex acts with him.

Philip Farley convinced his victims they could make thousands of pounds by taking part in surveys about the effects of the drugs.

The 48-year-old, of Crete Tower, Everton , even forced the children to undergo urine tests in a scheme which took “a considerable degree of planning”.

Ben Jones, prosecuting, said: “The defendant pretended in each case they were a magical slimming product and that through a friend and by answering surveys about their effect, the girls could make money.

“The defendant told each victim that the effect of the pills would be enhanced if they were sexually stimulated so as to produce oestrogen.

“Under the guise of providing a massage the defendant then abused each victim.”

Liverpool Crown Court heard that the abuse of the two girls happened decades apart from each other.

When the younger girl revealed what Farley was doing, his previous victim came forward, having “suffered very similar behaviour at his hands”.

The younger girl said Farley gave her “skinny tablets” and explained he had to touch her to make them work, before promising “loads of money”.

He suggested his first victim had made around £20,000 and gave her the pills before performing sex acts.

When police examined the younger girl’s mobile phone, they found text messages from Farley about tablets, payment, hormones and oestrogen.

Mr Jones said: “The defendant stated the messages look terrible, but there was nothing seedy about them.”

The older of the two victims told police she had tried to put the past “in a box”, but decided she now had to come forward.

Farley failed to attend a trial in October, but was hauled back to court in November.

He admitted 15 offences including indecent assaults and sexual activity with children. 

Judge Denis Watson, QC, said Farley exploited the girls at a vulnerable time in their lives and tried to “cover his tracks”.

Referring to the younger victim, Judge Watson said: “You took an utterly cynical decision to say to her that if she participated in a made up scheme of taking slimming pills, the combination of the pills and sexual stimulation could assist with weight loss.

“You preyed on her insecurities, pretended there were considerable sums of money to be enjoyed, and so plying her with alcohol, you began to massage her.

“This continued with some form of fake test when you persuaded her you were testing for chemicals in her urine, with some fake urine sampling being done.”

The paedophile was jailed for 12 and a half years and told to sign on the Sex Offenders Register for life.

Judge Watson said Farley would also be subject to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order and two restraining orders indefinitely.

December 2016

Paedophile, 25, who posed as schoolgirl to have cyber sex with children is snared

A paedophile who posed as a 15-year-old girl to have cyber sex with children was caught after the FBI took control of his favourite abuse website on the dark web, a court heard.

Recluse Alex Glover, 25, posed as ‘Jess’ to access an international online chatroom used by youngsters where he engaged in explicit sexual chats at least ten times.

He also downloaded sickening images and videos of children as young as two being abused, the Old Bailey heard.

But his interest in young children was only exposed when the FBI took control of the hidden website, which was used to distribute child pornography around the world.

Details of British users were passed on to Britain’s National Crime Agency (NCA) and officers tracked down the username ‘Alex345’ to Glover’s Croydon home.

Following a raid on April 21 last year, Glover denied a sexual interest in children and claimed he had only accessed the dark web to watch banned Japanese cartoons.

But prosecutor Szilvia Booker said he later confessed to downloading child porn, adding: ‘He then admitted creating a false persona on the web.

‘He pretended to be a 15-year-old girl called “Jess” to access an international online chat forum, used predominantly by children, to talk to children.

‘He admitted having cyber sex with children ten times.’

Glover, of no fixed address but from Croydon, south London, pleaded guilty to nine counts of making indecent photographs of children and attempting to cause a child to engage in sexual activity.

The images included the most extreme type, such as bestiality and incest, and Glover could face a lengthy prison term.

But Judge Paul Worsley QC adjourned sentence for an assessment of his suitability to attend a ‘sex offender treatment programme’.

‘As you must appreciate, the mischief of making indecent photographs is that some child somewhere is being prevailed upon to behave in an appalling fashion which may well colour the rest of their lives.’

The judge also highlighted how Glover preyed on youngsters online while posing as a 15-year-old.

‘The obvious sentence is one of immediate imprisonment. I’m going to fall back from that today, but it may well be you go to prison for some time.’ he told Glover before explaining how he will be assessed in January.

December: To be released after serving four months

August 2016

Man jailed for abuse

A man accused of sexually abusing two little boys in the 1970s has been jailed for eight months.

Michael Lyttle, 56, whose address was given in court as Norland Drive, Heysham, was found guilty following a trial into the case at Preston Crown Court last month.

He had earlier denied indecent assault and inciting a boy under 14 to commit gross indecency.

He also denied two counts of indecently assaulting a second boy, and two of inciting him to commit gross indecency.

A jury found him guilty of four charges of indecent assault and gross indecency, two against each boy.

