February 2014

Former RNLI lifesaver given freedom of Hartlepool faces ‘long time in jail’ for raping young girls

A FORMER lifesaver who was part of a group given the freedom of the town has been convicted of a string of sickening rapes and sex attacks on young girls.

John Farman spent many years working at Hartlepool Power Station and as a part-time fireman in the town as well as being hailed as a lifesaving member of Hartlepool’s RNLI.

But the 64-year-old, who no longer works for the RNLI, now faces a “long time” in prison after he was found guilty of six vile rapes and a further six charges of indecent assault involving two young girls dating back to the 1970s and 80s.

The jury delivered a unanimous guilty verdict for the 12 charges put against Farman at Teesside Crown Court.

The jury was previously told that one of the girls shouted out for help during one of Farman’s attacks.

When no-one responded Farman said to her: “See, I can do what I want when I want to you,” said Shaun Dodds, prosecuting.

And the sex offender showed no emotion as the judge warned him he would face a lengthy spell behind bars when he returns to the court to be sentenced.

Farman was hailed as a hero in the town in 1986 when he was given the freedom of Hartlepool for his volunteering work with the RNLI.

But in the years prior to that Farman had carried out the sickening attacks over a 12-year period, from 1972-1984.

The jury heard during the four-day trial how Farman had abused the young girls by fondling them and even made one of the youngsters watch a porn movie as well as raping her on six separate occasions.

The two frightened young victims didn’t report his disgusting sex attacks for more than three decades as they said they had grown up thinking his vile acts were normal.

But after confiding in each other they plucked up the courage to report Farman to the police and Farman was arrested last year.

Farman, of Amberton Road, Hartlepool, was arrested and quizzed by officers before being charged with the sickening offences.

After being found guilty of the charges, Judge Michael Taylor told Farman: “I have no choice but to impose a very lengthy prison sentence.

“You will be remanded on bail and you now have the chance to put your life together before you go to prison for a very long time.”

A date for the sentencing is yet to be set.

February 2014

Halifax man jailed AGAIN for child abuse images

A child abuse images pervert who breached a special order intended to stop him reoffending has been jailed for 30 months.

Martin John Ellis, 45, was locked up back in 2011 for possessing indecent images of youngsters and at the time he was made the subject of a sexual offences prevention order which was to last for the next 10 years.

A court heard on Thursday that under the order Ellis, of Crabtree Street, Halifax, was banned from owning a computer, accessing social media sites or owning a web camera.

But last August a police officer doing a routine check at his home discovered a computer as well as a webcam and a DVD containing hundreds of child porn images.

Ellis pleaded guilty to five offences covering his breaches of the sexual offences prevention order as well as 11 allegations relating to his possession of the indecent images of youngsters.

Prosecutor Michael Smith told Bradford Crown Court that in total the police found more than 700 images on the DVD and computer with over 600 of them being at the lowest level of seriousness.

Mr Smith said when Ellis’ computer was interrogated it was found that he had been using obviously indecent terms to search for sexual images of young children.

The court heard that Ellis had also set up a Facebook account although Mr Smith confirmed that it had not been used for anything indecent.

Recorder Tim Roberts QC was told that Ellis had first offended back in 2001 when he was given a community sentence for taking indecent photographs of children with a camera.

Jailing him, Recorder Roberts said he had appeared before the courts repeatedly because of his unnatural interest in photographs of children in sexual settings.

The judge said Ellis had not mended his ways after his first court appearance and notwithstanding the imposition of the sexual offences prevention order in 2011 he had again downloaded indecent photographs of children.

‘’Your repeated offending behaviour in this serious way means that my public duty requires me to pass a custodial sentence upon you,’’ the judge told Ellis.

For breaching the sexual offences prevention order Ellis was jailed for 18 months and the judge added an extra 12 months in prison for the further offences of possessing indecent images of children.

The sexual offences prevention order will remain in force following Ellis’ release and the court heard that breaches of it could carry a maximum of five years in jail.

February 2014

Dad, 75, and son, 55, sentenced to 25 years for rape of vulnerable girl

A PENSIONER and his son who systematically abused a vulnerable girl, including repeatedly raping her during a series of “despicable” offences, have been jailed for a total of 25 years between them.

The “devastating” offences involved “intimidation or coercion” and had such an appalling impact on the victim that there was “little chance of recovery” for her through therapy, a court heard.

Colin Smith, 75, of St John’s Road, Humberston, denied 13 sex offences but was convicted by a jury of 11 of them.

They included six offences of rape, two offences each of indecent assault and indecency with a child, and another of sexual assault.

