Quantcast
Channel: Author – The UK & Ireland Database
Viewing all 8959 articles
Browse latest View live

Edward Hunt – Wolverhampton

0
0

March 2014

Convicted paedophile took pupils on Black Country canal boat rides

1812343

A sex offender banned from contact with young people was allowed to take schoolchildren on trips in the Black Country.

Edward ‘Eddy’ Hunt worked as a volunteer with the Dudley Canal Trust for three years before police discovered what was happening, Wolverhampton Crown Court was told.

The 68-year-old had twice been jailed for offences with children and been cautioned for possession of child porn, it was disclosed.

But the Trust admitted taking him on without checking if he had a criminal past, revealed Mr Geoffrey Dann, prosecuting.

Part of the role of unmarried Hunt involved taking groups of schoolchildren on canal boat rides, the court heard.

Mr Dann revealed: “He was not left alone with the children who had a teacher with them but that action was a breach of the Sex Offender Prevention Order he was subject to.”

He was locked up for nine months in 1994 ‘ for an offence involving children’ and received another 15 months behind bars in 1999 for a further offence ‘involving the Child Abduction Act,’ it was said.

Hunt has since been cautioned for possession of an indecent image of a child, the court heard.

He was arrested in September last year after the Sex Offender Manager, who had recently taken over the case, learned Hunt was having contact with children while working as a volunteer with the Trust, explained Mr Dann.

Mr David Bratt, defending, said: “He had not kept this secret. The previous offender manager had been advised where he was working and could have checked what that position entailed. The school trips all had responsible teachers with them.”

Hunt, from Mickley Avenue, Park Village, admitted breaking the terms of the Sex Offender Prevention Order and was given a three-year community order.

Judge John Warner told him: “You could be jailed for up to10 years but I draw back from sending you away.

“This is not to be merciful to you but I regard it as the best way of achieving protection for the public by ensuring you are under the supervision of probation officers for sufficient time to complete the sex offender management programme.”

But he warned Hunt, who was also given a 24-week night time electronically monitored home curfew: “If you break the rules again you will come back in front of me and you will go to prison for quite a long time. You had better watch how you behave.”


Frederick Dewars – Forfar

0
0

March 2014

Prison warning for ‘opportunist’ paedophile pensioner

A pensioner who incited two girls to remove their clothing in exchange for sweets and biscuits has been warned he is facing a jail sentence.

Frederick Dewars described himself to police as an “opportunist” during questioning about the offences against the young girls, who were regular visitors to his Angus home.

The 72-year-old has now been placed on the sex offenders register ahead of sentencing next month, but was told by a sheriff a previous offence of indecent assault in the 1990s meant there was “every likelihood” he will go to prison.

Dewars, of Old Halkerton Road, Forfar, appeared before Sheriff Kevin Veal at Forfar on Thursday, when he admitted an indictment alleging two charges relating to offences between January and March last year at a former address elsewhere in Angus.

He pleaded guilty to inducing one of the girls to participate in sexual activity and pull her trousers and pants down on four occasions, and on another single occasion inducing the other to expose her chest.

Fiscal depute Hannah Kennedy said Dewars befriended the girls and their family and they would visit his home to watch TV.

Last March, one of the victims showed a reluctance to go to his home and said they did not like to stay there because he told them to pull down their pants and lift up their tops.

The NSPCC was contacted and the matter was reported to police.

Initially the victims were extremely upset, but told investigating officers what had happened and the accused was detained. He admitted he had given them sweets and biscuits, and while he recognised it was inappropriate behaviour, he could not say why he did it.

Ms Kennedy said: “He described himself as an opportunist that would look but not touch. He admitted that he would look at girls about nine or 10 years old, and that he had been on a course for those type of thoughts, adding that he tried to keep children at arm’s length.”

Sheriff Veal deferred sentence until April 24 for social work reports to be obtained.

“Having regard to the fact that the previous conviction before the court is one of indecent assault, there is every likelihood that a sentence of custody will be imposed in this case,” he said.

James Ainsworth – Largs

0
0

March 2014

Ex-policeman admits sexually abusing four girls and two boys over a 25-year period

ain

James Ainsworth, 62,  from Largs, North Ayrshire admitted seven charges of sex abuse and one of rape against the children in Ayrshire and Dumfriesshire between 1965 and 1990.

