February 2014

Accountant had 145,000 child sex abuse images on his computer

COPS found more than 145,000 images of child sex abuse on computers belonging to accountant John Broughton when they went to his Marston Mortaine home, a court has heard

When he appeared for sentence at Luton Crown Court, Judge Barbara Mensah was told Broughton has been diagnosed with obsessional compulsive disorder and may not have viewed them all in his quest to build up the collection.

Broughton’s barrister Mr Jonathan Coode said his OCD had reached a point where he was not always looking at the material.

It had become, said the barrister, ‘a pointless game to collect.’

The court heard how in the past Broughton has been addicted to collecting many things including cars.

Broughton, 68, who was first convicted of a sex offence in 1974, was arrested at his home in Julbilee Cottages, Station Road, Marston Mortaine on October 11 2012.

Police were armed with a search warrant and computer equipment was seized.

As a result, experts discovered 145,650 images including some of the very worst imaginable.

Material found also included video clips.

In court he pleaded guilty to 17 offences of making indecent photos of a child and two offences of possessing indecent photos of a child.

He was also in breach of a sexual offences prevention order.

Judge Barbara Mensah told Broughton that, because he had taken steps himself to address his problems with psychotherapy sessions, she was not going to pass a custodial sentence.

The judge said she was prepared to ‘take a risk’ by sentencing him to a three year community sentence with supervision so that he can go on an internet sex offenders treatment programme.

Broughton was also made the subject of a fresh sex offences prevention order.

December 2001

Jekyll and Hyde sex beast jailed

AN EX-STEELWORKER said to have a Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde personality was jailed for ten years for carrying out sex attacks on a teenager and a woman.

Carl Ball, aged 30, was told by Judge David Wyn Morgan: “You subjected a teenager to persistent acts of sexual degradation.

“You treated her as yours to use for your own sexual gratification. It was appalling.” At the Cardiff crown court case yesterday, it was said Ball had treated the other woman with contempt and abused her and degraded her.

The jury found Ball, of Broadmead Park, Newport, guilty of ten charges of indecent assaults against the teenager.

He was cleared of two charges of committing a serious sexual offence against her. Ball was found guilty by a majority verdict of raping the woman complainant and also guilty of indecently assaulting her.

He was found not guilty of nine charges of rape, three of causing actual bodily harm and two of committing a serious sexual offence in respect of a second woman.

The judge ordered that upon his release he register for life as a sex offender and directed that the ten years run consecutively to a two-year sentence he is serving for burglary. At the end of the case the teenager, who told the Argus she has tried to take her own life, broke down in tears.

After the hearing, she said: “Now, I know people believed me…. Now he is behind bars.” During the case, defence counsel Peter Murphy told the judge: “I don’t ask for any reports because the sentence is inevitable. I ask you to pay regard to the totality of the overall sentence. At the time of all the offences he was a severe drug addict.”

Ball had denied all the charges during the 12-day trial.

Prosecutor Gregory Bull said Ball had committed a sordid series of sexual assaults. He described him as a dangerous man who preyed on women and “had a split personality rather like Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde”.

He said Ball treated his victims simply as sex objects and sometimes worse than animals. The offences, he said, came to light when evil Ball raped and indecently assaulted a vulnerable young woman.

During the trial, the court heard prosecution claims that Ball used an aerosol to inflict horrific injuries on this woman.

Mr Bull said Ball preyed on his victims and used his domination to abuse them. “He cared nothing for them, only for himself,” he said. He added that what Ball did to the woman he raped was “almost torture.”

Ball had claimed the allegations were lies and everything that occurred was with consent.

February 2014

Pervert, 67, faces jail over sex attacks on 5 young girls

A PERVERTED pensioner who sexually attacked five young girls in about a decade is facing jail, at Burnley Crown Court.

Albert Clarke, now 67, last Friday admitted one count of indecency with a child, five charges of sexual assault on a child under 13 and six allegations of assault on a child under 13 by penetration. The offences took place between 2003 and last year and the charges are specimens.

Clarke, of Colne Road, Burnley, was ordered to sign the Sexual Offenders Register. He had no previous convictions and his barrister David Pojur told the hearing the defendant had “led a blameless life” until the offences.

Clarke was conditionally bailed until March 7, for a pre-sentence report. He must tell the police of any change of address, report to Burnley Police Station on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, must not contact named individuals and is banned from having contact with any child under 16, unless under the direct supervision of an adult with full knowledge of his guilty pleas.