His son, Andrew Smith, 55, of Grainsby Avenue, Holton-le-Clay, denied two offences of rape involving the same victim, but was convicted of one of them and jailed for eight years.

He was cleared by a jury at Grimsby Crown Court of a charge of indecent assault.

Judge Paul Watson QC told Colin Smith that the girl was forced to endure his “sexual desires whenever you demanded it”, despite her “resistance”.

The effect on the victim had been “devastating” and Smith tried to “pull the wool over the eyes” of the jury.

The prognosis for the victim was “extremely poor” because of what Smith had done, said Judge Watson.

The serious impact on her had been so huge that she might not even be able to take part in therapy and there was “little chance of recovery” for her.

“You simply came to treat her as your sexual chattel,” said Judge Watson.

What Smith had done to her was “virtually indescribable” and he had used “intimidation or coercion”.

He added: “This was despicable conduct by you.”

It was difficult for “right-thinking members of the community” to know how a man could behave in such a way.

“This calls for nothing less than a substantial sentence of custody,” said Judge Watson.

He told Andrew Smith: “To say that this was a bad offence is a significant under-statement.”

Andrew Bailey, mitigating, said that, apart from these offences, Colin Smith had been a positive member of the community, working all his life and being of previous good character.

There was “no mitigation” for the offences themselves, said Mr Bailey.

Craig Lowe, representing Andrew Smith, said his client had been happily married for nearly 30 years and had two sons at university.

It was “very difficult to advance much in the way of mitigation” but Smith had been convicted of only one rape offence.

February 2014

Shropshire man warned he may be jailed for 1,300 indecent images of children

A man who admitted making more than 1,300 indecent images of children has been told to prepare himself for custody

Wayne Bayliss, 40, distributed one of the photographs he made and also attempted to engage a child in sexual activity, Shrewsbury Crown Court was told. He also made one moving image of an indecent nature, the court heard.

Judge Robin Onions told Bayliss that he should expect a custodial sentence when he appeared at court yesterday .

Bayliss, of Meadowbrook in Bayston Hill, near Shrewsbury, pleaded guilty to five charges of making still photos of varying degrees of severity and one charge of making a moving image.

He admitted distributing one of the photos in July 2012 and also attempting to incite a child to engage in sexual activity in August 2012.

He pleaded guilty to possessing three images of an extreme pornographic nature in August 2012.

But he denied outraging public decency by taking covert pictures of women in a public place.

Judge Onions said: “He was taking pictures of women at a bus station. They were clothed, it was an invasion of privacy but it can’t be said to be lewd, obscene or disgusting.

“He’s got to be stopped from hanging around in places where young people are. Bus stops, playgrounds and the like and he must not have a camera. He must have stuck out like a sore thumb I would have thought.”

Bayliss was convicted of similar offences at Shrewsbury Crown Court in 2006.

In 2007 he appeared before the courts for persistently soliciting prostitution and possession of a bladed article.

Judge Onions ordered psychiatric reports to be written before sentence on March 17. He bailed Bayliss under the condition that he was not to have a camera or be in the company of anyone under 18 unless a family member and under supervision. He told Bayliss: “You should prepare yourself for custody.”

February 2014

Man admits to years of raping young girl

A MAN who repeatedly raped a young girl, starting when she as just eight years old, has been told to expect an ‘extremely long’ jail term.

Shaun Rudman had abused the child since she was six, continuing to Christmas 2012, when she was 14.

The 43-year-old, of Sheringham Court, Liden, admitted two counts of rape, two of attempted rape and one of sexual assault of a child under 13.

Hannah Squire, prosecuting, told Swindon Crown Court the charges were all multi-incident counts, meaning each offence took place a number of times.

Rudman denied a charge of rape relating to when the girl was aged between six and eight and the Crown said they would not seek a trial on that.

Rob Ross, defending, said he would be seeking a further psychiatric report on his client, adding: “He accepts he is facing a very long sentence.”

Judge Tim Mousley QC adjourned the case to Friday, March 21, and remanded him in custody until then.

He said: “You have pleaded guilty to extremely serious offences and the sentence that will be passed upon you inevitably will be an extremely long one.”

February 2014: Alan Rosyln is currently serving his prison sentence in HMP Frankland in County Durham. His first parole appeal will be later this year

May 2008

Prolific child abuser jailed for sexual offences against children

At a trial at Teesside Crown Court on 2nd May, unemployed Alan Rosyln was found guilty of Eight counts of indecent assault on a child aged under 16 years old, two counts of rape on a child aged under 16 years old and possessing approx 50,000 indecent images of children.

