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Peter Felvus – Newarthill

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January 2014

Newarthill man jailed for abusing girls

A Newarthill man convicted of abusing three young girls was jailed for three years and four months today.

Peter Felvus (54) went to prison still protesting his innocence after a jury at Hamilton Sheriff Court found him guilty.

The charges dated back to the mid-1990s and related to incidents in Newarthill.

Sheriff Thomas Millar said the offences committed against one of the girls were particularly serious. These happened over an ‘extended period’ up to when she was 11.

Defence agent Jason Stark said Felvus continues to deny abusing the girls. The solicitor said his client was willing to do community service as an alternative to jail.

However, Sheriff Millar said only a prison sentence was appropriate and jailed Felvus for three years and four months.


Clive Ramm – Stanway

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January 2014

Sex offenders course for man who failed to tell new partner about child abuse images conviction

A CONVICTED pervert did not tell his new partner he had been jailed for having child abuse images.

A court heard Clive Ramm received an order as part of his sentence in 2006, when he was jailed.

He was supposed to tell anyone he had a relationship with about his past, if the partner had children.

But Chelmsford Crown Court was told Ramm denied what he had done when his partner and mother of two teenagers confronted him.

She had heard rumours about his past and the name he was using at the time, but Ramm denied it. The woman was left shocked and upset when matters came to light, the court heard.

Ramm admitted three charges of breaking his order.

The 40-year-old was told to go on a three-year sex offenders’ course.

The court was told Ramm was using the name Clive Lipton when he was jailed in 2006 after child porn was found on his laptop computer.

The order said he must reveal his conviction to any partner with children under 16.

But he failed to do so when he formed a relationship with a woman last year.

Ramm, of Longstraw Close, Stanway, was also ordered to allow police access to any computer, phone or storage device so it could be checked. But the court heard how he refused to tell police what the PIN numbers were on two phones he had.

One was later found to have nothing on it.

The other is still being checked.

Ramm’s barrister, David Griffith, said Ramm would benefit from help.

Nigel Smith – Hilperton

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January 2014

Child was unaware of pregnancy after rape

A man who raped a 12-year-old girl in 2003, and committed a sex offence against another woman a few years later, has been jailed for two years.

Nigel Smith was only 16 years old when he forced himself on the young child, causing her to fall pregnant.

And a few years later Smith, 27, committed another sex offence on a woman at a drunken party, a judge at Swindon Crown Court was told on Friday.

Hannah Squire, prosecuting, said Smith threatened the first victim if she told anyone after he raped her in the spring of 2003.

She said the child was so concerned that she lied when she was questioned about how she fell pregnant at such a young age.

But when she finally reported the truth to the police last year, the results of a DNA test backed up her story that Smith is the father of her child.

Miss Squire said the girl told how she was unaware of her condition until a month or so before the birth.

“She thought she had a tummy upset. She was taken to the doctors and diagnosed as being pregnant,” Miss Squire said.

She told the court how the other victim of his sexual offending suffers from learning difficulties and told how the abuse took place in late 2007 following a party.

Smith, of Pike Close, Hilperton, Trowbridge, pleaded guilty to rape and another sexual offence.

He denied a further four counts of rape against the two victims and prosecutors said they would not seek a trial on the other matters.

Mark Ashley, defending, said his client had a very low IQ and functioned at the mental aged of a child.

He said he was aged just 16-and-a-half when he carried out the rape of the younger girl.

Passing sentence, Judge Tim Mousley QC said: “So far as the allegation of rape, the girl was 12 when that happened and she was obviously extremely vulnerable.”

He said the impact on her had been ‘far reaching’ and would affect her for the rest of her life.

He jailed him for two years, imposed a restraining order banning him from contacting his victims and told him he must register as a sex offender for 10 years.

David Phelan – Deighton

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January 2014

12 years for ‘compulsive and obsessional’ Deighton sex offender

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A Deighton man has been given an extended 12-year jail term after a judge described him as a “predatory sex offender”.

Police discovered indecent images of children on computers at the home of David Paul Phelan in 2012 after a 12-old-girl had the courage to report sexual offences by him some years earlier.

Sentencing Phelan at Leeds Crown Court yesterday Judge Peter Hunt told him the fact those images were found at the time they were indicated his sexual interest in children had persisted over several years.

He had concluded Phelan’s interest was “compulsive and obsessional”.