February 2014

Sheriff finds man guilty of assault on two boys

A PAIR of boys were hit by a man who became annoyed with their play fighting.

Charles Codona struck the children on their heads and legs after becoming annoyed with them “carrying on”.

Perth Sheriff Court heard evidence from both children, aged under 16, via a video link.

The younger child told how he ran away and sought refuge at his grandmother’s home because he was scared.

The child said the abuse was triggered by him play fighting with the older boy.

“It was just one (blow) to the head or the leg,” he said. “I didn’t have any injures but I think I had bruises.

“I felt quite scared.”

He added that after Codona had left the area he remained fearful of the man, saying: “I was quite scared at night in case he tried to take me away.”

The older child said Codona had 
threatened him with violence as he stood in a garden near his home.

Asked by depute fiscal Rebecca 
Kynaston how the incident had made him feel, the boy replied: “sick”.

One of the boys said that the blows left a lasting impact and that he was “scared still”.

The children eventually informed family members of the assault and the police were called.

Solicitor Steve Lafferty, defending, asked both children if they could be 
mistaken that Codona hit them, to which both boys replied they were not.

They also denied the suggestion that the bruises they suffered were as a result of their play fighting or their participation in sports.

Codona, of Hilton Terrace, Cambuslang, denied wilfully ill-treating the children at an address in Perthshire last year.

The 50-year-old further denied causing a breach of the peace by threatening the older boy with violence on July 11 last year.

Sheriff Lindsay Foulis found Codona guilty of all three charges against him and deferred sentence until May 13.

February 2014

Leconfield Army instructor Andrew Silverwood jailed for using phone to secretly record soldiers in toilets

Dozens of soldiers including veteran combat troops were filmed secretly for the sexual gratification of a perverted Army driving instructor.

Andrew Silverwood, 47, was jailed for 11 years and nine months at Hull Crown Court yesterday after admitting voyeurism and a range of sexual offences against boys.

He was caught with scores of indecent photographs and films on his computers after using his mobile phone to record uniformed soldiers on rest breaks while teaching them to drive at the Defence School of Transport in Leconfield, near Beverley.

He took students on drives across Yorkshire and hid his phone in public toilets when they stopped at cafés for lunch.

Silverwood, of The Old Maltings, Driffield, covertly recorded the trainees relieving themselves, some of whom were rookies of 17, while others were battle-hardened veterans from the frontline in Afghanistan.

He also encouraged them to bend over and inspect the vehicles so he could take pictures of them without their knowledge.

Silverwood was told he had betrayed a position of “great trust” and was guilty of “appalling conduct,” when sentenced yesterday.

Recorder Nicholas Lumley QC told him: “You were in a position of great trust within the Army, where all individuals, from civil servants to privates and officers, all the people employed, rely on each other.

“Trust is fundamental in the Army and you betrayed that trust by what you did.”

Silverwood also admitted abusing two teenage boys.

While serving in the Territorial Army in his twenties in the 1980s, Silverwood preyed on one boy who shared his fascination for the military.

He plied him with alcohol and loaned him pornography before sexually abusing him.

The boy would sometimes wake up to find Silverwood performing sex acts on him.

The abuse only stopped when Silverwood moved away from the East Riding town where the boy lived.

He later visited Silverwood in his flat and discovered an old Polaroid of himself naked, and a similar picture of another child.

He told Silverwood to destroy the pictures. It left him “feeling ashamed and embarrassed, which is why he told the police he’d never previously reported the matter and had only done so recently,” David Gordon, prosecuting, told the court.

Recorder Lumley said it was clear the boy looked up to Silverwood and would have been “in awe” of him.

Silverwood, who is married, began abusing another boy when the youth was 14.

Police began investigating after that boy reported finding indecent images of children on Silverwood’s mobile phone and computer.

Officers discovered indecent images and films on a range of Silverwood’s media devices. They ranged from levels one to five, where five is the most serious.

Silverwood admitted two counts of gross indecency, two of indecent assault, voyeurism, two counts of making indecent images and films of children and sexual activity with a child.

An Army spokesman said: “All those who are found to fall short of the Ministry of Defence’s high standards or who are found to have committed an offence are dealt with as appropriate, up to and including dismissal.”

