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Thomas Laird –

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June 2014

Vile pervert convicted of rape of three females

A man is facing a lengthy prison term after being convicted of raping three women and threatening to rape a fourth.

Thomas Laird, 38, carried out the abuse at addresses in Glasgow, Dunbartonshire and Lanarkshire over an 18-year period.

He was caught after one of his victims contacted Scottish Police’s domestic abuse taskforce.

At the High Court in Glasgow, judge Michael O’Grady QC deferred sentence on Laird, who he described as “clever, manipulative and exploitative”.

The judge told Laird: “You have been convicted of an appalling course of violence and sexual abuse against a number of women.

“You represent a risk to women of all ages. You are completely indifferent to the trail of unhappiness you have left in your wake.”

The court heard how Laird, who was a supermarket team leader, threatened to rape one terrified victim and told her: “I’ll do it so that every time you have sex you will remember me.”

The woman, who met Laird when she was just 15, said she thought she was “living in a Jerry Springer show”.

She made the remark after telling of how Laird, who was her partner, groomed her young sister from the age of 11.

The woman sobbed as she described how she told Laird she was leaving him after discovering her sister was pregnant by him.

Laird grabbed her by the neck and said: “How can we not work things out, I’ve apologised.”

He then produced a knife and threatened to rape her.

The woman, who cannot be named for legal reasons, described Laird as “nasty and petty” and told of how he ripped up her college notes.

The court also heard from her sister who told advocate depute Kath Harper, prosecuting, that Laird began sexually abusing her from the age of 11.

She claimed that shortly after the birth of their child Laird raped her.

The jury found that rape charge not proven, but convicted Laird of sexually abusing her.

Ms Harper said: “This victim was only a young girl when Laird began grooming her. She says she was naive and immature.”

Another of Laird’s victims agreed to have sex with him, but then asked him to stop as she was in so much pain.

Laird told her: “Oh the wee lassie can’t take it.” The victim said she was humiliated by his response after she had asked him two or three times to stop.

Another rape victim told how she met Laird on an internet site and described sex with him as “rough”.

She said on occasions she told him to stop, but he just ignored her and added: “It’s not consensual sex when you are held down.”

After she broke up with Laird he continued to text her and her teenage daughter.

Another of Laird’s victims was regularly slapped and punched by him. She also said that he refused to listen when she said she did not want sex with him. He also choked her and threatened her with a knife.

Ms Harper said “If Mr Laird didn’t get his own way the nastiness and violence followed. He is a danger to women and in particular vulnerable women. He needs to get his own way. He will not be crossed.”

All of Laird’s victims told of how he would taunt them saying they were fat or telling them no one else would want them.

He isolated them from family and friends and used violence to get his own way.


Rory Doyle – Dublin/Co Kildare

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June 2014

Irish ex-doctor gets 12 years for sexual assault of children

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A former Irish doctor has been sentenced to 12 years in prison in the US after pleading guilty to sexually assaulting two young girls.

Rory Doyle committed the offences in Florida against the girls between September 1994 and July 2000 when they were aged 13 and eight years.

The 59-year-old, with addresses at Donnybrook Manor, Belmont Avenue, Donnybrook, Dublin, and Sallins Bridge, Sallins, Co Kildare, had been on the run for 12 years.

He fled the US in 2001 on the eve of his initial trial and was found in Dublin in 2009 where he had been practising in cosmetic surgery under the name of David West, which he had changed by deed poll.

His discovery followed an investigation by the Medical Council which subsequently struck him off the medical register.

In January 2010, the High Court ordered that Doyle be surrendered to Florida on an extradition warrant to face the charges against him. He appealed the case and was on bail subject to conditions requiring him to surrender his passport, reside in Donnybrook, enter into his own bond of €25,000 and provide a surety of €100,000. The surety was put up by his mother Maura Doyle, then 89 years old, with whom he lived in Donnybrook.

He was due before the Supreme Court in February 2012, but in December 2011 he was granted the return of his passport to allow him go to England with his mother for a week at Christmas. He was excused from signing on from December 21st to 29th.

