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Hugh Henry – Farnham Royal/Amersham

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February 2014

Prep school paedophile found dead on train track before sentencing

Prep school paedophile found dead on train track before sentencing

An ex-teacher at a private school at the centre of abuse allegations has been found dead just 36 hours before he was due to be sentenced for sex crimes. It is believed he may of have committed suicide.

Police said a body believed to be that of Hugh Henry, 82, was struck by a train in Buckinghamshire on Tuesday.

Henry, who carried out the abuse at Caldicott Preparatory School in Farnham Royal, was due to be sentenced with ex-headmaster Peter Wright on Thursday.

Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg is among the former pupils of the school.

Thames Valley Police said in a statement: “Henry’s next of kin have been informed and the incident [at Amersham Underground station] is being investigated by British Transport Police.”

In December, Mr Clegg – who was not a victim of the abuse – said he was “appalled” at the news his former headmaster had been convicted of historical child sex offences.

Wright, 83, of Crown Lane, Farnham Royal, was found guilty of abusing five boys aged between eight and 13 by an Amersham Crown Court jury.

He had denied 10 charges of indecent assault and two of indecency with a child at Caldicott Preparatory School.

Mr Clegg said the nature of the abuse would “disturb everyone”.

Wright’s conviction came after fellow former teachers John Addrison and Hugh Henry pleaded guilty to sex abuse.

Henry, 82, of Pomeroy Close, Amersham, pleaded guilty to gross indecency with a child.

Addrison, 54, of Datchet Road, Slough, Berkshire, pleaded guilty to one count of indecency with or towards a child, and was sentenced to five years’ imprisonment, at Aylesbury Crown Court in November last year. He will remain on the sex offenders’ register for life.

David Geddes, 71, from Upper Wield, Hampshire, was cleared by a jury of four counts of indecent assault on a child under 16, at a re-trial last March.


John Addrison – Slough/Caldicott/Ludlow

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2013

Pervert teacher jailed for sex offences against children

John Addrison, 54, of Datchet Road, Slough, was jailed for five years and ordered to remain on the Sex Offenders’ Register for life after pleading guilty to 14 counts of indecency with or towards a child. 

Thames Valley Police on 1 May 2012 charged the former teacher with sexual offences committed against children at Caldicott School between 1979 and 1981.

John Addrison, on 9 August 2012, was further charged with child sex offences committed at Moor Park School near Ludlow Shropshire, between 1985 and 1988.

James Barefield – Hersham

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January 2010

Hersham ‘teen web sex’ teacher jailed

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A TEACHER who used a web-cam to film himself naked while chatting online to an undercover detective he thought was a teenage girl has been jailed.

James Barefield, 32, of Thrupps Lane, Hersham, was sentenced on Wednesday to 12 months in prison after he was caught using the screen name ‘fast finger’ to target young girls on the Chatline website.

The head of English had been charged with attempting to engage in sexual activity in the presence of a child under 16 for the purpose of obtaining sexual gratification.

In July last year Barefield began talking to ‘Beth’ – a girl he believed was 14 and living in London. In reality, she was a police officer working on an undercover operation.

Southwark Crown Court heard Barefield had been using the website for 20 years and had chatted to another 90 women online, at least 20 of whom were under 16.

The conversations quickly became lurid and full of sexual innuendo, said prosecutor Michael Mulkerrins.

“He was seen to be in his bedroom, on his bed naked,” said Mr Mulkerrins. “Initially, he commenced by suggesting to the young girl that he show her his buttocks.”

Barefield continued filming as he touched himself in a sexual nature. He did the same thing while talking to ‘Beth’ on July 22.

The court heard that a probation officer who wrote a report about Barefield found he still ‘lacked insight’ into his actions, despite pleading guilty to the offences.

He was sacked from his job but parents and pupils at his school on the Isle of Man set up a support page on Facebook, which attracted more than 300 members. This has since been shut down.

Defending, Wayne Cleaver said despite knowing what he has been charged with, many of his colleagues and parents at the school would happily have him back. Mr Cleaver also handed the judge character references from fellow teachers, a school governor and a parent.

“They all speak of him in extraordinarily glowing terms,” Mr Cleaver said.

Judge Stephen Robbins said: “I have to sentence you for this reprehensible behaviour.

“I have taken into account your guilty pleas entered at this court. You have lost your job as a teacher and, as I understand it, your fiancée.”

In addition to his prison sentence, Barefield has been banned from working with children and placed on the Sex Offenders’ Register for the next five years.