December 2016

Teen jailed for ‘predatory’ sex assaults on girls

A teenager will spend Christmas in custody after being locked up for groping two girls on separate occasions.

William Dowsett had denied two offences of sexual assault but was convicted by a jury.

Judge Jeremy Carey told the 19-year-old that if he had been sentencing him purely in his interests he would have let him walk free.

“I have no doubt you are now leading a law-abiding and responsible life,” he said.

“You are having a relationship with someone who trusts you.

“You have good prospects work-wise and a supporting family.”

But the judge said it was only one side of the picture.

The other side was he had to be punished to reinforce the message that those who committed sexual offences would go to prison.

Prosecutor Allister Walker said Dowsett picked up one of the girls from Strood station after she and her friend had problems catching a train.

They went to Rochester High Street, where there was a festival, and he grabbed her bottom.

Later, he told her he needed “a sex marathon”.

The teenager then put his hands inside the girl’s leggings and made her touch his private parts.

The girl complained soon after the incident happened, but he was not charged.

The case was reopened when a second similar complaint was made.

Judge Carey said branded the offences “predatory sexual behaviour” against the will of both victims.

Sentencing Dowsett, of Hinde Close, Sittingbourne, to 18 months’ youth custody, he added: “This was serious sexual offences and you must now take the consequences.”

Dowsett’s name will appear on the sex offenders’ register for 10 years.

He will be barred from working with children under 16 or vulnerable adults.

December 2016

Conwy businessman jailed for trying to entice boys to perform sex acts over internet

A highly successful businessman has been jailed today after a court heard he had a deep-rooted sexual interest in young boys.

Peter Mark Hewson, 67, was described at Mold Crown Court as a pillar of society who carried out charity work and had been the owner of Conwy Landrovers for 35 years.

But he admitted trying to get two boys to indulge in sex acts over the internet and possessing and distributing indecent images of boys.

Hewson, of Bryn Hyfryd Park, Conwy, was jailed for 16 months and ordered to register as a sex offender for 10 years.

A 10-year sexual harm prevention order was also made.

Judge Niclas Parry said Hewson posed a high risk of harm of sexual abuse and emotional trauma to boys.

The defendant admitted making 229 category A images – the worst kind – between January 2006 and July of last year, together with 97 category B images and 318 category C images.

The distribution charge involved 54 category C images of boys.

He admitted two charges of attempting to cause a child to engage in sexual touching over the internet, dated back to November 2010 and January 2013.

When police searched his home in September of last year, he denied an interest in children.

But an examination of his computers revealed that he had downloaded images and films, had distributed images, and had engaged in highly sexualised chat logs and live web cam sessions over Skype, some with people who said they were under-aged.

The court heard there were no complainants as such – none of the others had been identified.

Hewson claimed in web chats that he had sex with a boy of 14, encouraged another person to arrange for him to meet up with two boys and, when he received one particular image, reacted by saying: “Wow, hot lad.”

A forensic examination showed more than 300,000 Skype messages in total, but not all of them were sexual.

Simon Mills, prosecuting, said they must have taken place while he was at home with his wife in another room.

He had invited people to meet him for sexual activity in Blackpool where he had an apartment

Judge Parry said that, in addition to the images which involved children as young as four, he had downloaded and distributed some images, had engaged in sexual activity during live webcam sessions, and had incited two boys under 16.

The evidence pointed to an entrenched pattern of seeking opportunities to satisfy fantasies about sexual interaction with children, he said.

December 2016

Man thought he was meeting 15-year-old girl for sex

A cancer survivor was caught on camera trying to meet an underage girl for an illegal sexual encounter.

Corey Deans, who regularly hit newspaper headlines as he battled a brain tumour from the age of just seven, turned up to meet a 15-year-old girl called Katie he had met over adult chat site Badoo.

But Newcastle Crown Court heard ‘Katie’s’ profile was a fake account run by online paedophile hunters Guardians of the North.

When the 22-year-old technology worker arrived to meet the schoolgirl at South Hylton metro station in April, he was confronted by members of the group, who contacted the police to arrest him. 

Deans, of Rodin Avenue, South Shields, who has no previous convictions, admitted attempting to meet a child following sexual grooming.

A judge said it is unclear whether the cancer in his brain, which resulted in a two year hospital stay and more than a decade of treatment, could have led to his illegal behaviour, which those who know him say is hugely out of character.

Prosecutor Michael Bunch told the court Deans had got in touch with the fake profile shortly after it was set up and engaged in ‘flirty’ conversation which became sexual.

Mr Bunch said: ‘As the conversations progressed, they continued to have sexual overtones, essentially containing clear sexual requests and topics, raised on each occasion by the defendant asking about having sex, making requests as to what would happen if the two met up.