However, Mrs Doyle spent the holidays in a Cork hotel. When she returned home, her son was gone and when he had not returned by January 2nd, she phoned Donnybrook Garda station.

She was assured the matter would be followed up, but gardaí did not visit her home until January 27th and a warrant was then issued for her son’s arrest. Mrs Doyle lost her €100,000 surety.

At the High Court, Mr Justice Michael Peart criticised gardaí, describing what had happened as “a mockery of the process by which bail is applied for and granted”.

Doyle was arrested in Tangiers in November 2012 and subsequently extradited to the US by Moroccan authorities.

Though he had consistently maintained his innocence throughout the process, Doyle, who has two teenage children, changed his plea last week. He received a 12-year sentence for the assaults and a concurrent five-year sentence for failing to turn up for the trial.

It is likely he would have been given half that sentence if he had not fled and remained a fugitive, the Pinellas County State’s Attorney office said.

Thomas Ebdon – Cockfield

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June 2014

Teenager ignored warnings by engaging in sexual activity with young girl

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A TEENAGER took advantage of a vulnerable young girl, ignoring warnings and engaging in a sexual relationship, a court heard.

Thomas Daniel Ebdon was arrested once the allegations surfaced, but despite being bailed and told to keep away from the girl, a further sexual encounter took place days later.

Ebdon, then aged 18, of Mostyn Terrace, Cockfield, County Durham, was re-arrested and has been in custody since mid-February.

Appearing at a plea hearing, at Durham Crown Court, in April, he admitted five counts of sexual activity with an underage girl, all committed in the first six weeks of this year.

He also admitted two counts of child abduction, relating to meeting the girl and a friend of hers, plus doing an act intended to pervert the course of justice, by implying another youth tried to have sex with the girl.

Despite being of previous good character, Ebdon, now 19, was today (June 3) given a sentence of five years and four months in a young offenders’ institution.

Judge Christopher Prince told him that, given the girl’s age, the fact she was willing to engage in sexual activity was a sign of her vulnerability.

“You described her as a willing partner.

“You took advantage of that vulnerability, taking her to a remote area to engage in sexual activity.

“Then, having been arrested, one would have thought you would have avoided her at all costs.

“You did not and, days later, you engaged in further sexual activity with her.”

Dan Cordey, prosecuting, said Ebdon, with younger male teenagers, met the girls at a recreation area.

As he was the oldest, aged over 18 at the time, he bought alcohol to share.

Mr Cordey said the first sexual activity took place in an allotment polytunnel on a cold winter evening.

When concerns were raised he was issued with a fixed penalty notice warning him not to give alcohol to underage youths and advised to steer clear of the girl.

But, despite being arrested and bailed, further sexual activity took place when he met her behind an old building.

Anne Richardson, for Ebdon, said he was immature for his age and his story about another youth having sex with the girl was a bid to “deflect blame” rather than get someone else into trouble.

Having handed in several character references, Miss Richardson added: “This is not the Thomas Ebdon known in Cockfield.

“These events have shocked and rocked that village to the core.”

Ebdon will be subject to registration as a sex offender for the rest of his life.

John Meade – Southport

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June 2014

Stanley High School teacher jailed for sexual assault on girl, 12

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A teacher who sexually abused a young girl has been jailed.

Southport’s Stanley High School science teacher John Meade, 49, admitted 10 counts of carrying out sexual assaults on a child who was 12 at the time.

The offences – which did not involve one of his pupils at Stanley High School  – came to light in April after the 12-year-old victim made a 999 call to police.

She had previously been too scared about what Meade might do to her, although he never issued any threats, and she was concerned whether or not she would believed.

Meade, of Railway Road, Southport who started his working career as a lab technician 30 years ago and then retrained as a teacher, made no comment when he was first arrested.

But at his first court hearing last month he pleaded guilty to all the charges.

The victim’s mum said when she told her daughter that Meade had admitted his crimes, she could see: “Her whole body language changed and she let out a big sigh of relief.”

Paul Lewis, defending, said Meade had no previous convictions and throughout his career had “given service to many young people impeccably for that time.”