As he was taken down to the cells, the disgraced teacher gave his parents a thumbs-up sign and smiled.

Stephen Watson – Armadale/Penicuik

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February 2014

Soldier jailed for ‘devastating’ rape on a 12-year-old girl

A soldier who raped a 12-year-old girl has been jailed for five and a half years.

Stephen Watson, 22, had been drinking in pubs in Armadale, West Lothian, before returning to a home where the girl was sleeping.

He got into bed beside his victim and started having sex with her before instructing her not to tell anyone.

Watson was jailed at the High Court in Edinburgh after admitting raping the girl.

The court was told how Watson had talked to his victim about school and asked her if she had a boyfriend.

She remembered telling him to get off her and wriggling away before he stopped and got dressed. He then told her not to tell anyone what had happened and left the flat.

The victim cried and did not know what to do, advocate depute Richard Goddard said.

But she confided in a friend at school that she had been touched sexually and the matter was reported to a teacher who contacted the victim’s mother, police and social workers.

DNA samples

Watson, formerly of Glencorse Barracks in Midlothian, initially told police he had done nothing wrong.

But his DNA was found on samples taken from the victim.

He then admitted assaulting and raping the girl on 21 February last year.

Passing sentence, judge Lord Burns said: “I have no doubt these events have had a devastating effect on this girl.

“It is clear you committed this crime at a time when you were under the influence of alcohol, but the circumstances are you deliberately returned to this house where this girl was sleeping.”

The judge said it was plain that the girl had made it “abundantly clear” that she did not want him there.

“The fact that you may have been heavily under the influence of alcohol cannot mitigate this offence in any way,” he added.

He then pointed out that the victim was a vulnerable young girl.

‘High Risk’

The judge stated Watson had been assessed as posing a high risk of harm by the author of a background report, and that he would have faced a seven-year sentence, but for his guilty plea.

He then ordered that Watson should be under supervision for a further two years after his release from prison.

Defence counsel Michael Anderson said: “He is unable to recall the events due to the amount of alcohol he had consumed.”

He added: “He recognises that what he did was completely wrong. He further recognises the impact of what he did may have on the girl and the consequences for her.

“He has acted out of character and under the influence of alcohol.”

Lord Burns asked whether Watson’s Army career would be at an end and Mr Anderson said: “Inevitably it will be at an end.”

Watson was also placed on the sex offenders’ register.

Lee Groves – Swindon

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February 2014

Man jailed for having indecent photos of children

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A MAN who had more than 1,000 indecent images of children stored on his computer has been jailed for a year.

Lee Groves downloaded the images of young girls over a five year period, often through contact with like-minded people.

And when the 52-year-old’s computer was examined investigators found hundreds of pictures of extreme pornography involving a animals having sex with adults.

Tessa Hingston, prosecuting, told Swindon Crown Court he was caught after investigations showed he had visited illegal web sites.

“He had a number of hard drives and computers on all of which were a collection of indecent images of children,” she said.

When questioned he denied anything would be on the machines but later accepted they were there.

He said he used peer to peer software to share files and had a program to recover memory if there was a fatal error on the machine.

Miss Hingston said the search history on the computer also showed he had used a number of terms like ‘nude pre-teen model’ over a five year period.

Groves, of Upham Road, admitted nine counts of making and one of possessing indecent images of children and one of extreme pornography.

He had 1,368 pictures of children, accrued between April 2006 and December 2011, and 207 of adults engaging in sex acts with animals.

Grahame James, defending, said almost all of the images were at level one, the lowest, and for his personal use, not distribution.

He said Groves had never been in trouble with the police before and was arrested more than two years ago and had been awaiting his fate ever since.

“That has had an oppressive impact, awaiting to know what is going to happen,” he said. “Since he was charged the company he works for suspended him, and he has always worked. “That information got out and the local people have been outside his house shouting ‘paedophile.’ He urged the court to impose a suspended sentence, saying Groves would not get the help he needed on short period in custody.

Jailing him Judge Tim Mousley QC said: “When the police apprehended you, you had several computers with these hard drives.

“You used peer to peer software to access files. It seems to me that means you were linked with like- minded people “Over 1,300 images of children being abused were present on the memories of these computers: 23 at level four and one at level five.

“I take into account your age and the fact that you have no relevant convictions and that it has taken significant time for this matter to come to court so it can be finally resolved.