The judge added: “The term paedophile should be used cautiously before attaching it to anyone but in your case your interest in child sexual abuse and attempts to perpetrate it should be so regarded.

“They show you to represent a danger to the public and children in particular are at risk of serious harm from future specified offences.”

Phelan, 47 of Whitacre Close, Deighton, was convicted by a jury of six charges of attempted rape, six of voyeurism, one of sexual assault and 17 of possessing indecent or prohibited images.

He was jailed for 12 years with an extra six years extended licence and ordered to register indefinitely as a sex offender after Judge Hunt said his conduct against the girl in particular was “manipulative” and “predatory.”

Andrew Kershaw, prosecuting, said the offences against the girl had happened when she visited Phelan’s home.

He rubbed her chest over her clothing, showed her pornographic films and eventually tried to have sex with her, telling her to keep it secret from her mother or he would say she had been misbehaving.

He paid for top ups on her phone in exchange for her sending him topless pictures of herself and sent her explicit text messages after the sexual offences promising to buy her a Blackberry, actions which the judge described as “grooming behaviour.”

When she eventually gathered courage to speak up about his behaviour, images of other children were found on Phelan’s computers as well as secretly filmed footage of him touching a woman who was unaware of what he was doing.

Robin Frieze, representing Phelan, said he had no history of sex offending and argued safeguards including registration would be sufficient with a determinate sentence to protect the public.A DEIGHTON man has  been given an extended  12-year jail term after a  judge described him as a  “predatory sex offender”.

Shaun Myers – Fartown

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January 2014

Fartown man Shaun Myers jailed over sex offences

A man has been jailed for eight years for child sex offences. Shaun Myers, 23, of York Avenue, Fartown, appeared before Leeds Crown Court on Friday.

He was convicted of 13 charges dated between July and September, 2011.

The charges included two offences of sexual assault on a girl aged five and a further 11 charges of making an indecent photograph of a child.

Tyler Toothill – Keighley

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January 2014

Community order for Oakworth man who sent girl of 11 graphic sexual messages and kissed her

A 26-year-old man who sent a girl of 11 graphic sexual messages on Facebook and kissed her in a graveyard has been sentenced to a three year community order.

Tyler Toothill was arrested after the child was overheard in the school playground talking about her much older boyfriend, Bradford Crown Court heard today.

Toothill, of Goodley, OakworthKeighley, pleaded guilty to a total of six offences, comprising two each of inciting a child to engage in sexual activity, meeting a child after grooming and sexual assault.

Prosecutor Rebecca Young said the girl disclosed she had seen Toothill at a party and they began messaging on Facebook.

Miss Young said that in the space of a few days, Toothill and the girl met up twice.

First, they sat in a Keighley graveyard and kissed and held hands, and the second outing took them to the town’s beck where they again kissed and he told her to be careful because he did not want to go to prison.

The court heard that Toothill sent her photos of himself in boxer shorts and asked her to message him pictures of herself but she refused.

When interviewed by the police about the messages, Toothill expressed his utter horror and said he had been drunk at the time.

Toothill’s barrister, Sophie Drake, said he knew he needed help and had pleaded guilty at the first opportunity.

Judge Colin Burn sentenced Toothill to a three year community order with supervision and a requirement to attend the sex offender treatment programme.

He must register as a sex offender for seven years and a sexual offences prevention order was made for seven years.

He told Toothill: “What you did was just utterly wrong.”

David McKenna – Darwen

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January 2014

Darwen men abducted school boy

TWO men have pleaded guilty to abducting a 14-year-old boy, one of whom had sexual activity with him.

A court heard how after persuading the teenager to meet him in the middle of the night, Stephen Sullivan, 23, of Entwistle Street, Darwen, then gave the boy alcohol.

After heading back to Sullivan’s house for more drink, the pair continued walking until they reached the flat of, 21, of Bridge Street, Darwen.

McKenna, who had spent four months in custody before yesterday’s hearing, then began to kiss the victim in a way in which the boy described as ‘proper full on kissing’.

The youth also sustained a love bite on his neck and a bite on his lip.

Both defendants admitted abduction of a child and McKenna also pleaded guilty to sexual activity with a child.

Preston Crown Court was told that Sullivan, who had already served 40 days in custody, and the teen had each known about the other’s sexuality.

Sentencing both defendants to community orders with supervision for two years, Judge Anthony Russell said much more serious charges had originally been put forward, but since dropped.