He said Meade, who was trained in safeguarding children, was: “Thoroughly ashamed of what he has done and is shocked at what he has done.”

He added that Meade had still not told his elderly father and feared it would be the end of their relationship.

Meade was first suspended and has now resigned from his position.

Judge David Aubrey, QC, jailed Meade for four years, made him the subject of a 10 year sexual offences prevention order, and made him sign on the sex offenders register indefinitely.

He told him: “You are a man who for the last 30 years has worked in educational establishments.

“There is not the slightest suspicion that during those many, many years while you have been working with children and for children, whether as an assistant or teacher for the last 15 years, you have behaved in anything other than an impeccable and proper and appropriate manner.

“How it was and why it was you did that which you did only you will ever know. The court has observed you are a broken man.”

Nourredine Sed – Bournemouth

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June 2014

MAN who groped an 11-year-old girl as she walked home from school has been given a community order

Nourredine Sed, 38, was sentenced at Dorchester Crown Court in relation to an incident in Wimborne Road, Winton on September 25 last year.

Prosecutor Heather Shimmen said the victim had told police Sed approached her on his bike.

According to her account to police, Sed had said: “I’ve seen you, I think you’re beautiful and I like you.”

The court was told that when the girl walked on Sed had asked for a kiss, to which she had replied “no”. But, the girl said, he then put his arm around her and tried to kiss her.

She said she tried to pull away but he was able to kiss her and touched her bottom.

Miss Shimmen said that following a police investigation and media appeal Sed, an Algerian legally residing in the UK due to his marriage to an EU national and UK citizen, was arrested and interviewed.

He initially denied the allegations but later made admissions in court.

James Newton-Price, mitigating, said that his client was supported by his wife, who had taken an “understanding, responsible and forgiving view in relation to his conduct”.

He added that Sed, of Stirling Road, Bournemouth, was a man of previous good character.

Judge Roger Jarvis told the defendant: “The very idea that a child of 11 years will be attracted to you is patently absurd.

“It matters not from whatever cultural background you arrive in this country, I’m quite sure that from wherever you come that observation of mine would hold true.

“This is a child on the brink of her adolescence and the sort of thing that you did to her causes her understandable concern.”

The judge added: “You should be ashamed of yourself.”

Sed was sentenced to a community order with a supervision requirement for two years and a requirement to attend one to one sex offender treatment.

He was also made subject to a sexual offences prevention order banning him from Winton at certain times, and placed on the sex offenders’ register for five years.

THE victim’s mother said the 11-year-old had lost her independence as a result of the assault

“She won’t get on the bus on her own any more, and I have to pick her up from the stop every day,” she said.

“It has really affected her, and she has lost all her self-confidence.”

She said she believed the sentence would not be an effective deterrent to other potential sex offenders.

“It is not the crime of the century,” she said.

“But it was disgusting, in broad daylight, the judge was right he should be ashamed of himself. And there was no remorse there.”

Stephen Robinson – Waddingham

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June 2014

Pensioner has been jailed for 12 years after admitting 37 sex offences against a child

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Stephen Robinson, 69, of Pyewipe Cottages South, Waddingham, pleaded guilty to the offences on March 20 and was sentenced at Hull Crown Court last week.

The offences happened when the girl, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was aged under 12.

Prosecuting, Peter Pimm said Robinson voluntarily handed himself in as a sex offender at Brigg Police Station.

Referring to a statement made by the victim, he said she was “trying not to let what happened affect her life”.

Mitigating, Richard Lunn said: “In relation to this defendant, he doesn’t wish for a moment for me to attempt to excuse the behaviour.”

Mr Lunn said the risk of him offending again was “significantly limited”.

A further two charges will be left on file by the court.

Robinson was made the subject of an indefinite sexual offences prevention order.

He will also be on the sex offenders’ register indefinitely.

Kristoffer Roberts – Torquay

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June 2014

Pervert failed to attend sex offenders’ programme

A mobile phone voyeur has been warned he faces jail after failing to keep appointments with probation officers who were helping him treat his bizarre obsession.