February 2014

Serial flashing grandad is jailed

A grandad who lived a secret double life as a serial flasher was jailed following a campaign of depravity against a teenage girl.

Plasterer Paul Weaver lived an apparently blameless life with his wife of more than 20 years and four children, but had in fact been convicted of sex crimes in every decade going back as far as the 1980s.

Liverpool Crown Court heard how Weaver, 54, from Maghull, exposed himself to a woman he had known for years and his shocked victim went to the police.

He pleaded guilty to indecent exposure in court last year and the ECHO reported the story, which in turn caused a previous victim to come forward.

This woman told how, from her mid-teens, Weaver had leered at her out of windows while committing a sex act, and popped up naked, or wearing a dressing gown, in his garden as she went walked past.

Trevor Parry Jones, prosecuting, said Weaver appeared to have memorised her school and paper round timetable so he knew when to show himself.

She told her mum but was not believed, so had to put up with it for years. Only when they read the ECHO article in November did her mum say: “I’m sorry, I should have believed you.”

Weaver, who gave a bail address of Outer Forum, Norris Green, was arrested and pleaded guilty to indecent exposure.

He has previous convictions for similar offences dating from 1981, 1992 and 2001.

Desmond Lennon, defending Weaver, said: “In every respect apart from these matters he presented an image as a model citizen and a credit to society but his dark secret has now been revealed.

“He deeply regrets what he has done.”

Judge Robert Trevor-Jones told Weaver, a grandfather-of-two: “You fall to be sentenced for a campaign of exposing yourself to a woman on a variety of occasions over a sustained period of time. It’s quite apparent that this is a deep-rooted fundamental part of your character which has shown itself on previous occasions.

“Within the very bosom of your community you were offending and disgusting people while  you were apparently living at home enjoying a very stable and supportive family life. In one way it could be viewed as pathetic but it could also be intimidating.”

He jailed Weaver for 14 months, made him sign on the sex offenders register for 10 years and made a restraining order not to approach his victims or enter Maghull for five years.

February 2014

Child rapist jailed for six years after using Facebook to lure girls to his home for sex

A child rapist who used Facebook to groom young girls before luring them to his home for sex has been jailed for more than six years.

Thomas Mayers, 20, “pestered” a 12-year-old girl on the social networking site for naked photos and repeatedly begged her to come to his house.

A court heard the girl eventually sent him some images and went to his home after he “would not leave her alone”.

He also persuaded 13-year-old to meet him for sex in a barn and at his home.

Shockingly, Mayers, who was 19 at the time of the offences last year, preyed on the school girls after he received a police caution for having sex with a 15-year-old.

Mayers admitted one charge of statutory child rape, two charges of sexual activity with a child and three other sexual offences involving the two girls at Stafford Crown Court.

Caging him for six years and nine months, Judge Amjad Nawaz told him: “You knew how old these girls were.

“They could not have given the impression they were significantly older. You had effectively pestered them to send photos having gained their confidence.

“When the 12-year-old told you she was too young and you told her she would be fine as though you were doing her a favour, it’s singularly unattractive.

“The caution ought to have been a warning to you, but it failed to have the effect.”

On Tuesday the court heard Mayers, of Stoke-on-Trent, Staffs., forced the 12-year-old girl into sex despite her telling him she was a child.

Prosecutor Stephen Bailey said: “She told him she was too young, but the defendant just said ‘you’ll be fine’.”

“The girl did not know what to do, so said ‘okay’ and they had sex on his bed.”

The pervert also met another 13-year-old girl in a local park and asked her for photos – which she refused – although she later had sex with him at his home and in a barn.

When he was arrested he told officers he believed the girls were older than they looked.

Michael Grey, defending, said: “Why did he not heed the caution? His instruction was he was more concerned with his parents.

“He had to leave his mother’s house and had to live with his grandparents.

“As part of the caution, he was sat down with a police officer and had explained what his behaviour meant to the girl.”

Mayers was also made subject to a Sexual Offences Prevention Order banning him from living with girls under 16 and unsupervised contact with girls under 18.

February 2014

Derry man pleads guilty to child sex abuse charges on morning of trial

A 69 year old man from Derry has pleaded guilty to sexually abusing a boy over a four year period.

Brendan McGowan, with an address at Brewsters Close, changed his plea to guilty shortly before he was due to stand trial at Derry Crown Court this morning.