The offences relate to two young girls who were aged just seven years old when the abuse began, and it continued over a period of several years. The abuse took place at addresses in Brandon and in Crook

Rosyln was jailed for a total of 12 years

Orders given by the court include: 

1. Sex offenders register indefinitely

2. Disqualified from working with children indefinitely

3. Sex offenders prevention order for a period of 999 years 

4. Roslyln must also not associate, befriend, give money or buy anything for any young child or person under the age of 18 years old 

5. Nor must he access the internet other than via a public library system

Breakdown of offences and sentences

1. Indecent assault of female: 7 years imprisonment concurrent

2. Indecent assault of female: 7 years imprisonment concurrent

3. Indecent assault of female: 7 years imprisonment concurrent

4. Indecent assault of female: 7 years imprisonment concurrent

5. Indecent assault of female: 8 years imprisonment concurrent

6. Indecent assault of female: 8 years imprisonment concurrent

7. Indecent assault of female: 8 years imprisonment concurrent

8. Indecent assault of female: 8 years imprisonment concurrent

9. Rape of a child under 16 years old: 10 years imprisonment concurrent

10. Rape of a child under 16 years old: 12 years imprisonment with 28 days served on remand to count towards sentence

February 2014

Pinner child abuse images solicitor is struck off

A SOLICITOR caught with images of child abuse images has been prevented from working in the legal profession.

James-Guy Jacobs, of Dawlish Drive, Pinner, was found guilty at Harrow Crown Court of 10 counts of making indecent photographs or pseudo photographs of a child, five counts of taking indecent photographs and one count of possessing an indecent photograph or pseudo photograph of a child.

He was sentenced in November 2012 to four months’ imprisonment, suspended for two years, and ordered to sign the Sex Offenders Register for seven years.

The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) brought the case to the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal (SDT) that decided to strike Jacobs off the professional register.

In a statement, the SRA said: “Last Monday, February 11, the SDT found that he had failed to uphold the rule of law, acted without integrity and acted in a way which was likely to diminish the trust which the public has in the profession.

“The tribunal noted that Mr Jacobs had committed serious sexual offences involving children and that although he now showed remorse, he had been oblivious to the effect of his behaviour on the children who were the subject of the photographs.

“Mr Jacobs told the tribunal he had been under a great deal of stress, both at home and at work and it was an error of otherwise good judgement.

“As well as being struck off, he was ordered to pay costs of £1,500.”

Jacobs has 21 days from the publication of the written judgment – which can take up to seven weeks – to appeal the SDT decision.

The 47-year-old had once been residential and commercial property solicitor services at Healys LLP and was a partner in the property department at Fletcher Day, a central London law firm.

A spokesman for Fletcher Day said: “We employed him from August 2013 to January of this year, when he resigned.

“We had no knowledge of his conviction as he did not declare it and we would have never employed him otherwise.

“We only found out only two weeks before his tribunal hearing date.

“He came with a glowing reference but he lied throughout to cover his tracks.”

February 2014

Whithorn man raped seven-year-old girl

A sex beast from Whithorn has been convicted of raping a seven-year-old girl 31 years ago.

Francis O’Neill, 61, was also found guilty of indecently assaulting the girl. The offences were committed in Wigtownshire between July and August, 1982.

O’Neill was also convicted at the High Court in Glasgow of sexually abusing a young boy when he was aged between nine and 10 from July 1982 to December 1985.

He approached his victims while they were out playing and told both of them not to tell anyone what he had done.

His rape victim – now a woman of 38 – said that despite the abuse he was was nice to her and made her feel special.

The boy – now a 39-year-old man – told the court that O’Neill bribed him with cash and cigarettes.

O’Neill was also found guilty of making indecent comments to a 15-year-old girl between January 1979 and January 1980.

O’Neill denied the offences and claimed his victims were making it all up.

The court heard that they eventually went to the police after years of keeping what had happened to them secret.

O’Neill was remanded in custody by the judge, Lady Wise, and will be.sentenced at the High Court in Edinburgh next month.

Lady Wise told O’Neill: “You have been convicted of five charges some of which are extremely serious matters, including the rape of a young child.”

February 2014

Derby child abuse pictures charge man says his family set him up

A BATHROOM fitter who was previously convicted of sexual grooming is now accused of downloading indecent pseudo-photographs of children but claims his family has set him up.

Mark Rayworth, who is now on trial for having the images, is also charged with having extreme pornography and attempting to communicate by text with a girl under the age of 16, which he is banned from doing.