Kristoffer Roberts was ordered to take part in a sex offenders’ course and do unpaid work in the community after he admitted taking 660 secret photos of unsuspecting women shoppers.

His technique was to use his phone to film up the skirts of shoppers, schoolgirls or female college students without them knowing and police found the images on his computer after he was investigated for accessing child abuse images.

Roberts escaped with a five month suspended sentence when he admitted outraging public decency last September and returned to Exeter Crown Court because he breached the terms of a supervision order.

His sentence included 70 hours of unpaid work, two years supervision, and attending the Thames Valley Sex Offenders’ Programme.

Judge Francis Gilbert, QC, adjourned his case to allow him to get legal representation after telling him:”You are at high risk of the suspended sentence being activated unless something is very strongly put in your case.

“You have a bad record of compliance with these orders and of failing to comply with the sex offenders’ register.”

Miss Eleanor Purkis, prosecuting, said Roberts failed to attend for either supervision meetings or unpaid work on December 22, February 25, and April 22 and 30.

Roberts said he missed the appointments because a domestic dispute led to him being banned from going to Torbay, where the meetings were held.

In the original case Roberts, aged 19, of All Saints Road, Torquay, admitted two offences of outraging public decency and an unrelated burglary in which he stole a friend’s laptop.

He admitted taking 314 still and 174 moving images between April and December 2011 and 143 still and 29 moving images between February and April this year.

He also admitted five offences of making or possessing a total of 60 indecent images of children, including some showing adults having sexual activity with children, and one of possessing extreme pornography.

Roberts was arrested after his phones were seized and examined by police when his behaviour aroused suspicion. The images were found three mobiles and the child abuse images on his computer.

He had previously been cautioned in 2008 when he was just 14 for identical behaviour after being caught snapping women shoppers as they bent over supermarket freezers.

 

Brian Holt – Watford

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June 2014

Watford trucker convicted of historic sexual abuse of a young girl

A trucker has been convicted of sexually abusing a young girl in Watford in the 1960s and 70s.

Brian Holt, 69, of Garsmouth Way, Watford, was accused of 14 offences of indecent assault and indecency with the child between 1968 and 1973. He was convicted of ten charges and cleared of four.

St Albans crown court heard that, at the time, the victim was aged between 6 and 11 and he was aged between 24 and 29.

Prosecutor Wayne Cleaver told the jury that the woman, who is now 51, spoke to her father about what she said had gone on and he called the police.

The woman was interviewed and told officers that the offences took place at an address in Watford and in the defendant’s lorry.

Officers located Mr Holt, who was arrested. He was taken to Watford police station where he made no comment to police questions.

Holt is due to be sentenced on July 3.


Graham Findlay – Kirkwall

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June 2014

Jury delivers guilty verdicts for child abuser

A 26-year-old man has been found guilty of five sexual offences, which took place between January, 2004, and August, 2012, in Kirkwall.

The charges against Graham Findlay, of Scapa Crescent, Kirkwall, included four counts of lewd, indecent and libidinous behaviour towards boys aged between seven and 13, and sexual assault against a 16-year-old male.

At Kirkwall Sheriff Court this afternoon, on day ten of the trial, a jury returned guilty verdicts on all charges.

Last week, Findlay was cleared of two separate offences of a sexual nature.

Sentence was deferred for reports until July 30, and Findlay was released on bail.

He was also put on the sex offenders register on an interim basis.

Charles Kent – Peterborough

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June 2014

Pensioner jailed for gross indecency on two young girls

A 77 year-old former West Norfolk pensioner, who was convicted of sex abuse on two young girls, has been jailed for four years and placed on the sex offenders register for life.

Charles Kent, who now lives at Deeping St James, Peterborough, was convicted following a trial at Norwich Crown Court, of charges of gross indecency with the girls.

The offences date back about 15 years ago.

Jailing him for four years, Judge Katharine Moore said there had been a “significant impact” on his victims. However she accepted that Kent was in poor health and was a full-time carer for his wife.

William Carter, for Kent, said he had a “cocktail” of ailments and since his trial had been hospitalised twice.

He said: “He is of minimal risk of re-offending .”