The former Derry City Council employee pleaded guilty to six charges of indecently assaulting the boy, two charges of committing an act of gross indecency with or towards the boy and one charge of inciting the boy to commit an act of gross indecency.

The incidents were said to have started in 1989.

He was remanded on bail and will be sentenced on March 19.

February 2014

Pensioner who sexually abused a young girl after forming his own religious sect has been jailed for 11 years

Reuben Evans, 71, claimed to be the leader of a group he called Eternity and told the victim she was “a chosen one”, a court heard.

A 42-year-old woman and a 49-year-old man were also jailed for their involvement in the sexual abuse.

At Shrewsbury Crown Court last week Milinia Eden was jailed for 10 years and Paul Evans, of Craven Arms, for two years and four months.

Reuben Evans and Paul Evans had both pleaded guilty to a number of charges relating to sexual activity with a child.

Eden had denied five allegations of sexual abuse, but was found guilty following a four-day trial.

The offences are all said to have been committed in the Cleobury Mortimer area where Eden and Reuben Evans lived.

The court heard that the victim, who cannot be named for legal reasons, had been told by Reuben Evans that “the devil would be after her”.

In May 2012, the victim, having been warned she would be “killed within 24 hours” if she failed to submit to the abuse, told a relative about the abuse and the police were alerted.

February 2014

Parents jailed after three young boys found living among rotting food, flies, faeces, beer cans and cigarette ends in a Grimsby flat

THE irresponsible and “selfish” parents of three young boys have been jailed after shocked police found the “vulnerable” youngsters living in appalling scenes of “squalor” in a filthy and cluttered flat.

There was an overpowering stench of excrement, urine, mould and alcohol in the “horrendous mess” of the flat, with flies buzzing around, rotting food lying about and large amounts of debris strewn around, a court heard.

Matthew Cartwright, 39, and Marla Everett, 32, of Ainslie Street, Grimsby, each admitted three offences of cruelty to the boys, now aged three, nearly two and one, and in foster care.

Jayne Beckett, prosecuting, told Grimsby Crown Court that eyewitness Wendy Russell became worried after spotting a two-year-old boy on the very small balcony of a third-floor flat on July 10. He was swinging his legs through the metal bars of the balcony.

“She could not believe that a child had been left alone on such a high balcony and she stayed to watch for a while,” said Mrs Beckett.

The boy was “crying and screaming” and banging on the door of the balcony, in the Hope Street area of Grimsby, to be allowed in.

“At one stage, he was also swinging on a washing line, back and forth towards the street,” said Mrs Beckett.

He was pulling himself up against the railings, risking getting stuck or even pulling himself over them.

The witness was so concerned that she asked a nearby school to call 999. She waited until the police arrived.

PC Peter Mills went to the flat but could not rouse Cartwright and Everett. He forced his way in and was greeted by the stench of excrement. Flies flew from the room and the hallway was strewn with rubbish.

Cartwright was asleep, with another boy playing at his feet.

“The whole place was in an horrendous mess,” said Mrs Beckett.

“There was rubbish, faeces, used nappies and soiled wipes on the floor. There were disused takeaway packages, empty beer cans, bottles and cigarette ends all over.

“PC Mills had to walk through the debris to get to the patio but he did so and rescued the boy, to applause from below.”

Cartwright was drunk, was possibly under the influence of drugs and was in no fit state to look after children. He had drunk eight to ten pints of lager.

A very drowsy Everett appeared, apparently under the influence of something. She had smeared excrement on her neck and bra strap.

“The kitchen contained rotting food, dirty clothes, tyres and faeces,” said Mrs Beckett.

There were opened tins of mouldy food and there was virtually no food in the fridge or cupboards.

“The smell in the room was almost unbearable.”

A puppy dog was running around.

“In the children’s bedroom, there was a mass of debris, including bicycle parts, mouldy cloths, a pushchair with a mouldy mattress inside and cloths covered in faeces,” said Mrs Beckett.

“The smell from the room was overpoweringly one of urine, faeces, mould and alcohol. There was nowhere for the children to sleep. The bath and sink were unusable and full of items.

“The floor was cluttered. A spare bedroom was full of junk.”

PC Mills later said the flat was one of the worst he had seen for children to be brought up in. The children have since been placed in foster care.