Sentence on Ainsworth was deferred at the High Court in Glasgow and he was remanded in custody.

Ainsworth’s trial was halted last year after he was attacked and seriously injured outside the court.

A 31-year-old man was later arrested and charged with attempted murder over the incident.

The court heard that Ainsworth’s predatory sexual behaviour began when he was just 14.

He started touching an eight-year-old girl and progressed to raping her once, when she was aged between eight and nine.

The court heard that Ainsworth also sexually abused three other girls – one of them in a police house in Ayrshire where he was stationed.

He later told the girl: “No-one will believe you. I am a police officer and something bad will happen to your mum.”

The girl was said to have been so traumatised by the abuse that she cleaned her teeth with powdered Vim.

The court also heard that one of Ainsworth’s male victims was sexually abused from the age of five.

Ainsworth would pretend to be Spiderman before sexually abusing the boy and telling him: “That’s what the big boys do.”

A girl who was sexually abused as she took a shower was told: “You will be dragged through the courts. I am a police officer and it will be my word against yours.”

Following his guilty pleas, temporary judge Norman Ritchie QC placed Ainsworth on the sex offenders’ register.

Alan Baillie – Bournemouth/Dunfermline

0
0

March 2014

Child rapist says: He handed himself in so his victim could have justice

A man who repeatedly raped and sexually assaulted a ten-year-old girl handed himself in so his victim could have justice.

Alan Baillie went to police last year because he said he knew his victim was suffering as a result of what he had done.

On Friday, the High Court in Edinburgh heard the 51-year-old started abusing the ten-year-old at various addresses in Fife in early 1994.

Baillie, originally from Dunfermline, Fife, but now of Bournemouth, abused the child for the next four years.

He pleaded guilty before judge Lord Kinclaven on Friday and will be sentenced next month once reports have been compiled.

Trevor Chapman – Stourbridge

0
0

March 2014

Stourbridge paedophile jailed for 18 years

Trevor Chapman

A STOURBRIDGE paedophile who tried to avoid jail by accusing his four victims of concocting abuse claims to try and get their hands on his partner’s inheritance has been jailed for 18 years.

Trevor Chapman, of Brook Crescent, Wollescote, was sentenced after a three-week trial at Wolverhampton Crown Court in which the jury heard disturbing details of abuse spanning several years.

The unemployed 52-year-old was arrested in January 2013 by detectives from West Midlands Police’s Public Protection Unit who were investigating a report of abuse in the 1990s.

Days earlier one of the victims, now in his 30s, had told police he had been repeatedly sexually assaulted by Chapman, who he had met through a friend when around 13-years-old.

The abuse took place at Chapman’s flat in Halesowen.

Subsequent enquiries found other young boys would go to drink and smoke at premises linked to Chapman across Birmingham.

Following the allegation, specialist detectives launched a major investigation to trace Chapman and other potential victims.

Detective Constable Jen Rose said: “This was a challenging and complex case.

“The crimes happened two decades ago so we had to use all of our skills and the force’s resources to find the men who used to visit Chapman’s homes when they were boys.

“This was particularly difficult as some had moved away from the area. Others had moved on with their lives meaning considerable time and effort had to go into getting the men to open up and reveal their secrets.”

DC Rose identified four victims and when the allegations were laid out in interview, Chapman claimed the story was a conspiracy with the men wanting a share of his partner’s recent inheritance.

During the trial the jury heard Chapman would ply the boys – all aged between ten and 16 at the time – with cigarettes, alcohol and even cash in exchange for sex.

He was found guilty of 28 offences on March 12 and sentenced to 18 years behind bars. He was also placed on the Sex Offender’s Register for life.

DC Rose added: “This has been a heavy burden for the boys Chapman groomed and abused over the years to bear alone.

“Their tormentor’s crimes have had a significant impact on their lives with some being left unable to form meaningful relationships because of the abuse they suffered.

“I am pleased that after almost two decades they were finally ready to break their silence and tell us what happened all those years ago.

“This case demonstrates it is never too late to report abuse. West Midlands Police will always believe victims and investigate their allegations thoroughly.