Jason Smithers – Weston-super-Mare

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July 2011

Chef sent to jail for sexual abuse of girl

A CHEF who sexually abused a youngster when he was a teenager has been jailed for nine years.

Jason Smithers denied wrongdoing but was convicted of improperly touching the girl, over some four years, from when she was as young as five.

Smithers, 27, of Chaucer Road in Weston-super-Mare, was found guilty of attempted rape and 16 counts of indecent assault.

Judge Michael Road told him: “These assaults had a very severe effect on her. I’ve no doubt that they blighted her childhood.”

Smithers was ordered to register as a sex offender indefinitely.

Bristol Crown Court heard that Smithers had frequently abused the girl by improper touching as well as by making her perform sex acts on him and using sex aids on her.

On one occasion he played a pornographic video and tried to force himself on her.

When she told him to stop or she would cry out, he told her: “There’s nobody there to hear you.”

Oliver Willmott, defending, conceded the victim would have been significantly affected by the serious abuse.

But he told the court: “That one incident of attempted rape was not as serious as the matters leading to it, where the act was completed.”

Mr Willmott said his client stopped the abuse when he was aged 18 and had since led an “exemplary” life.

He told the court: “He is otherwise of good character. From his 15th birthday he carried out hard work as a kitchen porter, and subsequently in other roles.

“He left his job because of these proceedings, when he was arrested at work.

“He was simply fired for gross misconduct and he has ceased to work because of these proceedings.”

Mr Willmott said his client had a wife and young daughter, yet all the while his past misdemeanours had been poised to catch up with him.

He said: “All the time, that was waiting to come and upset the situation.

“The adult will have to pay for what he did as a child.

“He is a broken man. He is now an adult and he is going to have to receive a custodial sentence of some length.”

Smithers was told he would be due to serve half the sentence in custody.

Michael Porrett – Bradford

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June 2014

Fantasist jailed for sex attack on girl

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A man who used a young girl to put into practice his juvenile sexual fantasies has been jailed for five and a half years.

Michael Porrett wrote down sexually explicit fantasies around the same time that he indecently assaulted the girl, Bradford Crown Court heard

Prosecutor Sophie Drake said the offences took place over a two-month period when Porrett was aged 16 or 17 years old and the girl was aged just seven or eight.

Miss Drake said the defendant would buy the girl presents. When arrested he was in possession of a large number of letters, drawings and notes in which he described sexually explicit fantasies about young children, which he said he had written around the time of the offences.

Miss Drake said the victim, in a personal statement, said the abuse had affected every aspect of her life.

She struggled with what had happened, felt angry, and it had affected her relationship with her husband.

Porrett, 35, of Rayleigh Street, East Bowling, Bradford, was convicted after a trial of four offences of sexual abuse of a child.

His barrister, Kate Batty, said the offending was over a relatively short period of time and seemingly stopped of his own volition. He was now accepting that the offences took place.

Jailing him, Judge Colin Burn said the abuse had been regular, if not sustained.

Judge Burn told Porrett: “You were getting her into situations whereby you were able to go some short way towards putting into practice your juvenile sexual fantasies.”

He said the complainant was upset and distressed on a long-term basis by what had happened. Having to revisit at trial had had a serious effect on her.

Judge Burn added: “It is a lifelong effect. After serving your sentence you are able to move on, but she isn’t.”

Helen Cartwright – Dudley

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June 2014

Mother, 42, had sex with schoolboy and gives birth to his child – Walks free from court

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A mother of three entered into a sexual relationship with a schoolboy – and has since given birth to their child, a court was told.

Helen Cartwright initially embarked on a friendship with the 15-year-old.

But Wolverhampton Crown Court was told their liaisons, which initially involved ‘hugging and kissing’, became more intimate in May last year when Cartwright had sex with the youth in her marital bed at her home on the Russells Hall estate in Dudley.

The court heard that 42-year-old Cartwright has since continued her relationship with the boy and is now the mother of his five-month old baby.