“I take the view this is so serious only an immediate custodial sentence can be justified.”

He also imposed a sexual offences prevention order restricting Groves’ liberty for ten years, the same period he must register as a sex offender.

Detective Sergeant Jason Roberts of the Child Internet Exploitation Team said: “Wiltshire Police are fully committed to the continued targeting of those individuals who possess and distribute indecent images of children.

“And those who choose to sexually exploit children by way of social internet forums. “Members of the public are encouraged to contact Wiltshire Police or Crimestoppers if they suspect persons are involved in this type of criminal offending so that individuals can be apprehended and children safeguarded at the earliest opportunity.”

Anyone with information should contact 101 or Crimestoppers on 0800 55 111 where information can be left anonymously.

Jason Lawrence – Southcote

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November 2011

Southcote man spared jail over child sex charges

A 39-year-old Southcote man has been spared jail after admitting sexual activity with a teenage girl.

Jason Lawrence was cleared at Reading Crown Court last month of having sex with the girl on a kitchen table and using an object to perform a sex act on her on another occasion.

The defendant, from Byfield Road, earlier admitted four other counts of sexual activity with the girl, who cannot be named for legal reasons, and was sentenced on Monday, October 31.

The offences took place in June 2010.

During the trial the girl gave evidence along with her mother and grandmother who told of their shock after hearing about the allegations.

It was also revealed that the girl’s father had assaulted Lawrence after confronting him about what had happened with his daughter.

The jury took more than six hours to clear Lawrence of both counts.

After admitting four counts of sexual activity with the girl, Lawrence was handed a three-year community order with a supervision order, placed on the sex offenders’ register for five years and ordered to pay £300 costs.

Jason Coomber – Orton Goldhay

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October 2010

Prison For Peterborough Sex Offender

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A Peterborough man, who sexually abused a young teenage girl over a three year period, has been jailed

39 year old Jason Coomber, from Howland in Orton Goldhay, was found guilty of engaging in sexual activity with a child at Peterborough Crown Court yesterday.

He has been sentenced to four years in prison, placed on the sex offenders list for an indefinite period, and barred from having any unsupervised contact with children via a sexual offences prevention order.

He was acquitted on three counts of rape.

Coomber first came into contact with the girl when she was 13 years old.

He sexually abused her at his home and in his car, and warned her not to tell anyone.

The victim told Police in Cambridgeshire about the abuse in April this year and an investigation was started.

DC Heidi Hensey, who investigated, said: “This sentence demonstrates how seriously this type of offence is taken by the courts.

Coomber was very manipulative and controlling and the SOPO will act as a deterent to further offending when he is released from prison.”

Patrick Sallabank – Bridlington

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February 2014

Rapist gave himself up after fantasising about killing and feeding victim to pigs

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A MAN who raped two teenage girls at house parties handed himself into police after fantasising about killing someone and feeding them to pigs, Hull Crown Court heard.

Both of Patrick Sallabank’s victims were 16 when he raped one while she slept and the other in her bedroom while her friend was knocking at the door.

When Sallabank, 20, was arrested after the first attack in July last year, he claimed to have had consensual sex with his victim.

But after striking again on October 10 while he was on bail for the first offence, he made a 999 call to police, admitted both rapes and waited to be arrested.

He was asked why he had initially denied raping the first girl, and Jharna Jobes, prosecuting, told Hull Crown Court: “He was worried that something worse could happen, that he could go from rape to murder.

“He admitted having thoughts of murdering someone, stabbing people, shooting people.

“One particular person, he wanted to take him to a pig farm, nails off, hairs off, and watch the pigs eat him.”

The court heard Sallabank had told police: “It’s happened again. I don’t want it to happen again.

“Everything I get I deserve. I’m aware it could happen again or something more serious could happen. It could go rape again or rape to murder. It could go anything with the thoughts I have. It’s not good.”

Chloe Fairley, mitigating, told the court: “He said he did not deserve to be in this world.

“He acknowledges throughout his interviews that alcohol was no excuse and that he wants to effectively black out what he had done. He hates what he did.”

Miss Fairley said Sallabank had endured a “sad, difficult and disturbing childhood”, had regularly been beaten by his father, was the son of alcoholic parents, and that no one had contacted him while he was in custody.

“He has had no real support in his life,” she said.

Judge Mark Bury said it was clear Sallabank was a danger to the public and there were “significant” aggravating features to both rapes that would be reflected in his sentence.