He said: “It is a very, very different case from the one that appeared to be the case.”

Judge Russell told Sullivan: “You should not have invited a 14-year-old boy to leave his house in the middle of the night.

“It was an irresponsible act which could have led to serious consequences for him because you were out and about in Darwen at night. He was out of the control of his mother.”

The judge also told McKenna that he should not have been prepared to invite the boy into his home.

Daniel King, for McKenna, said his client had expressed ‘genuine remorse’ and that he had ‘learnt an important lesson’.

Simon Gurney, who defended Sullivan, told the court: “He is a young man of good character who pleaded guilty at the earliest opportunity.”

Wilfred Batty – Dewsbury

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January 2014

Dewsbury pensioner had thousands of indecent images on laptop

Police discovered more than 1,800 indecent images of children on a pensioner’s laptop.

Officers went to the Dewsbury home of Wilfred Batty in October 2012 after finding he had visited a website which had been compromised and had indecent images put on it.

Prosecutor Richard Canning told Leeds Crown Court the website was quickly shutdown in June 2011 but details were kept of all those who had accessed it.

Batty’s laptop had 1257 images at level one – the lowest in a series of ratings where five is the most serious.

He also had 62 at level two, 197 at level three, 361 at level four and eight at level five.

Batty, 69, said he had lived alone for nine years and was not good on the computer.

He said the images had popped up when he was looking at adult porn sites and he had tried to delete them unsuccessfully.

Khaleeq Zaman, mitigating, said others had mentioned “girlie” sites to Batty after he got the laptop.

He said pop-ups for child porn appeared when Batty visited the sites, and he accepted that he foolishly looked at them.

The court heard Batty told police he got no sexual gratification from the images, and still maintained that was the case.

“He expresses remorse and regret for this offending,” Mr Zaman said.

Batty, of Moorside End, admitted 21 offences of possessing indecent images of children.

He was given a three year community order with a high level activity requirement, which includes a sex offender treatment programme.

Sentencing him on Friday, Judge James Spencer QC said it was “shameful offending” and the consequences for the victims depicted were “beyond imagination.”

But he said he hoped probation involvement would stop any further temptation in the future.


Marc Shiers – Brimscombe

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Update: Marc Shiers was released in March 2013

July 2005

Jail for sex offender after assault on girl

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An already convicted sex offender who befriended a 14 year old girl by buying her presents before sexually assaulting her has been jailed

Marc Shiers told his victim he was a former marine who had been shot. The court heard he telephoned her thousands of times before taking her to Gloucestershire where they had sex

The 33 year old, of Queens court in Brimscombe was locked up for four and a half years 

Sentencing Shiers at Gloucester crown court, judge Jamie Tabor QC told him he was a danger to young girls and that he be supervised upon his release from prison

Shiers had admitted three counts of sexually assaulting the girl between December last year and February this year, including a charge of unlawful intercourse. He also admitted abducting her from Exeter between February 23 and 27 this year

Shiers had a significant history of involvement with young girls with three previous convictions for similar offences

Shiers who met the girl through a friend in 2004, bought her watches, jewellery, DVD’s, computer games and clothing, and in turn she would skip school to see him

He would be in contact through email and instant messaging and made 4,351 phone calls to her

Prosecution said, Shiers went to Exeter on February 25th, met the girl and agreed to take her to a family members home in Gloucestershire. The family member was not there and he agreed she could go to his home but claimed they slept in separate bedrooms

Initially Shiers had denied that the girl had been at his house and that their relationship was of a sexual nature, claiming he used to help her with her homework. But the victim later admitted they had sex and confirmed Shiers was aware of her age

Shiers was sentenced to three and a half years for unlawful sexual intercourse, one year for abduction and was told he would have an extended period of licence for three and a half years. He was also placed on the sex offenders register

Michal Kowilski – Bexleyheath

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January 2014

Jail for Bexleyheath bus masturbator who exposed himself to schoolgirl

A BEXLEYHEATH sex offender who masturbated in front of a teenager on a bus has been sentenced to six weeks in prison.

Michal Kowilski, 29, also admitted putting his hand up a 13-year-old girl’s skirt on a bus through Bromley in a separate incident two-and-a-half years later.

The chef initially escaped justice for exposing himself to a 16-year-old girl on April 7, 2011, because police arrested another man who was using an Oyster card with the same name.

But he was detained and charged after a teenager on her way to school on the 320 bus on October 23 last year accused him of grabbing her bottom.