The defendant, who at the time lived with her husband and children, was warned by a judge that she had been fortunate to escape immediate custody. Ms Sati Ruck, prosecuting, told the court: “It was the boy who instigated the sexual relationship when he slept with the defendant in her own bed.”

Cartwright was arrested after Social Services were contacted.

The court was told during a police interview she admitted knowing the boy was underage. Contact between Cartwright and the boy stopped when police became involved but the relationship has continued since the birth of their child.

Ms Sharonjit Bahia, defending, told the court:

“She admitted her guilt in a police interview and made no attempt to hide her involvement.”

Cartwright, of Langstone Road, Dudley, pleaded guilty to sexual activity with a child under the age of 16. She was sentenced to two years in prison suspended for two years, with a two-year supervision order. She was also placed on the Sex Offenders Register for 10 years.

Craig Knight – Looe/Plymouth

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June 2014

Man jailed for having sex with under-age girls in Plymouth

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A MAN has been jailed for having sex with two underage girls within days of one another.

Craig Knight, aged 21, “ruined the life” of one of the teenagers he abused, Plymouth Crown Court heard.

He took advantage of the schoolgirl after he was entrusted to look after her when her mother went to hospital, the court was told.

Jailing him for two years and eight months, judge Paul Darlow told him: “You were well aware of the age of these two girls.”

Knight, of Larch View, Looe, admitted having sex with the girls in the city when they were under 16 in August 2012 –when he had just turned 20.

Lee Brembridge, for the Crown Prosecution Service, said Knight was at the first girl’s home when her mother was taken to Derriford Hospital.

He added that the mother thought Knight was a “nice guy” and asked him to look after her daughter until his return.

But Mr Brembridge said Knight persuaded her to perform a sex act on him.

He added Knight abused a second girl at her home a few days later following a family party.

The court heard she performed the same act as the other teenager.

The first victim told the court through a statement that Knight had “ruined her life”.

She added: “I have had difficulty sleeping and have been lying in bed crying. I have had nightmares.”

Mr Brembridge said she had spoken to “numerous” counsellors and therapists.

The second victim said her relationships with family and friends had suffered, together with her school work.

Deni Matthews, for Knight, said the offences were “out of character” and showed his lack of maturity.

He added that Knight realised the impact of what he had done and the chance of re-offending was assessed as low.

Det Con Darren White, of Devon and Cornwall Police’s Child Exploitation Unit, led the investigation in to Knight.

He said after the case: “The law clearly states the age of consent for sexual activity is 16 years. The law is there to protect young people, especially those who are vulnerable to exploitation.

“Craig Knight befriended these girls, manipulated them and then exploited them.

“Devon and Cornwall Police are committed to the investigation of child exploitation offences. Both the girls involved have been left suffering mental and emotional scars, as have their parents.

“We would encourage anyone who fears they may be victim of this kind of exploitation to come forward and they will be supported by police.”

Phillip Donoghue – Wallasey

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June 2014

Wallasey man admits flashing at school children

A Wallasey man has admitted a string of offences involving him indecently exposing himself to young girls near a high school.

Phillip Donoghue was told by a judge that he was concerned about his behaviour and danger to children.

“It is clearly and manifestly obsessive and abnormal behaviour which affects children,” said Judge Robert Warnock.

25-year-old Donoghue, a father of one, pleaded guilty to nine offences of exposure and six offences involving indecent images of children.

Judge Warnock said that he wanted a psychiatric report preparing as he had to decide whether Donoghue should go to prison or needs treatment.

The exposure offences occurred on six days in May and June last year and involved 15 girls aged between 11 and 16.

They largely occurred in the vicinity of Weatherhead High School, Wallasey.

After his arrest he was found to have indecent images of children on a computer and USB pen drive. Donoghue admitted one charge of possessing 81 indecent images and five offences of making indecent images including videos, mainly in the lowest categories but one in a more serious group.

Hayley Cooper, defending, said that Donoghue has been seeking psychological assistance since the offences.

Donoghue, of Norwood Road, Poulton, Wallasey, was further remanded on bail to await sentence on July 16. He was ordered to sign the Sex Offenders Register and barred from working with children.