These included the fact that his first victim was a stranger and asleep. The second rape was committed while he was on bail and there was “evidence of detention”, the judge said, because Sallabank had shut the door, pushed his victim onto the bed, ignored her protests, and raped her “in her own bed where she was entitled to feel safe”.

Sallabank was sentenced to an extended 18-year jail term and told he should serve 12 years, although he may be considered for release on licence after eight years.

He will be on the sex offenders’ register for life and is barred from working with children for life.

Judge Bury told him: “I have come to the clear conclusion, and I’m in no doubt whatsoever, that you are indeed a dangerous offender.

“That is to say you pose a significant risk of serious harm to members of the public by the commissioning of further specified sexual offences.”

Sallabank, of North Street, Bridlington, committed the first offence in Bradford and the second in Marshall Street, Bridlington.

Neither victim can be identified for legal reasons


Jonathan O’Brien – Bosham

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February 2014

Teacher appeals child abuse conviction

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A TEACHER is appealing his conviction for 20 sex offences against boys in the 1980s.

Jonathan O’Brien, 56, of Fairfield Road, Bosham, stood trial last year and was found guilty by a jury on December 19.

He was due to be sentenced tomorrow (February 7) at ChichesterCrown Court.

However, the court said today (February 6) he was appealing theconviction and his sentencing had been cancelled.

The Court of Appeal confirmed it had received an application from O’Brien.

The alleged offences took place at two private schools – Winterfold House School, near Kidderminster, and The Oratory, near Reading.

Police first arrested O’Brien at his Bosham home on December 2, 2012.

Throughout the trial he maintained his innocence describing the allegations as ‘preposterous’.

In December, the jury found him guilty of 15 counts of indecent assault on boys and five counts of gross indecency. He was acquitted of two offences of indecent assault.

John Dent – Woodhall Spa

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February 2014

Ex-care home boss guilty of sex crimes against children bids to clear name

A former care home boss who served a jail term after he was convicted of a catalogue of sex crimes against children was back in court today after launching a Court of Appeal bid to clear his name.

John Dent hobbled into the London court with a walking stick to hear his appeal, which has been referred to judges by the Criminal Cases Review Commission as a potential miscarriage of justice.

Dent, now 64, of Abbey Drive, Woodhall Spa, Lincolnshire, has always denied the alleged child abuse, which saw him jailed for seven years at Nottingham Crown Court in December 2001.

His team of lawyers now say a failure by the prosecution to disclose evidence which could have bolstered his defence case means that the convictions are “unsafe” and should be quashed.

At the crown court, witnesses described Dent as issuing orders like a sergeant major and bending the rules at two care homes, in Nottinghamshire, for his favourites, who he plied with cigarettes and sweets.

Children told stories of degrading sexual abuse, allegedly carried out in the 1970s, including one girl claiming to have been abused in a medical room when Dent gave her medicine.

Barrister, Mark Barlow, argued before three senior judges today that the non-disclosure of potentially vital evidence unfairly hindered Dent’s ability to defend himself in a case in which the allegations were 25 years old.

“In such a case, the importance of full disclosure and openness is the cornerstone of any prosecution,” he told Lady Justice Rafferty, Mr Justice Collins and Sir David Calvert-Smith today.

Mr Barlow said Dent had always denied that he ever gave medication to children at the care homes, but had only his own word to put forward as evidence before the crown court jury.

Documents now before the appeal judges, but not disclosed in 2001, show that there was no specific evidence at all of the girl having had a medical problem, the barrister continued.

“If it had been disclosed, it would have been a matter that I am very sure would have been raised by both counsel, given the importance to their respective cases of this issue about handing out medicine,” he said.

“It went to her reliability and truthfulness and whether or not it happened, or could have happened.

“This was material that was in the hands of the prosecution, i.e. the police, and it should have been disclosed.”

The judges reserved their decision on Dent’s appeal until a later date.

Grant James – Shaw

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February 2014

Teacher jailed over indecent images of children

A SHAW teacher who had almost 1,500 indecent images of children on his computer has been jailed for 10 months. 

Grant James (53), of Rochdale Road worked at St Thomas’ Primary School for 10 years. 

He admitted 16 counts of possessing indecent images of children. 

James came to the attention of police when he visited a monitored website in 2012. Officers visited him at the Werneth school in September 2012 and confiscated two school computers. Tests revealed no indecent images. 