In the first incident the victim was travelling at the back of the 51 bus at around 1pm as it passed through Sidcup High Street, Bromley Magistrates’ Court heard on Friday.

Prosecutor Leena Verma told the court: “She noticed the defendant moving his arms about.

“When she looked again, she saw he was masturbating.

“She said she was shocked and went to the bus driver to report the incident to him.”

When confronted Kowilski, of Woolwich Road, Bexleyheath, denied the offence and claimed the victim was lying before getting off the bus and walking back towards Sidcup.

On October 23 he was on the 320 as it drove through Bromley High Street at around 7am.

His victim came downstairs with her younger brother when she noticed Kowilski staring at her.

Miss Verma said: “She smiled at the defendant and as she passed him she distinctly felt the defendant grab her bottom and squeeze it.

“She shouted ‘what do you think you are doing, you paedophile’ but the defendant did not respond.

“When interviewed by police, he said didn’t touch the schoolgirl and his intention was to take a picture up her skirt and he had a mobile phone in his hand.

“He said he was hungover and still possibly drunk having consumed vodka the previous evening.”

Unemployed Kowilski also claimed he was hungover during the first incident, had been taking the horse tranquiliser ketamine and “had not been with his girlfriend for a while”.

Mitigating, solicitor Christopher Carter said: “The offences are both abhorrent.

“My client accepts responsibility for his behaviour and is very sorry for his actions.

“He is ashamed. He recognises he has a problem and wants to address the problem.”

District Judge Robert Hunter sentenced Kowilski, who has no previous convictions, to six weeks in prison and ordered him to sign the sex offenders’ register for seven years.

On December 20 last year Kowilski pleaded guilty to an act outraging public decency and sexual assault on a female.

Matthew Phyall – Kemsing

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January 2014

Kemsing man had more than 1,000 child sex images and films but escapes jail

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A Kemsing man caught with more than 1,000 child sex images on his computer along with 23 film clips has been spared jail.

Instead Matthew Phyall, 21, from Northdown Road, Kemsing, was given a 12 month jail sentence suspended for 18 months and ordered by a judge at Maidstone Crown Court on Friday to carry out 150 hours of unpaid work.

Judge Martin Joy also ordered that Phyall’s name must be included on the sex offenders’ register and banned him from working with children. And he must pay prosecution costs of £500.

The judge had been told when police raided Phyall’s home after being alerted his email address was being used to download child porn they looked into his computer.

They found 855 stills of children which were at the lower levels of seriousness.

However, there were also 203 at the higher levels. And the film clips were found, again with some at the higher levels.

As he sentenced Phyall, who had pleaded guilty to possessing, making and distributing indecent images of children, Judge Joy told him there was no alternative to a jail sentence, but added that the sentence could be suspended.

He continued : “Real children are harmed by such offences. It is easy for people to be fooled into thinking they aren’t. That is something you don’t seem to understand.”

He said that Phyall “not been frank with the probation service” and there was no recommendation for treatment such as a sex offender programme.

He said he hoped the sentence would remind Phyall of the gravity of the offence.

The court had been told that the offences began after Phyall was sent child porn images by a friend.

He was said to have felt ill when he saw them and had denied having any sexual interest in children or getting any sexual gratification from the images.

His counsel, Tom Dunn said the amount of material involved had been small.

Michael/Christopher Phillips – Pelynt/Saltash

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May 2004

Teenager jailed for killing baby

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A 16-year-old boy from Cornwall has been jailed for seven years for killing a nine-month-old baby in Saltash.

Christopher Phillips, (pictured above) of Wilton Terrace in Pelynt, was convicted of the manslaughter of Harley Rogers in December 2002 at a trial in March.

His brother, Michael Phillips, (pictured below) 23, known as Craig and also of Wilton Terrace, was jailed for three years for causing Harley actual bodily harm.

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He was also given a year for attempting to pervert the course of justice.

Both brothers were sentenced at Bristol Crown Court on Monday.

Christopher Phillips, who was 15 at the time he committed the offence, had pleaded not guilty to murder and was convicted of manslaughter on the grounds that he did not intend to cause the child serious harm.

Fatal haemorrhage

During the trial at Exeter Crown Court, key witness Blake Nettleinghame told the jury the impact of the back of the child’s head when he was “swung like a baseball bat or cricket bat” against a fireplace made a noise “like a brick on concrete”.