‘Eventually, an agreement was made whereby the two would meet in order to have contact.

‘The intentions expressed by the defendant was for them to have sexual contact, most likely sexual intercourse.’

The court heard Deans appeared to get ‘cold feet’ shortly before the meeting and said to ‘Katie’ ‘if you don’t want to do anything, we don’t have to’.

As a result of information surrounding the meeting being leaked online, the court heard Deans and his family have been subjected to abuse and even death threats.

Judge Robert Adams sentenced Deans to six months imprisonment, suspended for two years, with rehabilitation and sex offender programme requirements.

Dean was ordered to sign the Sex Offenders Register and abide by a Sexual Harm Prevention Order for seven years.

The judge told him: ‘It became very clear you intended to meet her in due course for sexual purposes.

‘That was in spite of being told she was only 15. Your conversations had sexual overtures, with discussion about sexual activity.

‘In due course an agreement was made to meet for the purpose of sexual contact.

‘What was going to happen was not entirely clear but you accept that was your purpose in meeting this person.’

The judge said he had read a number of references to Deans’ ordinarily positive character, written by people who are ‘appalled and disgusted’ by his behaviour.

Judge Adams added: ‘You suffered, sadly, from cancer aged seven, you had a brain tumour and spent two years in hospital.

‘You received treatment until the age of 18, it was long-term treatment. Whether or not that injury to your brain has resulted in this sort of behaviour, I know not.’

The judge said a phone call made by a woman linked to Guardians of the North on the day of the arranged meeting may have been ‘pretty close to entrapment’ but there was no suggestion of Deans being encouraged during the sexual converstations.

December 2016

Online ‘vigilante’ helped snare Carlisle man looking for child sex

An online “vigilante” helped snare a man intent on committing a child sex crime.

Ronald Carter, 57, was sentenced at Carlisle Crown Court on Friday having previously admitted attempting to incite a child under 16 to engage in sexual activity.

Prosecutor Brendan Burke said the offences occurred in April and May, when Carter was then living at a city address housing people with mental health problems. A support worker was based there.

“This offence came to light, in fact, through her, because the defendant appeared to be boasting about a message he had, telling the mental health worker ‘this is from my little girlfriend’,” said Mr Burke.

Carter had responded to a Facebook friend request.

“This ‘girl’ is a middle aged man,” stated Mr Burke, who stressed it was not an official police sting.

“[But] it appears to be the sort of exchange which one would not be surprised to see in a police operation. In other words it does not have the flavour of aggressively trying to trap someone.”

The prosecutor added: “Very quickly, as happens with more state-sanctioned operations, ‘she’ makes it clear ‘she’ is only 15.”

Carter, now living in Partridge Place, off Wigton Road, made a host of lewd suggestions, sent an indecent image and even planned to meet the “girl” for sex. Police were alerted.

Paul Tweddle, defending, said of Carter: “He is a man who is not well, is on benefits and is facing imminent homelessness.”

No further mitigation was offered after Judge Peter Davies concluded he could follow a probation service report recommendation.

Carter was given a three-year community order, comprising a sex offender treatment programme and a 30-day rehabilitation activity requirement.

He must also sign the sex offenders’ register for seven years, and was handed a 10-year sexual harm prevention order.

December 2016

Galmpton man, 23, had sex with a 13-year-old girl

A MAN who had sex with a 13-year-old South Devon girl has been given a suspended prison sentence after the court heard he felt ‘ashamed’ of his actions.

Gary Billington, of Dart View Road, Galmpton, had sex with the girl on two occasions, Exeter Crown Court was told.

The defendant pleaded guilty to two counts of sexual activity with a child under 16.

Prosecutor Peter Coombe said this was not a case where the defendant had groomed the girl, or used drink or drugs to entice her.

But the girl had told Billington her true age at the time they had sex.

After initially denying the offences to police Billington broke down in tears and said he was ‘ashamed of himself’, said Mr Coombe. He said he thought she was older.

Billington was a man of previous good character.

Billington was given an eight month suspended prison sentence, put on the Sex Offender Register and made subject to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order for 10 years. He was also given 12 months of supervision.

December 2016

Brixham man given suspended sentence for indecently assaulting a girl

A 41-year-old man has been given a suspended prison sentence for indecently assaulting a girl more than a decade ago.

Graham Rupp, of Rowan Way, in Brixham, put his hands inside the girl’s dress, rubbed her back with his hand and nuzzled his face into her neck, Exeter Crown Court was told.

He was convicted by a jury at trial after denying the offence.

Rupp, the court was told, assaulted the girl when she was aged about 12.

Recorder Philip Mott QC said: “You were convicted by the jury on the most compelling evidence.