James’s home was searched soon afterwards and police confiscated a computer which was found to have 1,489 indecent images. They also found cannabis. Almost 300 of the pictures were graded level four or five, the highest level of police concern. James was arrested on Valentine’s day 2013 and charged in November. 

Elaha Akhgar, defending, said “Before this he had no previous charges and was considered of good character. But his achievements will always be viewed with cynicism due to the nature of these images.” 

Sentencing James at Manchester Crown Court, Judge Lowcock said: “You were in a position of trust and responsibility and the parents of pupils at the school will be utterly horrified.

Anthony Edwards – Pool/Redruth

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February 2014

Pool pensioner Anthony Edwards looked at revolting images of children aged as young as 2

A POOL pensioner looked at “revolting” indecent images of children as young as two.

Anthony Edwards, 67, of Agar Road, downloaded the pictures of youngsters to his computer but claimed he had only done so out of curiosity.

At Truro Crown Court on Wednesday [Feb 5], Philip Lee, for the Crown Prosecution Service, said police raided Edwards’ home on July 24, last year, seizing his computer tower and a flash drive.

In interview with police the following day, Edwards admitted watching adult pornography and admitted that he had occasionally seen a child image but denied looking for them.

A forensic examination of Edwards’ computer equipment revealed more than 2,000 indecent images of children, many of which were in deleted folders but others were in back up files.

In a second interview, Edwards admitted that he had looked at the material.

Mr Lee said: “He said he would look at them and delete them immediately … he said he looked at them out of curiosity.”

He also admitted that he had searched the internet for pictures using terms such as “young” and “teen”.

At an earlier hearing, Edwards pleaded guilty to 12 counts of making indecent images between May 5 and July 12 last year.

The charges related to images at level one to four on the scale used by police to categorise such material, with five being the highest.

Mr Lee said the prosecution viewed Edwards’ claim that he had only been looking at the images out of curiosity with scepticism.

Martin Pearce, defending, said Edwards was acutely embarrassed about what he had done and had shown remorse.

Sentencing Edwards to eight months in prison suspended for two years, Judge Christopher Harvey Clark, QC, said: “The fact that in your case there were a large number of photos at level four [is worrying].

“Level four is, to put it mildly, revolting.”

Edwards was ordered to be under the supervision of the probation service for two years and attend an internet sex offenders’ programme.

He was also made subject to s sex offenders’ prevention order and told to pay a £100 victim surcharge.

Mathew Samways – Barry

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February 2014

I am technically a rapist: Sickening boast of paedophile described by judge as ‘worst I’ve ever seen’

A man who amassed a collection of child pornography boasted online that he was ‘technically a rapist’ after having sex with two underage girls.

Mathew Robert Samways had consensual sex with two teenagers he met online. Although he initially believed they were over 16, he continued having sex with them after discovering their real ages.

When he was arrested, police discovered he had downloaded over 100 sickening images of children – which were described by Judge Stephen Hopkins QC as ‘the worst he had seen in his career’.

The judge jailed Samways, 28, of Maes Glas, Barry, for seven years at Cardiff Crown Court in August last year.

He had previously admitted five counts of sexual activity with a child, as well as 13 of making, and one of possessing, indecent images of children.

But his sentence has now been cut to six years by judges sitting at London’s Criminal Appeal Court, who said the original term was ‘too long’.

The court heard Samways met the first girl through an adult online website, on which she had posted explicit images of herself and claimed she was over 16.

They met face to face and had sex for the first time after Samways picked her up and drove her to a beach.

At that point, he still believed she was over 16, but he continued to have a sexual relationship with her after discovering her real age.

He also met the second girl online and, again, initially believed she was older, but carried on having sex with her after finding out the truth.

The court heard he boasted about his sexual conquests online and wrote that he was ‘technically a rapist’ – unaware police were monitoring the site.

Samways was arrested and police discovered around 150 indecent images of children on his computer equipment.

He admitted he had downloaded the material for his sexual gratification and made full admissions about what had happened with the first girl – even though she refused to make a statement to police.

However, while on bail for those offences, he continued having sex with the second girl. Those crimes came to light after one of her relatives discovered what was going on and reported it.

The court heard Samways had no previous convictions, was in a stable relationship, had a full-time job and owned his own home at the time he committed the offences, in 2012.

His lawyers argued his overall sentence was over the top, saying Judge Hopkins didn’t take enough account of his frank admissions to police in respect of the first girl – without which a successful prosecution would have been unlikely.