The court also heard how Michael Phillips punched the baby – the child of his partner Laura Shenton and another man – in the face, drawing blood.

Michael Phillips also attempted to pervert the course of justice by threatening Mr Nettleinghame.

Harley died at Buller Park on 21 December 2002. The fatal injury was haemorrhage over the brain, which was thought to have occurred about 36 hours before he died.

Sentencing, Mrs Justice Heather Hallett said to Christopher Phillips: “I cannot imagine how you could have decided to batter Harley’s head against a door.

“I have to sentence you for a wicked attack, indeed attacks, upon a tiny defenceless baby.”

Mrs Justice Hallett continued: “Michael punched Harley ‘purely because he looked like his natural father’.”

She told him he was a “bully” whose behaviour was extremely worrying.

Mrs Justice Hallett said Michael Phillips’ appalling example was partly to blame for his “impressionable younger brother’s” treatment of Harley.

She said they treated the baby like a “despised toy”.

Sitting in the dock, Michael and Christopher Phillips, showed no reaction as they were sentenced.

In a statement, Harley Rogers’ family said: “Every day since 21 December 2002 has been difficult for us.

“No sentence will bring Harley back, but the sentences given to Craig and Christopher Phillips will help show the community who was responsible for his death.

“Lady Justice Hallett gave us a clear view of the Phillips brothers’ behaviour and their attitude towards Harley.”

However, Harley’s father, Phil Rogers said when asked if he was satisfied with the sentence: “It should have been longer.”

Andrew Selfridge – Margate

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January 2014

Jail for Thanet council CCTV operator who hid thousands of abuse images and fantasised about child rape

An award-winning CCTV operator with Thanet District Council has been sent to prison for his vile sex secret.

Andrew Selfridge was given a High Sheriff’s Award for tracking down a gunman after a shooting.

But now it has been revealed while he was helping keep the streets safe, he was searching for internet pornography at work.

A sweep of council computers revealed the married former special constable had been accessing perverted images.

When his home in St Francis Close, Margate, was raided last year, officers discovered almost 3,000 images of abuse stored in files marked “jail time” and “X files”.

Prosecutor Donna East told Canterbury Crown Court some of the images, including pictures of children as young as two, were in the worst category – level five.

Selfridge, who admitted nine illegal image offences, was jailed for nine months, despite a probation recommendation he receive a community order.

But Judge Heather Norton heard that as well as accessing the images he also posed as a school girl in an internet chatroom.

And he had shared with another sick pervert his fantasies of abducting a school girl, drugging her and filming the rape.

Judge Norton told him: “Those discussions also suggested that images had been exchanged.

“Those conversations may well have been fantasy on your part. But the fact that you were having them is extremely disturbing.

“It was the probation report writer’s view you did that out of boredom . . . because you wanted someone to talk to and there had been no sexual motivation.”

Judge Norton said she rejected that conclusion because boredom would not lead someone to access illegal websites and express sick fantasies about child rape.

“Looking at and talking about the abuse of children is not a victimless crime. It is an abhorrent crime which perpetuates the abuse of children.”

Selfridge’s wife sat in the public gallery and heard details of the CCTV operator’s online fantasies in explicit detail.

Kerry Waitt, defending, said she is standing by her husband who was now “thoroughly ashamed of his actions”.

“He was living in a fantasy world. He says he was set on a course of self-destruction, oblivious to all on the outside and to the consequences.”

Selfridge left the Army in 1999 after a distinguished career and has worked as a CCTV operator for the past 13 years.

Three years ago he received his High Sheriff’s Award for alerting police after witnessing a man being shot in the face in Camden Square, Ramsgate.

He tracked the gunman to an address and told police officers. He was later rewarded by a judge for the “prompt, efficient and professional manner in which he had acted”.

He said at that time: “It’s always nice to be recognised for your work, but I felt slightly embarrassed and humbled.

“All of the CCTV operators can regale you with tales of the things they’ve seen: some of them funny, some horrific and some that just make you wonder.

Judge Norton told him he had been a man of “exemplary character who had served as a community warden, a special constable and a CCTV operator after his 14-year distinguished Army career.

“Your work for several decades has been about protection and the prevention of crime, yet for a sustained period you have been committing these offences.”

She said she would reduce the sentence in recognition of the “work you have done in the service of your country and to others”.

He will have to spend the next 10 years on the sex offender’s register and is now not allowed unsupervised access to children for the next five years.