“I would like to commend the bravery of the men because without them Chapman would still be free.

“He now has a long time behind bars to think about the impact his sickening crimes have had.”

Michael Fewtrell – Chatham

0
0

March 2014

Chatham man jailed for swapping lewd photographs with teenage girl in Texas in internet chatroom

Chatham

A Chatham pervert has been jailed for exchanging lewd photographs with a girl in the USA – despite her being over the UK age of sexual consent of 16.

Michael Fewtrell was at first told he could be cautioned or dealt with by magistrates.

But sentencing the divorced 29-year-old father to eight months’ imprisonment, a judge told him: “Rightly, in my judgement, you were committed to this court for sentence.

“You thought the law would not affect your activities as your victim was over the age of consent. How wrong you were.”

Fewtrell, of Constitution Road, admitted inciting a child to be involved in pornography.

Maidstone Crown Court heard British police received information from the United States Homeland Security Organisation about contact between Fewtrell and the girl in a chatroom. 

The girl’s mother had found messages on a computer at her home in Austin, Texas, in which Fewtrell asked personal questions, such as whether she was a virgin.

Prosecutor Ian Foinette said the mother also discovered explicit photographs “taken at the behest of the defendant”. It was made clear to him she was only 16.

“The girl said he asked her to send pictures to him for her birthday in 2012,” said Mr Foinette. “At first she refused, then she agreed. She sent them to him and then deleted them from her iPad.

“He was arrested on April 29 last year. He said he thought it was alright to have such exchanges of a sexual nature with someone who was 16 and over the age of consent.”

The age of consent to be able to swap naked photographs over the internet is 18.

Tom Stern, defending, said if Fewtrell and the girl were together they could lawfully engage in sexual activity.

“He is not someone who is bracketed as a paedophile,” he said, “It is not a pattern of behaviour. He has lost his work and reputation.”

Judge Philip Statman told Fewtrell: “The motive was one of pure sexual gratification. I have absolutely no hesitation in saying the custody threshold is well and truly passed.

“The law is framed to protect children. In my judgement this is a case that calls for a sentence which sends out a clear message that those who go into chatrooms and arrange for pornographic photos to be taken and use them for sexual gratification, will go immediately to prison.”

A sexual offences prevention order was made and Fewtrell’s name will appear on the sex offenders’ register for 10 years.

Stephen Sumner – St Helens

0
0

March 2014

Face of sex offender who groomed under-age girls on Facebook

Stephen Sumner

A St Helens man who used Facebook to groom under-age girls to have sex with him and got one of them pregnant was put behind bars for five years today.

A judge ruled that Stephen Sumner poses a significant risk of serious harm to the public and imposed an extended licence of two years.

He told 21-year-old Sumner, from Holbrook Close, in Sutton, that he reached that conclusion despite his young age and lack of previous convictions.

Sumner had been convicted after a trial of seven charges involving sexual grooming and sexual activity with three young girls.

He had also pleaded guilty to three charges of inciting another under-age girl to engage in sexual activity.

Sentencing at Liverpool Crown Court, Judge Denis Watson, QC, said that he had sex with his first vulnerable victim at his flat when he knew she was only 14.

The girl, who was in care living with her grandparents, was flattered by the attentions of an older man.

Judge Watson said: “It was not a loving relationship, it was a relationship characterised by sexual convenience for you and was an abusive relationship.

“She became pregnant and when she became pregnant it is no co-incidence that your relationship came to and end.

“She had to have a termination of that pregnancy ten days before her 15th birthday.

Sumner was spoken to by police about the situation but continued his course of conduct and had already moved on to another under-age girl.

They had sexual activity but as she was more street wise and not in awe of him he did not progress matters, the court heard.

He groomed another 15-year-old on the internet and persuaded her to expose herself on camera for him and also turned his attentions to a vulnerable 14-year-old who became infatuated with him, said Judge Watson.

She absconded from home and police found her naked at this flat but she was disruptive and claimed nothing had been going on.

However, the court heard that about six weeks later in June last year she gave them a statement.

In this she said that after a pillow fight they had sexual intercourse. After she returned home he sent her a message saying “that never happened”.