“You targeted a young victim and there was a significant disparity in age.”

Rupp was given six months in jail, suspended for two years. He was told to sign the Sex Offender Register and pay £1,200 costs.

December 2016

Deaf Plymouth hairdresser admits viewing indecent images of children

A deaf city hairdresser has admitted viewing indecent images of children.

Victor Rixon, aged 32, downloaded vile pictures including some in the most severe category showing the sexual abuse and rape of young children by adults, Plymouth Crown Court was told.

He was due to stand trial but changed his pleas on two charges with the jury waiting in the wings.

Rixon, of Duke Street, Devonport, admitted making 30 still images in Category A and 14 still images in Category B between April 2011 and July 2015.

He entered the pleas with help from signing interpreters in court.

Recorder Simon Levene adjourned sentence until tomorrow so a probation officer can prepare a report on his background.

December 2016

Henlow ‘sexual predator’ guilty of 14 child sexual offences

A MAN sexually abused a 13-year-old girl in 1999 and groomed another young victim fourteen years later, Luton Crown Court heard today.

Mark Rayner, 45, from Oldfield Farm Road, Henlow, was convicted of ten counts of sexual offences including meeting a girl following grooming, and one count of possessing indecent images of children.

He had previously pleaded guilty to two counts of possessing indecent images of children and one further sexual offence.

Rayner met one of his victims on Facebook in 2013 and built a rapport with her online. He encouraged the 13-year-old victim to send him indecent images and was found to be in possession of a number of indecent images of other children.

Upon hearing that Rayner had been charged with sexual offences, a second woman then came forward to say that she had also been sexually abused by him on multiple occasions between 1999 and 2000 when she was just 13.

Officers investigated and Rayner was subsequently charged with a further eight offences.

Rayner has been remanded in custody pending sentencing at a later date.

December 2016

‘Street predator’ jailed for sex abuse in Southampton

A “predator” who picked up underage girls in the street for sex and infected them with sexually-transmitted diseases has been jailed for 12 years.

A court heard Antonio Agard, 54, targeted young girls in Southampton, giving them gifts and money, and lying about his age.

He pleaded guilty to two counts of sexual activity with victims aged 14 or 15 at the time of the offences.

The judge said Agard “brainwashed” the girls to feed his sexual desires.

Southampton Crown Court heard Agard, of James Street, was already on the sex offenders register when he met his first victim in 2002 or 2003.

The court heard he approached her in a BMW car as she was walking in the street.

The pair had a relationship lasting two or three years, during which time the girl contracted gonorrhoea from him.

He met one of the girls when she was 14 and had been “playing with dolls” just a month before. The same victim later fell pregnant with his child.

In a victim impact statement, she said she was now estranged from her family because of the relationship and had been diagnosed as suffering from depression.

The second girl was befriended in 2006 and “repeatedly infected” with chlamydia, the court heard.

Her statement said she had been “playing with dolls” only a month before meeting Agard, and felt he had “taken her childhood away”.

The court was told Agard had three previous convictions for having sex with underage girls and one conviction for indecent assault on a child.

Judge Gary Burrell QC told him: “What you did was absolutely dreadful. You operated as a street predator looking for young girls.

“You used both girls for sexual pleasure: controlled, manipulated and in effect brainwashed them to be compliant with your sexual desires.”

He imposed consecutive six-year jail terms for each count, together with a sexual harm prevention order to last indefinitely.

December 2016

Sex beast who raped 12-year-old schoolgirl jailed for seven years

AN evil sex beast who raped a girl aged 12 then claimed she made up the brutal attack after he gave her a row over the state of her room has been caged for seven years.

Predator Warren Gillespie gave a one-fingered gesture as he was led handcuffed from the dock after being found guilty at the High Court in Edinburgh.

The fiend, of Bucksburn, Aberdeen, struck after he’d been left to look after the youngster and other kids when their mother went for a night out with friends.

But the terrified child eventually told her mother and police were contacted.

Gillespie was detained and interviewed by officers and was sentenced today by Judge Kenneth Maciver QC.

Advocate depute Lisa Gillespie told the court: “He denied the allegation and suggested that the victim had fabricated it due to his having reprimanded her for the untidy state of her bedroom.”

But the court heard forensic analysis of clothing backed up the girl’s claims she’d been attacked.

Judge Kenneth Maciver QC said: “This was the rape of a girl of 12 and a half years of age with accompanying features of significant sexual assault.”

The judge said it was clear from an impact statement that the crime had significantly affected the victim and was likely to continue to do so for a long time.

Former supermarket worker Gillespie earlier admitted sexually assaulting and raping the girl in September 2014 at an address in Aberdeenshire.

He was also placed on the sex offenders’ register.