His computer and its internet history will also be available for regular inspection by police.

Thomas McEllin – Harraby/Carlisle

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July 2010

Violent child rapist in hammer sex attack on woman

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A man who has previously served a nine-year jail term for raping two schoolgirls has admitted a violent sex assault on a woman in Carlisle.

Thomas Peter McEllin, 62, of Baird Road, Harraby, was originally accused of using a hammer in an horrific sex attack on the woman.

At an earlier court appearance he denied sexually assaulting her, causing her to engage in sexual activity against her will and wounding her with the hammer with intent to do her grievous bodily harm.

But at Carlisle Crown Court, he pleaded guilty only to charges of sexual assault and unlawful wounding.

After entering his pleas, the court heard how McEllin already has several previous convictions for violence – including rapes.

In 2000 he was given a nine year jail term for raping two schoolgirls.

In that year, a court in Bolton heard how he had repeatedly raped his victims over an 11 year period. One of his victims became pregnant.

After that hearing, there were shouts of relief from the public gallery of the court when he was led away to start his sentence.

Several female relatives of the victims had sobbed quietly throughout the 30-minute hearing.

McEllin, a father of seven children who previously lived in Lancashire, had admitted specimen rape charges against each of two victims between 1974 to 1985.

He was told he would have to tell police his name, address and movements for the rest of his life.

The circumstances of his later move to Carlisle have not yet been made clear.

When he was first confronted by the original rape allegations in 2000, he described the claims as “poppycock.”

When told that his victims had been frightened by him, McEllin said he was “the softest man in Bolton.”

A persistent offender throughout his adult life, he had also been convicted of an indecent assault when he was just 17.

His defence lawyer told the hearing in 2000 that McEllin himself had been repeatedly abused as a child when in care.

He said that the defendant had lived a lonely and solitary life either on the streets of Blackpool or at a hostel and had been an alcoholic since the age of 17.

The judge in the case, Judge John Morris, decided to extend McEllin’s period of licence at the end of his sentence for an extra three years because he could not be sure whether or not he would reoffend.

In court this week, the judge remanded McEllin in custody for background reports and said he would be sentenced for his latest offences on September 3.

The judge warned him that his latest offences will lead to a prison sentence for “a considerable period.”

Rene Le Bretton – Shepton Mallet

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January 2014

Shepton Mallet convicted paedophile in court after writing self-help book

A CONVICTED sex offender from Shepton Mallet, who started writing a self-help book on coping with stress, was arrested after penning his work under a different name, which he had not informed the police about.

Somerset Magistrates heard that Rene Marcel Le Bretton had spent ten years behind bars for a number of sex offences and had been ordered to sign on the National Sex Offenders register for the rest of his life.

When police investigators were alerted to the offence they approached the defendant and found he was writing under a pseudonym of John Ryder and told him he would have to register the new name.

However despite repeated warnings the defendant refused to do so and accused the police of bullying and intimidating him.

Le Bretton, aged 60, of Cowl Street, Shepton Mallet, pleaded guilty to failing to comply with the notification requirements of a sex offender’s requirement in failing to register his pseudonym John Ryder on August 23 last year.

Prosecutor Sam Jones said that Le Bretton had been convicted in 2002 of numerous sex offences at Truro Crown Court and sentenced to a term of ten years in prison and made subject to sex offender notification requirements for life.

“As part of those conditions he had to notify the police if he changed his name and on July 30 last year he was arrested by investigating officers at his home in Shepton Mallet,” he said.

“The defendant said he had written a book under the pseudonym of John Ryder and he was told he had to register that name and was given until August 9 to do so.

“On August 6 he was sent a text message to remind him to register the name and the following day he replied saying “This is the third time you have threatened me with arrest and that is bullying and intimidation.”

Le Bretton was then arrested and during interview he was told to register the name but said he had been diagnosed with early onset dementia.

“However his consultant was spoken to and said that the defendant was showing signs of aged related memory deterioration but not dementia,” said Mr Jones.

Defending solicitor Brian Carrick said that since Le Bretton’s release from prison in 2008 he had fulfilled his notification requirements.

“He told the police he was in the process of writing a book with another person about the issues of stress,” he explained.

“There is nothing sinister in writing a book that is not in your birth name as half the authors in the library do that. Many authors disguise their identity.

“He never declared himself to the public that he was somebody who he was not. However he was given a warning and he was using a fake name according to the notification requirements.”