In a victim impact statement she said that she had been left feeling unhappy and depressed. She also felt scared and is no longer so trusting.

David Potter, prosecuting, said that Sumner carried out his indecent activities over a two and a half year period and the major of the incidents happened in the bedroom of his flat.

Judge Watson ordered Sumner to sign on the Sex Offenders Register for life and imposed a Sexual Offences Prevention Order for 14 years restricting his internet use and unsupervised contact with children.

Eric Lamb, defending, said that Sumner had problems in his upbringing and perceived he was helping the victims who were in similar circumstances.

Coleraine brothers jailed – Not named

0
0

March 2014

Coleraine Court: Brothers jailed for ‘cruel and depraved abuse’

Two brothers who played cards to see who would be first to abuse a young girl have been jailed for more than 20 years each.

A judge told the men that their abuse showed a level of cruelty and depravity that should not be tolerated.

The younger brother, 50, was sentenced to 28 years for sexually abusing his son and daughter and his sister.

The older brother, 56, got 23 years for abusing his sister and for joining his brother in attacking his daughter.

The brothers, who cannot be named to protect the identities of their victims, admitted abusing their sister, but denied 38 other charges of sex abuse for which they were convicted in February.

These included rape, indecent assaults and cruelty. The girl claimed she had been raped up to 1,000 times.

The brothers plan to appeal those convictions.

Jailing them on Friday, Judge Gordon Kerr QC said their sister had described the elder brother, who began the abuse, “as pure evil”, while her other brother, who later joined in, was called “a fool”.

She later talked of having “so many memories of being abused practically every day”, and said that while her mother was aware of her pain, she did nothing about it.

‘Cynical exploitation’

Judge Kerr told the brothers that it was “truly hard to imagine the destruction of a childhood suffered by the victim at the hands of her brothers”.

“This was a cold, cynical, evil exploitation of a young girl whom they should have been protecting. Instead, they used her as a personal plaything for their sexual gratification,” he said.

Later, while sentencing the younger brother for the abuse of his daughter, Judge Kerr said his rape, cruelty and abuse revealed “a level of depraved behaviour which is almost unprecedented”.

“For a father to abuse and cruelly destroy the childhood of his child, and use her in this way, is appalling and simply cannot be tolerated by society,” he said.

“One would have thought such thoroughly vile behaviour could not be exceeded by this defendant. Not only did he treat his daughter this way, but also had his brother take part and join him in this cruelty and depravity.”

Judge Kerr told the man that his abuse of his son again showed “a callous attitude”.

Their 14-day trial, held in Coleraine Courthouse, heard only of the abuse of the son and daughter of the younger brother. He began sexually abusing his son and daughter in the early 1990s, when they were aged just six and seven. His older brother joined him in the abuse of his niece.

The victims told the court that they suffered prolonged physical abuse – beatings, being throttled, being burnt with cigarettes. This escalated into serious sexual assaults including multiple rapes.

The abuse lasted for several years and ended when the girl was 14 and the boy was 11.

The defendant’s daughter described how her father videotaped her being raped by him and her uncle, and later forced her to relive her shocking ordeal, by making her watch the recording.

The court heard that in 1998, the children told social services about some of the abuse that they had suffered. Nothing was done. They had to wait another four years before the time when, as adults, anyone would believe them.

During their trial, the brothers said the claims of sexual abuse were either lies or imaginings.

However, the jury had already heard that the brothers were convicted child abusers who had admitted abusing their sister in the 1970s and 1980s, starting when she was just four years old and continuing until she was 18.


Mark Haslam – Dalton/Rotherham

0
0

March 2014

Man jailed for having sex with 14 year old schoolgirl

has

A man who groomed and abused a 14 year old girl who had run away from home has been jailed for just 18 months

Mark Haslam who was 19 at the time, had sex with the girl on the sofa at a friends house

Haslam, of High Greave road, Dalton was jailed after he admitted sexual activity with a child between July 2010 and August 2010

Haslam was staying with a friend at a property in Greasbrough and she was offered a place to stay for a few nights

The pair would play video games and would sleep on a sofa. On two separate occasions she claimed she had consensual sexual intercourse with Haslam

On both occasions alcohol was involved and the defendant asked the child if she wanted sex