When the 45-year-old, of Inglewood Avenue, Mickleover, was convicted in March 2012 of sexually grooming a 15-year-old girl, an order was imposed on him which prohibited him from making contact with any girl under 16 using an electronic device.

Rayworth, of Wren Way, Mickleover, admitted the sexual grooming of a girl. He had no previous convictions.

He was put on probation for three years and must attend a sex offenders group work programme.

Rayworth denies all the NEW charges.

His defence is that his family have “set him up” because they were disgusted with him and felt they had been abandoned.

But his daughter, crying in the witness stand at

Derby Crown Court yesterday, told a jury: “I would never do that.”

Rayworth was arrested after his 21-year-old daughter Louise said she found two mobile phones in a drawer in her bedroom, where her dad had been sleeping.

One of the phones contained texts such as “I’m only 12″ and “I’m only 15, find someone else to perv on”.

Louise handed in the phones to the police and officers seized two laptops.

They discovered more than 300 indecent pseudo-photographs of children and 29 extreme pornographic images.

Rayworth’s lawyer, Clive Stockwell, put to Louise that because of a combination of things – her dad not buying her a car, his conviction and him being preoccupied with a new relationship – had led to resentment.

Mr Stockwell said: “I suggest that because of what had gone on, you hated him.”

Miss Rayworth replied: “No, I don’t hate him at all and I still don’t now.”

Mr Stockwell said: “I suggest as a group, all three of you (ex-wife, daughter and son) were resentful towards him.”

She replied: “It was obviously upsetting but we weren’t resentful towards him at all.”

She said she had come to court to give evidence, “because it’s just not right. The person sat there is just not my dad.”

Rayworth’s 20-year marriage to Catherine broke down following the criminal investigation of the sexual grooming offence.

Yesterday, Mr Stockwell put to Catherine Rayworth: “I suggest what this is, together with either or both of your children, is to get back at Mr Rayworth for him ruining your life.”

“No,” replied Mrs Rayworth.

The trial continues.

March 2012

‘I’m not a prostitute,’ girl of 15 tells man offering £100 for sex

AN internet pest offered £100 for a one-night stand with a 15-year-old girl, who texted back “I am not a prostitute”, a court heard.

Mark Rayworth, 43, had made contact via Facebook, claiming he was “only 37″, and eventually met her at the McDonald’s restaurant in Allenton on October 20.

She went with two friends and the meeting took at least 90 minutes but “there was no physical contact”, said Martin Hirst, prosecuting at Derby Crown Court.

Rayworth bought drinks and ice cream as well as giving the girl £30 and 20 cigarettes during the meeting.

“The next day, she received text messages.

“He said he would give her £100 for sex.

“He said ‘Can’t get you out of my head. You are well fit’.”

After he offered her £100 for a “one-night stand”, the girl texted back: “I am not a prostitute”. She had already told Rayworth she had a boyfriend and was “happy”.

Mr Hirst said Rayworth was arrested on October 28.

“He tried to laugh it off, saying it was all a bit of banter.

“The girl distinctly remembers telling her age.

“He offered to take her out to buy cigarettes and alcohol and offered to take her out for a drink.

“She reminded him that she was still at school,” said Mr Hirst.

Rayworth, of Wren Way, Mickleover, admitted the sexual grooming of a girl. He had no previous convictions.

He was put on probation for three years and must attend a sex offenders group work programme.

Recorder Michael Elsom said immediate prison would not allow Rayworth the chance of treatment.

“You need some degree of education and retraining to make sure you are not taken to behave in this way again when your life has dealt you a bad set,” he told Rayworth, who was put on the Sex Offenders’ Register for five years.

He was banned from using the internet and messaging services to contact any girl under 16.

Clive Stockwell, in mitigation, said Rayworth had financial problems and his relationship had broken down at the time of the offence.

“He was emotionally overwrought and in a place where he found himself drinking too much and was lonely,” Mr Stockwell told the court.

“The defendant was trying to seduce the complainant.

February 2014

Riscardo Hall of Golcar jailed for six months after downloading child abuse images at his sister’s house while she was on holiday

A man has been jailed for six months after a court heard he downloaded indecent images of children on to a laptop while looking after his sister’s home in Huddersfield while she was away on holiday.

Leeds Crown Court heard police in Gloucestershire were investigating a particular internet site which was compromised in March 2010 and provided various forces with details of addresses registered as accessing the site.

One of those was registered to an address in Golcar and when police went to the address in April 2011 and seized a laptop they discovered 266 indecent images of children on it which had been created on March 4, 2010 and later updated in February 2011.