He added that Le Bretton had played only a small part in writing the book along with the other author, and this offence had been his “first and only discretion”.

The magistrates ordered that the case should be adjourned for a pre-sentence report to be prepared by the probation service, after finding it had been a deliberate flouting of his requirements.

They ordered the defendant to return to the court on February 10 and said that all sentencing options would be considered at the next hearing, including custody. Until his next court appearance Le Bretton was released on unconditional bail.


James Dunham – Eastbourne

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January 2014

Sex offender James Dunham absconds from Lewes Crown Court

Sex offender James Dunham absconds from Lewes Crown Court

A sex offender has gone on the run after pleading guilty to having sex with an underage girl.

James Dunham, 33, absconded from Lewes Crown Court on Thursday after admitting the charge.

Sussex Police said Dunham, a landscape gardener from Eastbourne, East Sussex, was given bail and told to remain in the court building to discuss the case with his solicitor.

He has not been seen since.

Police also issued an appeal in December after he failed to turn up to trial

Dunham, whose last known address was Albert Parade in Eastbourne, is white, 5ft 10in tall, of medium build, with green eyes and short brown hair.

A police spokesman said: “Dunham is not believed to present a physical risk to the general public but anyone who knows where he is is asked to contact us right away.”

Eric Griffiths – West Bromwich

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January 2014

Pensioner, 84, jailed for child sex offences going back 60 years

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A Black Country pensioner has been jailed following a police investigation into child abuse dating back 60 years.

Eric Griffiths, from Hallam Street in West Bromwich, sexually assaulted girls as young as five over a 45-year period starting in 1954.

He assaulted his first victim a nine-year-old at his home during sick ‘games’ as she sat on his lap.

In the mid-to-late 1960s he repeatedly assaulted two sisters aged between five and 10-years-old at his home address and in the vestry of a West Bromwich chapel where Griffiths worked as a caretaker.

And in the late 1990s Griffiths regularly abused an infant schoolgirl at an address in Stone Cross and forced her to touch him inappropriately, telling her she would be “taken away” if she reported the attacks.

Griffiths’ catalogue of sex offences came to light in 2011 when one of the victims now in her early 50s confided the abuse to a counsellor and then the police.

The 84-year-old was arrested in May 2011 and, after initially denying any sexual element in his contact with the girls, later admitted four counts of indecent assault.

And at Wolverhampton Crown court last week (Jan 13) Griffiths was jailed for four years and ordered to sign the sex offenders’ register for the rest of his life.

Investigating officer Det Con Nadine Harding from West Midlands Police’s Public Protection Unit, said: “It was a complex, time-consuming investigation: once allegations had been made against Griffiths we made efforts to trace other potential victims in Wales and New Zealand.

“Their testimonies supported a pattern of sexual abuse by Griffiths against young girls who were no doubt very confused and scared by what he was subjecting them to.

“These offences came to police attention decades after they were committed but, through our detailed enquiries, we were able to present a compelling case… and the weight of evidence against Griffiths saw him eventually admit the offences, having initially refuted them.

“This case emphasises it’s never too late for victims to report sex abuse.”

DC Harding warned sex offenders who believe they’ve escaped punishment for historic crimes that police can come knocking at any time.

She added: “Sexual crimes can hang over victims long after the offence but similarly they also hang over offenders. Anyone who’s committed a sexual offence should be aware that we could come knocking at any time – they cannot rest easily and for them time doesn’t heal.

“We have public protection officers who are specially trained to deal sensitively and compassionately with sex offence victims. They are able to support and guide them every step of the way from initial report to court conclusion.

“The abuse can hang over victims for many years, affecting relationships and making it difficult to move on. In this case, the victim spoke out because she wanted to put the past behind her and out of fear that all the time she stayed silent there was a danger he could be abusing other children.

“Her disclosure led us to trace other victims and now Griffiths is being made to pay in jail for offences he first committed 60 years ago.”

Leslie Watkins – Argoed

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January 2014

‘Prolific’ Argoed paedophile jailed for 30 years

A GWENT man was jailed for 30 years for carrying out ‘a deviant and abhorrent’ campaign of sexual abuse against two children and threatening police officers with a nail gun in an armed siege.

Leslie Watkins, 48, of Penylan Road, Argoed, between Blackwood and Tredegar, appeared in Newport Crown Court for sentencing yesterday for a string of offences.