Two days later, the police turned up and removed the girl who had been reported missing by her mother. The reason for running way was because the mother had disapproved of them being together. It was the last time the girl saw Haslam

When arrested, he admitted having sex with the girl. He said this happened only once and also admitted he did not use protection

The complainant, who is now 17 years old, said in a statement that the situation had caused her a lot of distress. She had fallen out with her family and had been taken into foster care as a result

The victim said she has started self harming and suffers from depression and has trouble sleeping and eating

As well as being jailed, Haslam was also placed on the sex offenders register

Simon Hollowbread – Birmingham

0
0

Update ~ Has changed his name by deed poll to Simon Hammond

April 2007

Pervert taught city kids

A PAEDOPHILE who took indecent photographs of children and attempted to rape a youngster worked as a supply teacher in Birmingham, it has emerged.

City education chiefs have reassured parents that no pupil was put in danger and stressed the teacher was struck off when the alarm was raised.

Simon Hollowbread was jailed for seven years at Birmingham Crown Court in February for offences stemming back to 1997.

Primary school teacher Hollowbread, in his 30s, was found guilty of gross indecency with a child under 16, attempted rape of a child and taking indecent photographs of children.

A spokesman for Birmingham City Council said: “Hollowbread was employed as a temporary member of staff, supplied by an agency, at various times between 2004 and 2006.

“He had an up-to-date clear Criminal Records Bureau report, but once we were notified about the allegations and his arrest in November 2006, we fully co-operated with the investigation.

“There were no issues or concerns regarding any children at Birmingham schools.”

Hollowbread was put on the sex offenders’ register for life.

Ronald Slater – Redditch

0
0

March 2014

Man jailed for 17 years for string of sex offences against young girls

A 61-year-old  has been jailed for 17 years for a series of sex assaults on young girls, some committed as long ago as 1982.

Victims of Ronald Slater, who are now in their 30s, were in the public gallery at Worcester Crown Court as details of his crimes were given by prosecutor Jennifer Josephs.

Slater, of Abberley Close, Redditch, pleaded guilty to charges of sexual assault and rape. He showed no emotion as he was led from the dock to begin his sentence.

Miss Josephs said that after complaints were made to the police about his activities, he claimed that it was only “mutual fondling”.

But there was no doubt that his victims had been deeply distressed by his conduct.
Slater had no previous convictions and his barrister, Sarah Buckingham, told the court that he is, and was, a paedophile. He was known for charity work he had carried out.

Judge Michael Cullum said the charges before the court were only specimens and covered a nine-year period of sexual misconduct between 1982 and 1991. His activities had degraded his victims and turned their lives into “a living hell”.

He ordered that Slater should register as a sex offender for life.

John Stainsby – Peterborough

0
0

March 2014

Pervert pensioner caught for second time filming and photographing up young females skirts with mobile phone

Peterborough

A pensioner from Peterborough has admitted breaching a court order to stop him using a mobile phone to film up girls’ skirts.

John Stainsby (78), of Keys Park, was caught using a mobile phone to take pictures and video of unsuspecting females on the escalators of the Queensgate shopping centre in Peterborough in February 2014.

It is the second time Stainsby has been caught taking such pictures, after being given an anti-social behaviour order in 2011 when he admitted outraging public decency.

It is believed he is the oldest person in the city to be given an ASBO, with his order preventing him from possessing a camera in a public place.

On Wednesday he appeared at Peterborough Magistrates’ Court, where he again admitted outraging public decency, and also breaching his ASBO.

Jackie Carradice, prosecuting, said: “The defendant was sentenced on July 4, 2011. The ASBO was made to last until further notice.

“On February 26 this year he was seen by plain clothes officers in Queensgate, using his phone on an escalator.

“He was arrested in Queensgate bus station, and asked to hand over a phone. He gave officers a phone which could not take photos, but also handed a phone which could.”

Mrs Carradice said there were three videos, all taken on February 23, along with various photos.

The court heard Stainsby had spoken to his GP about the problem, and had been advised to speak to a counsellor.

Magistrate Mrs Shields said the case was serious enough to be committed to Peterborough Crown Court for sentencing, where a judge has greater sentencing powers.