Darren Harkin – Bristol

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September 2008

Man who raped schoolgirl after fleeing hospital sent to Broadmoor

A mentally ill man who raped a schoolgirl after escaping from a low-security psychiatric hospital had previously been allowed to amass a collection of pornographic and horror DVDs, a court heard yesterday.

Darren Harkin, 21, who attacked the 14-year-old girl the morning after absconding, was also taken by staff to the cinema to see horror films and had been allowed unsupervised leave.

Judge Nicholas Cooke QC said Harkin was just 12 when in January 2000 he repeatedly stabbed his six-month-old stepbrother David in the head, chest and spine, cutting off the infant’s hand, using a knife from the kitchen of their Hartcliffe home – before walking into a police station to tell officers what he had done. He said he was aghast at the actions of staff at Hayes hospital in Pilning, a village near Bristol.

“How on earth could it be thought appropriate that someone who had done such a thing could access horror films? It is difficult to understand,” he told Reading crown court.

Leighton Hughes, prosecuting, agreed that the policy “beggars belief”.

Harkin, who has schizophrenia and autistic spectrum disorder, yesterday admitted escape from lawful custody, burglary and two counts of rape. Cooke ordered that he should be detained indefinitely at the maximum security Broadmoor hospital.

The judge also questioned why hospital staff waited half-an-hour before alerting police when Harkin escaped in February and why neighbouring police forces were not then alerted.

Harkin used a kitchen knife to stab his infant stepbrother repeatedly in January 2000 before walking to a local police station and confessing. He pleaded guilty to manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility and was given a hospital order.

After periods in various mental health units he was moved, at the start of last year, to Hayes, an independent hospital for adults, managed by the National Autistic Society.

The court heard that Harkin met Home Office criteria for transfer to a low-security hospital despite having absconded three times before.

Once at Hayes he built up “a vast collection” of DVDs including horror films and pornographic material, the prosecution told the court.

One staff member reported that Harkin’s interest was “fuelled” by other hospital workers taking him to watch horror films at the cinema. Other trips saw him taken to a leisure centre and a snooker hall, as well as some unsupervised leave.

Early this year, Hughes told the court, Harkin was placed on 24-hour watch after he punched walls and lunged at staff.

After he asked a female member of staff for sex it was decided he should not be left alone with female employees.

On February 2 Harkin escaped while walking with a group of patients to a kitchen. The staff escorting the group did not press a personal alarm in case this frightened other residents and police were not called until half-an-hour later.

Harkin broke into an empty house nearby where he cooked himself a pizza and stole clothes and two knives.

The following morning he attacked the girl in Chepstow, Monmouthshire, telling police later he had walked across the Severn Bridge to get there.

Brandishing a knife and threatening to kill her he dragged the schoolgirl into a secluded area before raping her. He was arrested soon afterwards.

Local police did not know about Harkin as Avon and Somerset police had not notified neighbouring forces of his escape, the court heard.

“How can it be that someone is identified as such a risk that they should not be escorted by women alone yet a personal alarm is not activated immediately?” the judge asked.

“Any delay was clearly taking a risk which on the face of it was unacceptable.”

Michael Fitton QC, defending, said Harkin had a complete inability to empathise with other people and had not been “protected against himself”.

The National Autistic Society and Bristol primary care trust have commissioned an independent external review into the case.

The society’s chief executive, Mark Lever, said: “We have already committed to making the findings of this review publicly available and we will be acting on the report to ensure that nothing like this can happen again.”

James Conway – Bury

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June 2014

Bury sex offender confessed after Facebook message

James Conway confessed sexual abuse cases to police after his wife saw a Facebook message about him.

At Ipswich Crown Court last Thursday, Conway, 42, of Rougham, admitted five offences of indecently assaulting a girl under 16 between 1996 and 2001.

Catherine Bradshaw, prosecuting, said Conway had indecently touched the girl on a number of occasions.

Appearing for Conway, Ian James said his client had become aware of the seriousness of what he had done when his wife confronted him.

Sentencing him, Judge David Goodin told Conway: “These are grave offences. Offences of this kind are only achieved by a form of coercion and bullying.”