It turned out at the time they had been created the occupant’s brother Riscardo Jaime Miguel Hall was staying at the property while she and her husband were away on holiday.

He had access to the laptop and when he was arrested in October 2012 admitted using it to view pornography but denied looking at any images of under 18-year-olds or being sexually attracted to children.

Mr Smith said of the images found at Huddersfield 95 were at level one, the lowest category, 21 at level two, 66 at level three, 78 at level four and six at level five.

Khaleeq Zaman representing Hall said he had a troubled upbringing after his mother died when he was very young. He had suffered sexual abuse and mental health problems leading to depression.

Hall, 44 formerly of Woodbridge, Suffolk, admitted 13 charges of making indecent photos of children and three of possessing extreme images. He was jailed for six months and ordered to register as a sex offender for seven years.

February 2014

Fairfield man jailed for sexual assault on young girl

A 20-YEAR-OLD Fairfield man has been jailed for four years for sexual activity with a school girl.

Sam Harrop, of Harrison Close, exploited his victim, who was 11-years-old when the pair first became friends, by telling her he loved her and that she was the one.

Chester Crown Court heard on Friday how the relationship developed and Harrop would buy the girl gifts and paid her compliments convincing her that if she did not have a relationship with him they could not be friends.

Concerns were raised by the girl’s parents in September 2013.

Following his arrest police uncovered text messages and internet chat logs between the pair.

Harrop was also banned from working with children for life and ordered to sign on the sex offenders’ register for 10 years after pleading guilty to 18 charges.

DC Alison Howarth said: “This case has had a profound effect on the victim and her family, the victim is now receiving the necessary help and support she needs to start to move forward with her life.

“I would like to thank the victim and her family for their co-operation, strength and support throughout the investigation and hope that this encourages others who may have experienced something similar to come forward.

“This case highlights the issue of child sexual exploitation and the lengths some offenders will go to to persuade young people to engage in a sexual relationship.

“Harrop purchased gifts for the victim and made her feel special manipulating her to satisfy his own sexual gratification.

“We have a duty to protect those who are most vulnerable within our communities and this case should reassure the public that we take any incidents of this nature extremely seriously and will do all we can to trace those responsible for this type of behaviour and ensure they are punished for their actions.”

February 2014

Man admits to string of sex assaults on two young girls

A former Creetown man was remanded in custody this week after admitting a string of sexual assaults on two young girls.

Richard Tattum, 45, from Creetown, who has been living in Buckinghamshire latterly, pled guilty to the charges in Stranraer Sheriff Court on Tuesday.

The court was told how some of the offences only came to light after one of the victims’ doctor noticed self-harming marks on her legs which led to her emotional confession of how she had been abused over a period of years.

Fiscal Kirsty McGowan told the court that the abuse started when one of the victims was just nine years old.

The court heard that Tattum, who also lived in Kirkinner before moving to Creetown, bought the girls gifts including adult toys and a nipple ring.

He said Tattum had told one of the girls he could see into her bedroom window from outside her house, which led her to cover her window with posters, and told her that by telling anyone what was happening, she would ruin her family’s lives. He also tried to show her pornography and she tried calling Childline five times throughout the period of abuse, which ended when she was aged 16 and told Tattum it was “the last time you’ll ever do that.” The abuse was disclosed when she began seeing a boyfriend.

However, it emerged he had also been abusing a second girl. The court heard that a friend noticed strange behaviour from the girl when she came to sleep over which would see her curl into a ball at the slightest sound in the house and pretend to be asleep.

When Tattum was confronted by police, he said: “I’ll get what I deserve. I’ll quit my job – why would my mates work with a paedo?”

Tattum was remanded in custody until sentencing on March 25. He was also placed on the sex offenders’ register.

February 2014

Child sex trial boxer facing jail sentence

A FORMER young boxer is facing jail after he was found guilty of having underage sex with a 15-year-old girl.

Clinton Townsend was yesterday convicted of four counts of engaging in sexual activity with a child and one count of common assault.

The jury took five hours and 32 minutes to return its verdicts, finding Townsend not guilty of one further count of sexual activity with a child and another of common assault.

During the trial the 20-year-old admitted repeatedly breaching a court order banning him from contacting girls under the age of 18.

He had already pleaded guilty to three breaches of the same order and perverting the course of justice.

The jury was told Townsend, of Field Assarts near Leafield, West Oxfordshire, appeared before the same court in January 2013 after admitting similar crimes. At that hearing, he was given a sexual offences prevention order barring him from having any unsupervised contact with girls under 18 or using a computer without police permission.