Cartwright was jailed for 15 months and Everett for a year by Judge David Tremberg, who allowed their names to be published so that the case could be reported.

Boys left to fend for themselves in pitiful conditions

Parents Matthew Cartwright and Marla Everett left their three children to “fend for themselves in the squalor of their flat,” according to a judge.

Sentencing the pair, Judge David Tremberg told them: “Each of you, individually and as a couple, prioritised your own selfish needs over those of your own children.

“You simply could not have cared less about their welfare. They were inherently vulnerable by reason of their ages.”

The couple abused the trust placed in them, he added.

“You left them to fend for themselves in the squalor of your third-floor flat,” said Judge Tremberg.

“They were not properly fed, clothed or looked after. This squalid mess must have accumulated over a significant period of time since the last visit of social services on June 12.

“Your wilful failure to care for these children was multi-faceted. There were elements of neglect, ill-treatment, abandonment and exposure to harm.”

Richard Hackfath, mitigating, said Cartwright had “deep inadequacies” and could not provide an adequate standard of care for the children. He had suffered drug and alcohol problems.

Conditions at the flat deteriorated a relatively short time before the matters were discovered.

It was not claimed that the children had come to physical harm, were malnourished or were not given medical care.

“The children fortunately have come through physically unscathed,” said Mr Hackfath.

Steven Freestone, representing Everett, said she had shown “woefully neglectful” parenting but it was “by no means deliberate”. She had shown remorse.

She had given birth to a fourth child, fathered by Cartwright, within the last month or so and the baby had also been taken into foster care.

“She has lost her three children and now her new baby child,” said Mr Freestone.

Neglect is the most common issue affecting children in North East Lincolnshire, as the NSPCC receive more referrals for support and professional help for it than any other problem.

In November, our campaign, Neglect Matters, highlighted that 516 children in the borough had been investigated by North East Lincolnshire Council in conjunction with the NSPCC in the previous 12 months – and of those, 239 were of “serious concern”, with evidence of sexual, physical and emotional abuse.

The aim of the campaign, in conjunction with the council, was to raise awareness of the signs so that others in the community – as well as the victims themselves – can take action.

Judge Tremberg asked that £100 be awarded to Wendy Russell from public funds for the “outstandingly public-spirited way” she helped to bring the plight of the children to the attention of the police.

For help and support, or if you have concerns about a child, contact the NSPCC helpline, which is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, on 0808 800 5000, e-mail help@nspcc.org.uk or text 88858.

Alternatively, you can contact the North East Lincolnshire Family Information Service on 0800 1830317.

Find out more about the NSPCC at http://www.nspcc.org.uk/get-involved.

February 2014

64 yr old man sentenced to 10 months imprisonment for sexually touching 14 year old girl

A 64-year-old man has been sentenced to 10 months imprisonment after pleading guilty to sexual assault.

Peter Doherty, of Sandford Court, Leicester, pleaded guilty to the offence and was subsequently sentenced on Wednesday February 5.

He was also given a Sexual Offences Prevention Order for 10 years and will be on the Sex Offenders Register for 10 years.

The incident happened in October 2013 when the 14-year-old victim was touched inappropriately.

February 2014

Longford paedophile used sweets to lure his victim

A PAEDOPHILE who encouraged a young girl to retrieve Minstrels from his underpants and groomed her by promising presents has been jailed.

Michael Broughton, of Mardale Avenue, Longford, was caught out when the child, aged between seven and nine-years-old said she knew what Broughton was doing was wrong after seeing a programme on TV.

During sentencing, Judge Robert Warnock said he had shown little remorse after suggesting to probation the girl had instigated some of his approaches.

The 68-year-old initially pleaded not guilty to one charge of rape and three counts of inciting a child under 13 to engage in sexual activity but on the morning of the trial changed his plea.

Liverpool Crown Court heard on Wednesday his victim had been particularly distressed before the trial began and has been suffering from nightmares since.

Andrew Green, prosecuting, said: “The victim was told she would get into trouble if she told anyone.

“On occasions he would put Minstrel chocolates in his underpants and ask her to retrieve them and finally asked her to commit a sex act on him and in return promised to buy her favourite cuddly toy.

“He later went on the computer to buy it and told her to tell others it was because she had a good school report.”

After his arrest in August last year, police also found Broughton, who had no previous convictions, had been regularly texting the girl between January 2011 and March 2013.