Stainsby was given bail but banned from going to Queensgate, other than to use the bus station or to go to Boots to pick up prescriptions.

Ian Bentley – Oxford

0
0

March 2014

Child abuse images professor escapes prison

bentley

A PROFESSOR at Oxford Brookes University suffered a “spectacular fall from grace” after indecent images of children were found on his work computer.

Ian Bentley, of Park Town, Oxford, yesterday avoided a prison sentence after he admitted two counts of making 22 indecent images of children between August 2007 and September 2011.

The 76-year-old was a professor of urban design at Brookes until his resignation in 2011 following the discovery of the pictures, along with other extreme pornography such as bestiality.

Daren Samat, defending, said his client had never actually viewed images of child abuse taking place.

He said: “It is a spectacular fall from grace for someone so educated.

“And I am told because of the very small number of images this could even have been dealt with by way of a caution or in the magistrates’ court.”

Bentley was sentenced at Oxford Crown Court to a two-year community order with a Cyber Safe programme requirement

He said an aggravating factor was that the defendant had been looking at the pictures in his workplace.

Melvyn Evans – Portsmouth

0
0

March 2014

Former sailor had vile child abuse images – Supervision order for 18 months given

AN ex-navy serviceman convicted of making about 850 indecent images of children has been spared jail.

Melvyn Evans, 57, used search terms which led him to websites devoted to indecent images of children. One of the counts against him related to a child aged between about 18 months and two years old.

Portsmouth Crown Court heard that although he did not click on or save the images, they automatically saved on his computer.

Now Evans has been ordered to sign the Sex Offenders’ Register for five years after being found guilty of six counts of making indecent images of a child following a trial.

The court heard many of the images were classed at level one – the lowest level of indecency.

However 100 images were level three, 122 were rated at level four and two were at level five – the most serious category.

The court heard Evans, from Portsmouth, who served in the navy for 33 years, was caught after terms he used in August 2012 were flagged up via the Child Exploitation and Online Protection Agency.

Evans, who had no previous convictions, was put under supervision for 18 months.

He was ordered not to use a computer or device that is internet-enabled without prior approval of a supervising officer.

Evans was told not to have unsupervised contact with anyone under 16 without approval from a supervising officer.

He was told to pay £2,000 costs, given a five-year Sexual Offences Prevention Order and ordered to sign the Sex Offenders’ Register for five years.

Addressing Evans, Susan Evans QC, sentencing, said: ‘You did not click on any of these images or save them. What happened is that they were “auto saved” in the computer cache because you had brought them up on the computer.

‘The web pages themselves were extremely unpleasant and contained indecent material, some of which included very young children. Although you are plainly in denial, it’s clear to me that you do have a sexual interest in children.’

Gary Hoodless – Dewsbury Moor/Birstall

0
0

March 2014

Dewsbury Moor youth club manager found guilty of child sex assaults

hood

A former youth group manager has been found guilty of serious sexual assaults on two boys he babysat for.

Jurors at Leeds Crown Court found Gary Hoodless guilty of seven counts of sexual offences against the boys, including buggery, indecent assault on a male and indecency with a child.

The father of three, of Moorside Road, Dewsbury Moor, assaulted the boys when he was a teenager in the late 1980s.

During his trial, the jury was told Hoodless abused the boys, who were both under 11, as they watched TV with him.

He threatened them with a stick kept in the kitchen cupboard if they suggested telling anyone.

The offences took place between September 1986 and June 1987 when Hoodless was living in Birstall.

The offences stopped when one of the boys complained to his mother and the family moved away. The police were notified and the boys were examined but nothing was found and no action was taken against the teenage Hoodless.

Earlier this week, the court heard how Hoodless was a dedicated community volunteer who ran the Moorside Minors youth group.

And last week, one of the victims told the court he had tried to take his own life six times and had been on anti-depressants for nine year.

In a police interview played to the court, the man, who is now in his 30s, said he had found it hard to trust people.

He said: “I used to have counselling and I have been told to block a lot of it out because it was affecting me.”

He added: “We were so young and so little there was nothing we could do to stop it. He was much bigger than me, and stronger.”

Hoodless, 41, denied all the charges made against him, saying they were deliberately fabricated lies.