He appeared on three separate indictments, including a number of serious sexual attacks against a girl under 12, grave sexual abuse against a boy under seven and the attempted wounding and assault with intent to resist arrest against two police officers after an incident at a house in Argoed in December 2012.

Watkins became embroiled in an armed siege where he threatened the officers with a nail gun after he went on the run, failing to turn up to the last day of his trial in the case of sexual abuse against the girl.

He was convicted unanimously by a jury after a trial in October 2012 of four counts of indecent assault and one count of attempted rape against the girl.

He admitted two counts of rape and two counts of indecent assault on the boy.

The court heard a doctor examined the boy and expressed concerns he had been sexually abused. The boy later confided in a trusted adult, telling them Watkins put on loud music to drown out his cries.

In 2010, the second victim repeated his complaints of sexual abuse to police saying he had never been able to talk about it and he needed closure.

Watkins was arrested on January 6, 2011 and denied committing any sexual offences against either victim.

When he failed to turn up to the final day of his trial, a warrant was issued for his arrest.

Two Gwent Police officers visited a property in Argoed on December 5, 2012 after receiving information Watkins was hiding there and found him barricaded into one of the upstairs bedrooms.

When one of the officers tried to push the door open, Watkins shouted: “I’m going to ******* kill you” and shot an industrial nail gun through the closed door, leaving the six inch nail protruding at head height by about two inches.The police firearms unit was called and trained police negotiators tried to persuade Watkins to give himself up over the course of a ten-hour armed siege.

The court heard Watkins continued to threaten to injure others and himself before shooting himself in the chest with the gun.

Watkins pleaded guilty to attempted wounding and assault against the police officers with intent to resist arrest and the charges relating to the boy on Monday, the day which was meant to be the first day of his trial

In mitigation, Jonathan Rees said the defendant had previously witnessed sex abuse taking place at a young age, that he was depressed, self-harmed and had made several attempts to take his own life.

Judge Philip Richards told Watkins: “There are comparatively few cases which involve the depravity and disregard for basic human values as you have shown.”

He said the victims had been badly affected, and said the female victim “spoke in a heart-rending manner about the abuse she suffered at your hands”.

The judge added the case had been delayed repeatedly by Watkins’ behaviour, including refusing to eat and sacking his defence counsel.

He said: “Until yesterday your behaviour towards the court has been entirely cynical.

“Having observed you in court is it evident you demonstrate no remorse.”

Watkins was sentenced to 30 years in prison, of which he must serve half before he can be considered for release. He will remain on the sex offenders’ register for life.

Officer in the case, Detective Sergeant Ginny Davies said: “Watkins is a dangerous and prolific offender who subjected his victims to horrendous abuse. His crimes have caused deep emotional and psychological effects, and I would like to pay tribute to them for their bravery in coming forward and in giving evidence.”

John MacLean – Newtonmore – Inverness

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January 2003

DNA sweep snares sex attacker

A sex attacker was caught after police DNA tested the entire male population of a village, a court has heard.

John Alick MacLean’s crimes came to light after he attempted to rape a woman following a New Year house party in Laggan, near Newtonmore.

Following his arrest two other women came forward and told police they had been sexually abused by MacLean in the 1980s when they were children.

The 62-year-old was jailed for 10 years at the High Court in Inverness on Monday.

Lord Bonomy described the married father-of-five’s crimes as “disgusting”.

MacLean, who moved from the Newtonmore area to Inverness after his arrest, admitted using lewd, indecent and libidinous practices and behaviour towards one girl on various occasions between 1981 and 1984, when she was aged between eight and 10.

He admitted regularly sexually abusing and raping a second girl between 1984 and 1988, when she was aged between 14 and 17.

He also admitted attempting to rape a woman at a New Year’s party at a house in Laggan last year.

The court heard that MacLean slipped into his victim’s room and attempted to have sex with her in the early hours of the morning.

The woman was unconscious through drink and unable to resist.

Advocate depute Brian McConnachie said Northern Constabulary initially believed that an intruder may have been responsible for the attack.

Detectives screened the whole village, as well as the men who attended the party.

Mr McConnachie said MacLean was arrested after his DNA profile provided a match.

Defence counsel Mark Moir said: “MacLean has largely been in a sense of denial up until recently that these offences took place.

“But he accepts they did and no excuse can be found for his conduct.

“He simply has no explanation as to why he did these things. It can not lessen the impact these crimes have had.”

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