John Banasko, defending, said: “This is a man of 68-years of age who is not going to have an easy ride in custody and doesn’t enjoy the best of health.

“It’s a tragedy for everyone.”

Broughton was sentenced to 11 years eight months behind bars.

During sentencing, Judge Warnock commended the child for her bravery during the case.

He added: “You let her believe she would be in trouble if she revealed what was happening.

“Unfortunately she has a clear recollection of what you did and little you know the consequences of your behaviour.

“You’re in denial with no significant remorse other than for your own predicament.

“You have robbed a little child of her childhood and caused her to be upset with nightmares that should be no concern to her.”

February 2014

Telford child abuse images man is given order

A Telford man who had almost 2,000 indecent images of children and extreme adult pornography on his computer has been made the subject of a three-year community order.

Matthew Stanley was said to have an addiction to the material and needed help to correct his behaviour.

At Shrewsbury Crown Court Judge Robin Onions said the children were being exploited by Stanley, 26, when he viewed the images.

Stanley, of Abbots Road, Arleston, admitted nine offences of making indecent images and five involving possession of extreme pornography.

February 2014

Child rapist jailed for eight years

A rapist has been jailed for eight years for raping and sexually assaulting a 14-year-old girl who was walking home in Preston.

Christopher Croston, 31, formerly of Netherton, Liverpool, admitted rape and sexual assault when he appeared in court in December.

He was sentenced at Preston Crown Court and given an extended licence of four years.

Police said it was a “despicable crime committed by a horrible individual”.

Lancashire Police began an investigation after a 14-year-old girl was sexually assaulted while she was walking home in Ribbleton on 30 September 2013.

She had been out with friends and was walking along Ribbleton Avenue at about 20:10 BST when she was approached by a man who tried to talk to her.

‘Extremely courageous’

He followed her to a nearby RSPCA building, dragged her down steps, pushed her to the floor and attacked her before running off.

Croston was traced to an address in Liverpool where he was arrested.

Det Ch Insp Andy Gilbert, of Lancashire Police, said it was a “despicable crime”.

He said the only positive was Croston pleaded guilty “which at least spared his victim having to go through a trial”.

The victim, he added, had been “extremely courageous” throughout the investigation and had been supported by her family and specially trained officers.

The victim’s mother, who cannot be identified, said: “Knowing that justice has been done and punishment will be served offers some consolation, but what he did to my daughter will live with her and me forever and for that I will never forgive him.”

February 2014

Former preacher found with his trousers undone by police, had downloaded 800 indecent pictures of young boys

PAEDOPHILE former preacher Nicholas Meredith has been jailed for 12 months after downloading more than 800 indecent photographs of young boys.

Police discovered the stash at Meredith’s Booth Street home in Booth Street, Newcastle, following a search last February last year.

Officers discovered the 46-year-old Booth with his trousers undone surrounded by DVDs during the swoop last February.

Prosecutor Neil Ahuja told Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court: “Officers visited the defendant at home to speak to him. There was some delay in him answering the door and there was some concern because his trousers were undone and there was a number of DVDs of young people present.

“The defendant did admit to one of the officers that he did fantasise about young people.

“The officers asked if they could inspect his computer and the defendant agreed. During the inspection the history was checked. A number of sites had been visited which included the words ‘boys’ ‘teens’ and ‘shirtless’. The also defendant also said there may be a few images in his pictures folder.”

Booth’s laptop was seized and a ‘large number’ of level one images, the least serious, were discovered, along with 16 pictures at level two and six at level five, the most serious.

There were also a number of videos, as well as six level one and level two videos.

The former preacher – who was already subject to a Sexual Offences Prevention Order (SOPO) – admitted four charges of making indecent images of children after officers discovered he had been storing the pictures on his laptop.

Stuart Muldoon, representing Meredith, said: “He does show genuine remorse and accepts that he has got a problem.

“He was convicted previously and he wanted to move on with his life. But he moved to Stoke-on-Trent away from his support network in Wolverhampton. When he came to here he believed he could move on, but he now accepts that in fact, he could not.

“He became under stress and reverted to his previous offending. He now knows what the triggers are that need to be addressed, both in custody and in the community. It is going to be very difficult for him in the future, he knows that.”

Judge David Fletcher sentenced Meredith to a total of 12 months in prison in prison and ordered him to sign the Sex Offenders’ Register for 10 years.