The jury found Hoodless not guilty of thirteen other sexual assault charges, included five other charges against the same boys. He was also found not guilty of abusing another boy in the early 1990s.

Hoodless will be sentenced on April 7.


Danny MacMillan – Hull

0
0

March 2014

Odd-job man gets nine years for raping schoolgirl, 14, in Hull park after they shared WhatsApp messages

Danny MacMillan

By Kevin Shoesmith -  Hull Daily Mail

A SEXUAL “predator” who lured a schoolgirl with promises of cigarettes before raping her in a Hull park has been jailed.

Danny MacMillan, 36, denied raping and sexually assaulting the 14-year-old girl, who was wearing her school uniform, in St George’s Recreation Ground, off Gordon Street, west Hull.

But after two-and-a-half hours of deliberation yesterday, majority verdicts were returned by the jury and MacMillan, a garage odd-job worker, was convicted of two counts of sexual assault and one of rape.

MacMillan, of Waterloo Street, Hull, showed no emotion as Judge Simon Jack summarised the words of the victim from a DVD, in which she stated she was left scared of the dark and even the mention of the word “rape”.

Members of the jury, which comprised ten women and two men, put their hands to their mouths as they learned the girl had begun to self-harm as a result of her ordeal.

Judge Jack said: “This has impacted on almost every aspect of her life. She has lost her trust in people generally.

“She is afraid of going out after dark. She doesn’t like to go to her friends’ homes any more.

“Her family are very wary around her – they don’t want to upset her.

“Her mum is now very protective of her. The family struggle to have a joke with her. She suffers mood swings.

“If the word ‘rape’ is mentioned, it has a very bad effect on her.”

During the four-day trial at Hull Crown Court, jurors heard MacMillan used to buy cigarettes for the girl and her friend.

Prosecutor Martin Sharpe said the attack happened when MacMillan met the victim on her own for the first time.

MacMillan had claimed the girl had messaged him pictures of her breasts, but no phone evidence was presented during the trial.

He told the jury the girl had performed a sex act on him after leading him into some bushes in the park.

MacMillan, whose DNA was found on the inside and outside of the girl’s trousers, had described his encouragement of the act as a “moment of madness”.

He had told the court he knew the girl was below the age of sexual consent, but was unsure exactly how old she was.

MacMillan had communicated with the victim using WhatsApp – a texting app popular with teenagers.

Jailing him for nine years, Judge Jack told him: “You preyed on a young girl. You offered to do favours for her by getting cigarettes in the hope that you got her in a position that you could do something to her.

“And that’s exactly what you did on November 13, 2012.

“She agreed to meet you hoping that you would provide her with some cigarettes.

“Unfortunately, she turned up on her own.”

Judge Jack said the “starting point” for sentencing for rape against a child of the victim’s age was eight years.

However, he agreed with the prosecution’s case that there were several aggravating features that increased the severity of MacMillan’s crime, including the two sexual assaults that happened moments before the rape.

Outside court, Detective Constable Rob Milner, who led the investigation, praised the victim and her family for their bravery.

He said: “She is a young, impressionable girl who has gone through a very traumatic experience, but she had the courage to come forward and made a very early disclosure about what had happened.

“MacMillan is clearly a predator who has used social media to groom her with offers of cigarettes.

“She has trusted him and he has abused that position.”

MacMillan was told by Judge Jack he would serve a “very substantial” proportion of his sentence before he was eligible for release on licence.

He had two previous convictions for public order offences, but nothing of a sexual nature.

MacMillon will be required to sign the sexual offenders’ register for life.

Christopher Sampson – Stonehaven

0
0

March 2014

Man gets supervision order over child abuse pictures

A NORTH-EAST delivery driver downloaded indecent images – because he wanted to “expose” those involved in making the pictures, has been put on the sex offenders register.

Christopher Sampson, 43, a former instrument technician, appeared at Aberdeen Sheriff Court for sentencing after admitting to taking or permitting to be taken or made indecent photographs or pseudo photographs of children.

The offence took place at an address in Aberdeen between 26 January 2011 and 8 March last year.

The court heard that 59 images were found on Sampson’s laptop

Defence agent Gail Goodfellow said: “His explanation is his motivation was not sexual but rather to expose those who were involved in making these images available on the internet.”