Allowing the appeal, Mr Justice Wyn Williams said that, while the offences were very serious, the total jail term handed to Samways was excessive.

Sitting with Lord Justice Aikens and Judge Brian Barker QC, he added: “We have reached the conclusion that the judge failed to give sufficient weight to the fact of his guilty plea, and the maintaining of that guilty plea, in respect of the first complainant.

“We would regard an overall sentence of six years, as opposed to seven years, as appropriately meeting the justice of this case.”

Darren Pollard – Sileby

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February 2014

Sileby man found guilty of sex offences against underage girls – Jailed 19 years

A man convicted of sex offences against underage girls has been jailed for 19 years.

Darren John Pollard (47) was found guilty of 11 charges, including four of rape, after a trial at Leicester Crown Court.

Pollard, of Wellbrook Avenue, Sileby, was also made the subject of a sex offenders prevention order and placed on the sex offenders register for life.

After the hearing, police praised the “incredible bravery” of victims who helped with the lengthy investigation.

The court heard Pollard had committed the offences against four girls at a number of locations across Leicestershire over 31 years.

He was charged with four counts of raping a girl under 16 between 1980 and 1982, three indecent assaults on girls under 16 between 1983 and 1985, three counts of gross indecency against girls under 14 between 1982 and 1986 and one charge of sexually assaulting a woman in May 2011.

He denied the charges, but was found guilty of all 11 by a jury.

After the hearing, the partner of one of the victims said: “He has now faced justice for what he has done.

“We commend the judge in the sentence he handed down.”

A police spokesman said Pollard was charged with the offences in April last year after the victims filed complaints.

“This result is a credit to the victims and the incredible bravery they have shown,” the spokesman said.

“We are pleased Pollard is behind bars and hope it encourages anyone who may be a victim of a historic sexual offence to come forward and report it to police.”

Steven Twinbru – Barry/Splott

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February 2014

Internet pervert who wanted to see baby being sexually abused cries as he is jailed for five years

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An internet pervert who wanted to see a baby being sexually abused wept in the dock as a judge jailed him for five years.

Steven Twinbru, 32, had been on a live web-link to an old college friend when he asked him to commit the act, Cardiff Crown Court was told.

Later, Twinbru, a father-of-two, claimed he had been trying to trap his friend Lee Mills, but that was an excuse to ease his own conscience, a judge heard.

He had never reported it to the police or social services, said his lawyer Steve Clarke. “‘Gathering evidence’ is something he may have used to justify his actions,” he added.

Judge Daniel Williams said the pair had encouraged each other into more and more daring fantasies.

Last October Judge Williams jailed Mills, a 31-year-old nursery janitor, for 10 months for downloading pictures of child pornography and hearing he kept a pair of knickers to fit a toddler in his bedroom.

At the time Mills’ barrister admitted his job – from which he was sacked – would give rise for concern although none of the children in the images were those at his nursery.

Yesterday the same judge heard how when police examined Mills’ computer at his home in St Fagan’s Avenue, Barry, they also discovered live webcam chats with Twinbru of Railway Street, Splott.

On June 8 last year, believing Mills had a very young child with him, Twinbru encouraged him to carry out abuse on camera. On other occasions, Twinbru said he had just had a sex act performed on him by a 10 year old. Mills, the earlier hearing was told, had replied “give me her number”.

The judge told Twinbru, who admitted offences under the 2007 Serious Crimes Act of encouraging another to commit an illegal sexual act: “I am satisfied the two of you, for many years, had a sexual interest in the sexual abuse of children – a shared interest which came to light when police found images up to level four (in a one to five scale of seriousness) on his computer. I am also satisfied you and he had spoken of your interest in children long before that discovery.

“You were encouraging each other into more and more daring sexual fantasies and had appeared on a webcam performing a sex act. When you were on holiday in Spain, Mills was asking you were there any nice little girls where you were…

“You and Mills were committed paedophiles and you were encouraging a committed paedophile to rape a small child – to sexually abuse on camera – and you said you would do anything to see him do it. Courts must do what courts can do to deter those like you from encouraging others to commit terrible acts of child abuse”.

Twinbru was placed on the Sex Offenders’ Register. The judge said he was “astonished” Twinbru had been assessed in his probation report as a “low risk”.

 


Jason Neill – Downend/Bristol

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December 2012

Youth football coach Jason Neill sexually assaulted girl

A YOUTH football coach convicted of improperly touching a 13-year-old girl has been handed a suspended jail term.