All the counts Townsend has been convicted of relate to one 16-year-old girl, who was 15 at the time of the offences, and who cannot be named for legal reasons.

Yesterday investigating officer Acting Sergeant Charlotte Eden saidThames Valley Police will always pursue “sex offenders such as Mr Townsend”.

She said: “The young girls involved in this case have been brave, not only in their support of the police investigation, but also by going through the difficult experience of giving evidence in court.’’ Townsend will be sentenced this morning in Oxford Crown Court.

February 2014

Pervert jailed 24 years after sexual attacks on young boys

A pervert who preyed on two young boys has been jailed for 10 years more than 24 years after committing the crimes.

Jon Spencer, of Lapwing Grove, Palacefields, Runcorn, had befriended his two victims in the 1980s before finally abusing them.

Sentencing him Judge Roger Dutton said: “This was calculated, you knew precisely what you were doing.

“The impact on these two now grown men has been significant.

“I saw both giving evidence and the impact on the events is as raw now as it was at that time.

“It’s had a significant effect on there ability to form lasting relationships with others because it’s the spectre of what happened at your hands which comes close to the front of their mind at all times.”

Warrington Crown Court heard on Friday how Spencer, now aged 41, started his abuse at the age of around 16.

He was found guilty of a string of sexual assaults on the two boys after a trial.

Oliver King, prosecuting, said: “The defendant befriended two boys back in the 1980s, they looked up to him because he was a good skateboarder, he would spend time alone with them and took advantage of them.”

John Broadley, defending, said he had not committed any other sexual offences since these ones and that he had committed the offences between the age of 16 and 18.

He added: “The defendant is now in his early 40s and nearly 25 years has passed since the commission of these offences.

“He has worked throughout that period of time and has had a stable relationship for more than 13 years.”

Ordering him to sign on to the sex offenders register for life Judge Dutton added: “It’s to be hoped that the conclusion of this will help them to reach some closure. At last they will be able to move forward.”

February 2014

Darlington paedophile caught with one of biggest collections of indecent images of children told police: “I’m a hoarder.”

A PAEDOPHILE caught with one of the biggest collections of indecent images of children told police: “I’m just a hoarder.”

Simon Cole had spent ten years amassing a sickening library of photographs of child abuse at his home in Darlington.

When he was arrested, the 44-year-old loner – found with 850,000 obscene pictures – said: “I’m addicted to kid stuff.”

The scale of Cole’s collection shocked experienced experts, who said last night: “It really was beyond comprehension.”

A judge at Teesside Crown Court described the hoard as “vast” and said it was time to time to consider a new approach.

Mirroring calls from The Northern Echo’s campaign Keep Kids Safe, Judge Howard Crowson said Cole should not dodge jail.

The pervert’s lawyer, Ben Pegman, had urged the judge to consider a suspended prison sentence, so he could get help.

But the judge said: “We see this argument many times, which appears to be ‘unless I suspend it, he will not get treatment’.

“I’m afraid I take the view that an appropriate penalty should be imposed and you will, hopefully, get treatment in another way.”

The Echo launched its campaign – since backed by police chiefs – last year after an apparent anomaly in the law emerged.

Defence lawyers were often arguing that sex offenders would not get treatment in prison unless they got at least four years.

Generally, because of sentencing guidelines, people caught with downloaded images of children were, as a result, spared jail.

Children’s charities, politicians, police bosses and detectives who investigate child abuse cases supported calls for a change.

Judge Crowson told Cole, of Charnwood Drive, Darlington: “I take the view that this sentence must be served.”

He said if the “isolated and introverted” defendant was serious about wanting help, he would get it when he was freed.

Mr Pegman had told the court that Cole had referred himself to hospital and taken the internet from his home since his arrest.

“He is someone who is crying out for treatment and help,” said the solicitor. “It is quite clear he is introverted.

“The only contact he has day-to-day is with his elderly parents. That relationship remains supportive, but it is the only form of friendship he has.

“He comes across as an extremely broken man, and an extremely worried man about these proceedings.

“He was frank and forthright with the police, expressed distress and disgust, and a desire to seek help for what he knew to be an addiction.

“He thinks, having never fitted in and been something of a misfit all the way back to his school days, has never been fully explored.”

Prosecutor Harry Hadfield told the court that police found the images when they searched Cole’s home in May last year.

Experts discovered he had been downloading pictures for nearly ten years, and had been sharing them with other paedophiles.

The court heard that offenders often delete images after viewing them, and they are only found when equipment is forensically examined.

All of Cole’s collection – which included girls as young as one – were stored and had not been deleted, said Mr Hadfield.