Judge Fletcher said: “I don’t need to give you a lecture about this type of behaviour. You are fully aware of the damage that these sort of images do to the children portrayed in them. I don’t need to tell you why these images are so serious.

“Your interest in young boys is going to cause you problems in the future. It is never going to be acceptable to anybody and it will remain a very serious offence.”

Meredith’s previous SOPO was also replaced with a new order prohibiting him from possessing any device that stores images or accesses the internet and is not allowed to delete his web history and prevents him from having any device which can store images.

February 2014

Middlesbrough man jailed for six years after abusing daughter of woman he befriended on internet

A PAEDOPHILE who sexually abused the daughter of a woman he met in an internet chat room has been jailed for six years.

Gary Dawson began sexually assaulted the young girl in his parent’s caravan.

Teesside Crown Court heard that after his arrest, the 46-year-old vanished, leaving a suicide note.

Police found him on a beach inMarske, east Cleveland, after what Nigel Soppitt, mitigating, said was a realistic attempt to take his life.

Dawson admitted four counts of sexually assaulting a child under 13.

Prosecutor Shaun Dodds said the first attack happened in a caravan atSaltburn.

Mr Dodds said Dawson undressed the girl in the living room area put a finger over her mouth before sexually assaulting her.

“The victim said this became a routine and she was scared to tell her mam,” he said.

Some years later the victim did tell her mother what had happened.

Dawson initially claimed the girl touched him first, before admitting he was at fault.

Mr Soppitt said Dawson, of Broadwell Road, Middlesbrough, was a lonely man living his life on the internet.

“He accepts what he has done, is deeply ashamed and wants to start his sentence as soon as possible.”

Recorder Toby Hedworth said the abuse had very profound long term effects on both the victim and her mother.

Dawson was jailed for six years in total and will be subject to a sexual offences prevention order and must register as a sex offender for life.

Speaking afterwards, the mother of his young victim branded him a “coward” and said she remains angry and bitter.

The woman told The Northern Echo: “I hate him and hate what he has done to my daughter. It is good that he has been jailed for six years, but he should have got more.

The girl now finds it difficult to concentrate on her studies and was referred to a child psychologist.

“She is trying to put a brave face on, but she will sometimes cry and get angry about what happened.

“She kept this under wraps for years and she then just blurted it out.”

Dawson attempted to take his own life after vanishing on the day of his trial, but the woman said killing himself would have been too good for him.

“I wanted him to face the public and the court for who he is because that is the only way I would get justice for my daughter,” she said.

“I don’t think I will ever move on from this. This is my baby girl.”

February 2014

Man who sexually assaulted girl, seven jailed for four years

A MAN who sexually assaulted a seven year old girl has been jailed for four years by a judge in Oxford Crown Court.

Peter Mace, of Hill Rise, Woodstock, was convicted after a trial for carrying out the offence between December 20 and 23, 2012.

The 40-year-old had tears in his eyes on Friday when Judge Patrick Eccles told him he had no choice but to give him an immediate prison sentence.

Terence Woods, defending, said his client had committed the offence while drinking heavily and did not fit the profile of a normal sex offender.

He said: “It was mostly binge drinking. He would go months without consuming alcohol and then be lost for days.”

Mr Woods added that Mace had also recently become aware that a boy he thought was his son had actually been fathered by someone else.

The barrister explained this had a “devastating” effect on the defendant and was shortly followed by him being made redundant.

Judge Eccles said the offence was shocking and told Mace: “You have brought about the ruin of your own life by this one act.

“On any view this was a revolting and unnatural offence, which had profound emotional consequences for your victim.

“Both the offence and the experience of having to come to court to relive it has had a very great impact, to the point where she couldn’t complete her evidence.

“The fact that you do not fall into the pattern of a paedophile does not change the harm that is done to little children by anybody who interferes with them in a sexual way like you did.”

Mace will be on the sex offenders’ register for the rest of his life.

February 2014

Louth man admitted sex with girlfriend’s dog

A man admitted having sex with his girlfriend’s dog when he appeared before Skegness Magistrates Court.

Wayne Bryson, 19, of Harvey’s Lane, Louth, admitted performing an act of sexual penetration with the Staffordshire bull terrier on January 17, contrary to the Sexual Offences Act.