Father-of-two Jason Neill started by touching the youngster’s hand before taking advantage of his victim, Bristol Crown Court heard.

Neill, 39, of Four Acre Avenue, Bromley Heath, Downend, denied wrongdoing but a jury convicted him of four charges of sexual assault on a female.

Judge Mark Horton imposed a six-month prison sentence, suspended for two years.

Neill was ordered to register as a sex offender for seven years and was banned from working with children or vulnerable people.

The judge told him: “It is quite plain that this behaviour, from the start, sent this girl into turmoil. She was extremely confused.”

The girl’s father, who attended court for the sentence, said: “He (Neill) has allowed a 13-year-old girl to be cross-examined for a number of hours, without showing any remorse.”

Detective Constable Carol Doxsey, the police officer in charge of the case, said: “Mr Neill was not remorseful.

“The victim has been particularly traumatised about what happened as well as the court process, as have her family.”

Jason Taylor, prosecuting, told the judge Neill was of previous good character and urged he should now be disqualified from working with children.

Judge Horton said the disqualification was automatic.

The judge said: “This case reveals planning and it also includes abuse of a position of trust.”

Ray Tully, defending, said: “This is man approaching 40, of previous good character and an exemplary family life.

“He has given a huge amount back to the community.

“He is someone who revels in the delights of his own family, a defendant with a very loving wife and two loving children at a very delicate stage of their development.”

Mr Tully said his client had run a football team but the conviction – which was not said to be related to the coaching role – would “knock for six” important aspects of his life.

He told the court: “This is a serious case but a balance can be struck by a non-immediate custodial sentence.”

Colin Giles – Didcot

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February 2014

Man who sent indecent child images escapes prison sentence

A MAN has avoided jail for sharing indecent images of children and possessing video tapes of extreme pornography.

Colin Giles, of Usk Way, Didcot, admitted sending and receiving underage photos of children using his mobile phone after chatting with other adults through dating channel Rabbit TV.

The 64-year-old pleaded guilty to six counts of distributing indecent images of children between October 1, 2011, and December 16, 2011.

Terrence Woods, prosecuting, said Giles sent a low number of images, most of which were the lowest level of seriousness, level one.

But he added that on December 17, 2011, one level five image depicting much more serious child abuse was sent to a woman who the defendant had been chatting to using Rabbit TV.

The barrister said she had been shocked by what she saw and immediately contacted the police, who also discovered videos of extreme pornography when they raided Giles’ house.

More photos were found on his phone, Mr Woods said, and he also admitted two counts of possessing indecent images and two counts of possessing extreme pornography.

Claire Fraser, defending, said her client did not consider himself a paedophile and had not been aware the contents of the videos was illegal.

Judge Tom Corrie said that as it was Giles’ first offence it was more important for him to get treatment for his “distorted” behaviour than go to prison.

He sentenced him to 20 months in prison, suspended for two years, with a supervision requirement and an activity requirement designed to tackle his behaviour.

Marcus Pick – Nuneaton/Exhall

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February 2014

Jail for Exhall man who collected thousands of sick images of children

A pervert was caught with more than 27,000 indecent images of children on his computer, a court heard.

Last June, police raided Marcus Pick’s home and seized his computer and an external hard drive.

They found a huge number of sick images of children as well as a handful of movies.

Investigators also discovered 16 images at categorised at level five – the most serious level.

Prosecutor Peter Grice said those images were of a “12-year-old girl, dressed in erotic clothing, handcuffed, chained and suspended from a ceiling”.

Mr Grice added: “The defendant was interviewed on three separate occasions and replied no comment to all questions, except during one interview.

“Then he made mention of the fact that his house was set on fire whilst he had been bailed to another address other than his home.”

At Coventry Crown Court, Pick, formerly of Nuneaton but now living in Hayes Lane, Exhall, was sentenced for seven counts of making indecent images.

The court heard that Pick, aged 43, had downloaded the illegal images and movies from a file sharing service but hadn’t distributed them elsewhere.

He collected the images between August 2010 and January 2013 while his marriage had broken down and his children were living away from him.

Pick has no previous convictions and pleaded guilty to all charges at his first opportunity. He appeared in court dressed in a faded Superman t-shirt with his hair in a ponytail.

Jailing Pick for eight months Judge Phillip Gregory said: “You appear to have an unhealthy sexual interest in relatively young girls – particularly those around the age of 10-15.

“That sexual interest led you into downloading images of young children, a very significant number at level one, images of children posing. But 16 images were at level five which involves sadism.