“In interview he said he was deeply ashamed and needed to stop,” said the prosecutor. “He said he had accessed over ten years, apologising, saying he was a hoarder.”

Jailing him for 20 months, Judge Crowson told Cole: “This was a vast library you had amassed over many years.

“It is much more common for us to find they had been deleted by people who want to see them for a moment or two. It is significant that you wanted to store these.

“You had them stored carefully, in folders for your future enjoyment. You were in possession of what was a systematically-stored collection.”

Cole admitted charges of making indecent images between May 2004 and April 2013 and distributing indecent images.

He was also put on the sex offenders’ register for ten years, and was an indefinite ban on having unsupervised contact with under-16s.

As part of a Sexual Offences Prevention Order, restrictions were also put on his future computer use.

February 2014

East Lancashire mum pleads guilty to child cruelty

A MUM from Oswaldtwistle has admitted cruelty to her baby boy after initially denying the charge in court.

Tracy McKenzie had gone on trial on Monday, along with Scott Colman, after their three-month-old son was found to have suffered a fractured skull and bleeding on the brain.

The couple, of New Lane, had both denied cruelty to the child, but McKenzie yesterday pleaded guilty to the main charge in front of the jury at Burnley Crown Court.

Jurors then returned a guilty verdict, as governed by court procedures.

Prosecutors said they would not pursue a second charge of cruelty to a child, which related to the baby’s twin.

McKenzie, 40, will be sentenced at a later date and was granted bail.

Colman, 30, denies both charges and remains on trial.

The court will today decide how to proceed with his case.

Judge Andrew Woolman told jurors: “Miss McKenzie has admitted in front of you just now that she neglected one of the twins.

“That amounts to the offence of cruelty to a child.”

On Monday, the court heard the baby’s head injuries may have been the result of his head being hit against a flat surface or struck with a blunt instrument.

He also suffered fractures to five ribs, two vertebrae and a leg, the court heard.

Prosecutor Hugh McKee said the allegations emerged after Colman took the baby to the Royal Blackburn Hospital in December 2012, as he was unwell.

When the injuries were discovered, medics requested that the boy’s twin be examined, and they found a healing injury caused by someone ‘forcefully’ gripping his left arm, the court was told.

February 2014

Norfolk man sentenced after admitting possessing, making and distributing indecent images of children

A man who admitted making, possessing and distributing indecent images of children after viewing websites because he was “curious” had been given a suspended jail sentence.

Paul Gray, 53, of Manor Way, Ormesby St Margaret, near Great Yarmouth, appeared at Norwich Crown Court yesterday having previously pleaded guilty to 20 offences in relation to the possession, making and distribution of indecent images of children between May 2011 and August 2012.

The court heard the counts involved possessing a total of 750 images, with 11 counts of making and eight of distribution although of the 260 images distributed only one was said to be at level five and one at level four – the two most serious levels.

Sentencing Gray to 12 months imprisonment, suspended for two years, Judge Nicholas Coleman said: “It’s extremely worrying that you should have engaged in the distribution of these images.”

He added: “It should be understood that one man’s lust has hugely damaging consequences to the children where sometimes, if they become aware, the images are distributed around the world for people like you to look at and it must be stopped.”

Andrea Lock, prosecuting, said Gray was arrested at his home address, where he lives with his wife and two children, in April last year.

The court heard Gray, who had been living in a summer house in the garden, had access to two computers one of which had belonged to his brother.

Police had discovered Gray had used his Virgin Media account to download images of children on one of the computers.

When interviewed Gray initially denied ever having downloaded child pornography but following a steady “erosion” began to admit things put to him by police.

He said he had probably accessed certain sites due to “curiosity” and had not got sexual gratification or realised he had done anything wrong.

Andrew Thompson, mitigating, said Gray, a man of previous good character, had been “humiliated” by his arrest at home and had pleaded guilty to the offences which happened at a time in his life when he had lost his job, his brother had been diagnosed with dementia and his wife was having difficulties with her own health, including anxiety and depression.

Mr Thompspon said the behaviour provided him with some “form of escapism from his miserable existence”.

He added that the most serious offences Gray had admitted related to distribution but only two related to the most serious level and they were to other adults not youngsters.

Gray was also ordered to undertake an internet sex offenders treatment programme over the next two years as part of a community order which also includes 180 hours of unpaid work.

He was also made the subject of an indefinite Sexual Offences Prevention Order (SOPO) while forfeiture and destruction of the computer equipment was also ordered.