He also admitted to possessing 315 grammes of cannabis bush on January 22.

Nick Todd, prosecuting, said Bryson’s girlfriend was looking for some photographs on an old phone of Bryson’s when she saw the video of him having full intercourse with her dog.

She took the phone to the police and Bryson was arrested.

He was unable to give any reason to the police and claimed he had not done it before.

He was also found to have an amount of cannabis bush in his possession which he said he had bought wet for£10 and was drying out.

Mr Todd said it was accepted it had been for his own use and not for dealing.

Defending, Gordon Holt said the starting point for this offence was a community order and asked the magistrates to order a full probation report.

The magistrates agreed and ordered a report for sentencing on March 5.

Bryson was granted bail on the condition he is never alone with any animal.

The maximum sentence for the offence is one of two years imprisonment.

February 2014

Delivery driver told Bridgwater schoolgirls to send him indecent pictures and videos – Walks free from court

A DELIVERY driver who manipulated two Bridgwater schoolgirls by encouraging them to send him indecent photos and videos of themselves has escaped a prison sentence.

Steven Jenkins, 21, “flattered” the two 15-year-olds by telling them nice things so they would send him sexual images.

He threatened to kill himself if they didn’t comply, forcing one of his concerned victims to tell a teacher of his demands.

Jenkins pleaded guilty to two counts of causing or inciting child prostitution or pornography and was given a three-year community order at Taunton Crown Court today (February 17).

Sentencing, Judge Graham Hume Jones said: “It is well known unfortunately that some young people are using their telephones in order to transmit incidents of sexual activity.

“This is mostly, in my understanding, done out of bravado and showing off. Children ought to be protected from that sort of activity.

“You degraded these children and caused them concern when they discovered they had been duped in to this sort of behaviour.”

The court heard Jenkins, of Headington, Oxford, contacted one of the teenagers when she put a message out on Blackberry Messenger saying she was “depressed”.

Prosecuting, Janice Eagles said Jenkins flattered her to make her feel better before “growing close” and requesting indecent pictures.

It was said one victim sent him ten to 15 pictures and two videos while the other sent around 20 photos.

Jenkins threatened to kill himself if they refused, but his actions came to light in July after one of the girls told her teacher what had been happening.

When arrested in December, Jenkins told officers he did not realise it was an offence to request images from girls 16 to 18 and said he did not appreciate the age of the girls.

Defending, Patrick Mason said: “He is a delivery driver for a national company and is in a well paid job. He is not sure if he will remain in a job because he has not told his employers about this yet.

“His feeling is he will probably be sacked.”

Jenkins was ordered to sign the Sex Offenders’ Register, undertake the Thames Valley Sex Offenders’ programme and pay costs of £350.

February 2014

Sunderland hospital workers child abuse images shame

A TRUSTED hospital theatre worker was caught with a “shocking” stash of pictures and films of children being abused.

Stephen Nutton had over 600 images and more than 100 movies of sickening abuse he had downloaded from the internet.

The anaesthesiologists’ assistant, who has since been sacked from Sunderland Royal Hospital, also had pictures and film of extreme pornography, showing a woman having sex with a dog.

Newcastle Crown Court heard the 49-year-old churchgoer’s illegal stash was found when police raided his home and seized a laptop computer and DVDs.

Nutton, of Brinkburn Street, Sunderland, admitted possessing indecent images of children and possessing extreme pornography.

The court heard some were in the most serious categories of their type. Judge Brian Forster QC told him: “This is a serious case because you must clearly understand that people who obtain and possess such images encourage abuse of the children who can be seen in the images.

“If there were no viewers, there would be no point in people making the videos, taking the images and distributing them.

“It is not simple in the sense of their being no victims, there are victims of this crime and they are the young people who are exploited.

“Put bluntly, the images you have viewed are shocking.” Judge Forster sentenced Nutton to a community order for three years. The judge said a community sentence could be passed in the hope that input from the probation service would prevent any future offending.

Nutton must abide by a sexual offences prevention order and has been banned from working with children for life.

He must register as a sex offender for five years.

Julian Smith, defending, said Nutton has now lost his job, his good name and his reputation.

Mr Smith said: “He is not someone likely to re-offend. If it is about punishment, Mr Nutton has already been severely punished for his actions.”

A spokesman for the hospital confirmed Nutton was suspended and then sacked.