“The author of the pre sentence report said it became clear that you were being cautious with regard to the risks you were taking.

“Your behaviour made it hard for the police to catch you. These images contribute to the degradation of children by those who make the pictures in order to make money.

“It must be clearly understood that if you have images as vile as these relating to the sexual degradation of children you will be punished.”

Gerald Garrett – Gloucester/Leominster

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December 2013

Ex-marine jailed for sexually abusing young child

GERALD Edwin Garrett, 71, of Moor Meadow, Shobdon, Leominster, denied seven charges of indecent assault at Worcester Crown Court in November 2013.

He said the charges were “rubbish” and that they had been fabricated.

No one knew his dark secret of the child abuse he inflicted on a young girl who was aged between the age of 11 to 14.

Two female jurors broke down in tears when they listened to her account of each shocking abuse. Childhood friends also gave evidence against Garrett.

After a three-day trial, he was found guilty by majority verdict of 10-2. Garrett had joined the Royal Marine Commandos in the late 1950s at the age of 17.

After leaving the service, he did various jobs including working on motorways and building sites and driving HGVs. He had lived in a number of places in the Worcester area including Droitwich, Wychbold and Worcester and had four children.

Garrett later moved to Gloucester and became landlord of The Pelican Inn, a short walk from Gloucester Cathedral.

He suffered two strokes in 2003 which left him with difficulty walking.

In December, he was sentenced at Birmingham Crown Court to six years in prison.

Mark Pitts – Grimsby

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February 2014

‘Manipulative’ youth instructor ‘corrupted’ and had sex with 13-year-old girl

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A YOUTH organisation instructor who “corrupted” and had sex with a 13-year-old girl was caught out by her suspicious mother – who texted him from her daughter’s phone, pretending to be her.

He behaved in a “calculated and manipulative way” and exchanged more than 2,000 text messages with the girl, a court heard.

Mark Pitts, 20, of Ladysmith Road, Grimsby, admitted three offences of sexual activity with a girl and another of causing or inciting her to engage in sexual activity, between November 2012 and January last year.

Eleanor Fry, prosecuting, told Grimsby Crown Court that Pitts was an instructor at the time for a local youth organisation and the girl was a member of it.

He met her mother through his work there and they struck up a friendship.

She “took him under her wing” and treated him like her son. He got to know her children and she occasionally attended activities of the youth organisation, which is not being named for legal reasons.

Pitts went with the family on a holiday to France. He later told the girl how pretty she was and how he felt about her, and they regularly kissed.

He twice had sex with her and also touched her intimately and engaged in other sexual behaviour.

Her mother became suspicious about what was going on and confiscated the girl’s mobile phone.

She found that her daughter had sent more than 2,000 text messages to Pitts and that she had spoken on the telephone to him between 11pm and midnight.

The mother sent a text message to Pitts, pretending to be her daughter, mentioning the fact that the girl had been having sex with him and asking him what she should say to her mother.

Pitts replied: “You don’t tell her anything, especially not that.”

Miss Fry said that Pitts had been reprimanded by the youth organisation in December 2012 for having some of those involved in the organisation stay at his home.

All the children involved in that matter had the permission of their parents to stay there that night, added Miss Fry.

Richard Butters, mitigating, said Pitts made no excuses for his behaviour.

“The defendant, through his own actions, has shattered two families,” said Mr Butters.

“He is deeply ashamed about what he has done to this girl and his remorse is entirely genuine.

“His life has also now been shattered. It’s his own fault.”

Pitts had no previous convictions, had numerous GCSEs and had been doing a foundation degree in hospital and health care at college in Grimsby.

“His life, through his own fault, is in tatters,” said Mr Butters.

Judge David Tremberg told Pitts: “You were more than old enough to know you should not have laid a finger on the complainant, but you did so.

“You corrupted her into accepting this unlawful relationship as being part of her life.

“You caused or risked serious emotional harm as you acted as a corrupting influence on the complainant, creating a secret life for her, between herself and her mother.

“You used emotional blackmail, saying you would kill yourself if it all came out.

“This was a repeated breach of trust by you over a significant period of time. You behaved in a calculated and manipulative way, creating opportunities to offend.”

Pitts was jailed for three years and nine months. He was given an indefinite sexual offences prevention order and must register as a sex offender for life.

The girl’s mother was in court for the case with other supporters but, afterwards, she said she was not allowed to comment.

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