February 2014

AN internet wrestling blogger and music PR agent has been jailed for a string of child abuse images offences in Belfast

Phil Allely, 41, from Geeragh Place, Belfast pleaded guilty to 20 charges carrying a total of 96 months sentencing.

The offences include possession of indecent photographs or pseudo photographs of children, possession of an extreme pornographic image and making an indecent photograph or pseudo photograph of a child.

Allely was eventually jailed for seven months with all 20 sentences running concurrently to the longest. He will also be placed on the sex offenders register for ten years.

The charges date back as far as February 2010 until march 2010 when Allely’s laptop was reported to contain folders named Dark fantasies and animals in which contained images with names such as “prelolitasworld140″

The images were discovered by an it technician who had been asked to repair the laptop.

It is believed pervert Allely went to great lengths to hide his charges telling friends and family there had been a mistake and that the files had attached themselves to other downloads.

However he pleaded guilty at Belfast crown court earlier this month. Allely was well known in Northern Ireland’s music scene plugging himself as an agent and pr executive for upcoming unsigned bands and was also previous press officer for Belfast Central mission. 

February 2014

OAP faces up to 10 years’ jail for abuse

THIS is the paedo pensioner who faces up to 10 years in jail after he admitted abusing a girl more than 30 years ago. 

Lawyers for 82-year-old John Nolan had asked Judge Piers Grant to bar the media from reporting his identity but the Downpatrick Crown Court judge refused, saying it was up to the press to protect his victim’s right to anonymity. 

Nolan, from Bladen Drive in East Belfast, pleaded guilty to two offences of indecent assault and two of committing acts of gross indecency with a female child. 

The incidents took place between December 1974 and April 1984 but no facts of the decade of abuse were revealed to the court. 

Before being released on bail, Nolan was forced to sign the sex offenders’ register. 

Judge Grant adjourned sentencing until next month, pending a probation report and a victim impact report.

June 2007

Disgust as child abuser is spared prison

The father of a boy who was sexually abused by his male babysitter has spoken out about the family’s ordeal. 

Ciaran Keegan (22), of Abbey Park, Tynan in Co Armagh, walked free from court on Tuesday after admitting charges of indecent assault and gross indecency dating back seven years. 

Keegan admitted gross indecency and indecent assault on one of the boys who was aged six at the time.

He had earlier been sentenced to two years probation for assaulting the boy’s older brother, who was 10, on the same occasion.

He was given a two-year probation order at Armagh Magistrates Court and put on the sex offenders’ register for five years. 

His young victim cannot be named. The boy’s father last night described the moment his son told him he had been abused. 

“Me and my wife were going away and we thought we might get Keegan to babysit our daughter,” he said. 

“For my son, that was the turning point. He felt he had to say something. That was the reason he came and told us.” 

The child had kept his suffering secret for years. 

He was 10 years old when Keegan, then 15, began abusing him. 

“Never in my wildest dreams did I think this was happening. At the time of the abuse, my son had been going though a difficult time and we were happy he had someone befriending him,’’ his father said. 

“My children stayed in his house three times. When something like this happens, you question yourself. You’d think you would have a sixth sense about it all.” 

Keegan has now been banned from being alone with anyone under 17 years of age, communicating in any way with anyone under that age and participating in any form of sporting activity. 

The boy’s father said he was disappointed the case wasn’t before a Crown Court, in which a judge has higher powers of sentencing. 

“It is the best thing he could have got under the circumstances. I am delighted with what he got but I know that Maghaberry is the only place for him,’’ he said. 

“Listening to all the details in court was very difficult – my wife and I had to walk out at one stage because we couldn’t go through hearing what he had done to our child.” 

He said the abuse has left his now 17-year-old son unable to trust people. 

“He was taken advantage of by someone he thought was his friend. My son has suffered a lot through this. 

“We’re a very educated, sophisticated family and open minded and liberal in our thinking but I am disgusted at him. His only goal is self-preservation. 

“Even though he did admit guilt, initially he denied it and said my child was sick in the head. I knew my son was telling the truth.” 

Outside court, the boys’ father, said the family felt let down by the judicial system.

He said: “As a father of these boys, I was meant to be their protector and I couldn’t do that when they needed me most.

“When they told me about this, I was shocked and horrified and needed to do something about it and five years of work and family togetherness ended here today with him walking free,”

“I don’t know what that says about the society I live in.”

However, he said he didn’t regret taking the case, adding: “I have great pride in my kids for what they’ve done – what they’ve tried to do – the only right thing to do.

“I have great pride in them and great respect for them; they’re going to grow up to be great adults and fine people” please comment with a heart for the victims of child abuse.