Sheriff Graham Buchanan handed Sampson, whose address was given in court as 5b Barclay Street, Stonehaven, a Community Payback Order with three years supervision and a requirement to undertake the joint sex offenders programme.

Neil McGibbon – Dunfermline

0
0

March 2014

Dunfermline man caught with over 14,000 indecent images and films of children

A Fife man has admitted to being in possession of over 14,000 indecent images and videos of children over a six-year period.

Appearing at Cupar Sheriff Court on Thursday, Neil McGibbon, 24, of Evershed Drive, Dunfermline, pleaded guilty to the offence, which took place at his home address between January 1 2007 and May 27 2013.

Fiscal depute Nicola Henderson told the court McGibbon, a former photo shop assistant at Asda supermarket, was apprehended by police in relation to the offence in May 2013.

The court heard the majority of images featured girls aged 10 to 12.

In total, 13,813 indecent images were discovered and 306 indecent films, the majority of which were at level one of the Copine scale. Some were at levels four and five, however.

McGibbon’s defence solicitor Ms Gibson said: “My client is very ashamed and fearful and is a young man who knows what he has done is wrong.”

She added McGibbon had sought help with an organisation called Stop It Now where he completed a group work programme and is currently seeing a sexual psychotherapist.

Sheriff Macnair deferred sentence until May 1 for the preparation of a criminal justice report and psychologist report and placed McGibbon on the sex offenders register.

An Asda spokeswoman confirmed McGibbon left the company at the time of his arrest.

Ian Cook – Seaham

0
0

March 2014

Trainee teacher offered young girl money to strip

A TRAINEE teacher who offered a young girl money to strip over the internet walked free from a court.

Ian Cook was given a three-year community order by Judge Christopher Prince, who ruled the order would offer more protection to the public than a prison sentence.

Durham Crown Court heard police found indecent images of children and extreme pornography on Cook’s computer.

Adrian Dent, prosecuting, said: “Officers from the safeguarding unit went to the defendant’s home after receiving information.

“They seized his HP laptop computer. The most serious image found on it was level three, on the one to five scale.

“There were 94 images of extreme pornography, many showing penetrative sex with animals.

“Evidence was found of sexual conversations from a number of email addresses, including one in which the defendant offered money for sexual images of a teenage girl from elsewhere in the country.”

The court heard Dove told police he gained sexual gratification from the pictures of teenage girls, but the bestial images were downloaded only out of curiosity.

Cook, 19, of Dovedale Court, Seaham, admitted four charges of possessing an indecent image of a child, four charges of possessing extreme pornography, and one charge of inciting a child to commit a sexual act.

Andrew Walker, defending, said the sentencing guidelines applied to Cook’s case suggested a non-custodial penalty.

Mr Walker observed the offence of inciting a child was committed when Cook was 18 years and 12 days old. “His actions would not have been an offence had he done the same thing before his 18th birthday,” added Mr Walker.

Judge Christopher Prince sentenced Cook to a three-year community order, with a condition he complete the sex offender treatment programme.

“I find Mr Walker’s submissions compelling,” the judge told Cook. “I could ignore the guidelines and send you to prison.

“But I have only one concern, to protect the public in the long-term.

“This will be best achieved by you undertaking the full sex offender treatment programme.

“It will equip you to ensure you do not behave this way in future.”

The judge ordered the confiscation of the computer hard drive on which the images were found.

Cook must register as a sex offender for five years.

Michael White – Cleator Moor

0
0

March 2014

Man found guilty of sexually abusing a schoolgirl

A 59-year-old Cleator Moor man has been found guilty of sexually abusing a schoolgirl.

Michael White, of Trumpet Terrace, had denied 13 sex assaults against two schoolgirls dating back to the 1970s and 1980s.

After a trial at Carlisle Crown Court, he was cleared of five allegations of indecent assault against the first of the two girls.

The jury cleared him of one count of indecent assault against the second child, but found him guilty of the remaining seven charges, all against that girl.

He was remanded in custody and will be sentenced at Carlisle Crown Court on April 15.

Viewing all 8959 articles
Browse latest View live




Latest Images