Conway was given a 39 month community order with a requirement to participate in a sex offenders’ treatment programme.

In addition, Judge Goodin ordered Conway to sign the sexual offences register for five years

Daniel Denny – Margate

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June 2014

Sex offender posing as a teen boy – again – is jailed

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A registered sex offender who was caught re-offending has been jailed for three years and put on the Sex Offenders’ Register indefinitely.

Daniel Denny, 36, previously of Union Crescent, Margate posed as a 16-year-old boy called Josh to talk to a young girl on the internet and get her to perform sexual acts and send him topless pictures.

In 2008 Denny was sentenced to a three year community order at Canterbury Crown Court after being charged with sexual grooming of a child under 16 years and voyeurism. He was placed on the Sex Offenders’ Register and given a Sexual Offences Prevention Order (SOPO).

But in May 2013 Denny was arrested on suspicion of being in possession of indecent images of children and breach of the SOPO following information received that he was in possession of a mobile phone that was used to contact a child.

Officers found a mobile phone and found that he had been in contact with a 13-year-old girl from Staffordshire. He had pretended to be a 16-year-old boy called Josh, had sent her gifts through the post and asked her to perform sexual acts.

Denny was charged on March 31 and admitted breaching the SOPO and inciting a child to perform sexual acts.

He appeared at Canterbury Crown Court on May 30 after pleading guilty at a hearing on May 19 and was sentenced to three years imprisonment. He is now on the Sex Offenders’ Register indefinitely and subject to an indefinite SOPO.

Detective Sergeant Mikaela Stevens said: “Denny has shown, not only a complete disregard for his previous orders, but also actively sought out an innocent child to target for his own sexual gratification, concealing his identity from her to do so. This case is a stark reminder to people that not all those using the internet are as they appear.

“The Kent Police Child Exploitation Investigation Team will continue to take all steps possible to ensure that those identified as committing crimes of this nature are held accountable and that children are protected.”

Maximillian Coughlin – Reigate

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June 2014

Skype teenager jailed over indecent images of children

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A teenager from Reigate has been jailed for 18 months for possessing and distributing more than 150 indecent images of children, and inciting a boy aged under 16 to commit a sex act.

Maximillian Coughlin, 19, of Holmesdale Road, was sentenced at Guildford Crown Court on Thursday following an investigation by Surrey Police’s Paedophile Online Investigation Team (POLIT).

He was identified through his account on the online chat program Skype, which he used to communicate and share indecent images with other users.

It was also on Skype that he persuaded the teenage boy to commit a sex act, Surrey Police said.

Officers carried out a search of his home in August last year and seized a laptop which held information about his Skype account, plus files of indecent images ranging from the most indecent (category A) to category C.

Coughlin previously pleaded guilty to 10 counts of distributing indecent images, 10 counts of making 87 images, one of attempting to distribute 18 images and one of inciting a child under 16 to engage in sexual activity.

He was ordered to sign the sex offenders’ register for 10 years and was made the subject of a Sexual Offences Prevention Order, which prevents him using the internet to contact any child under the age of 16 or to be in contact with anyone under that age unless supervised.

Detective Sergeant Chris Greatorex, from POLIT, said: “The victims in these cases suffered untold damage as a result of the redistribution of images around the internet, which Coughlin was guilty of partaking in.

“His actions are a clear reminder that the internet can be a dangerous place and any interaction online with strangers should be treated with extreme caution.

“This investigation and sentence shows our commitment to safeguarding children from serious harm and targeting criminals who use the internet to prey on them.”

Philip Judd – Weston-super-Mare

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June 2014

Former mayor pleads guilty to possession of 151 films and 200 pictures of child abuse 

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A former mayor of Weston-super-Mare and former vice-chair of North Somerset Council has pleaded guilty to 12 child abuse images charges.

Philip Judd admitted offences of making indecent photographs of a child and possessing prohibited images when he appeared at Bristol Crown Court.

The court was told he possessed 151 films and 200 images of children.

Judd was bailed and will be sentenced next month when his name will be added to the sexual offenders register.

The 59-year-old, from Weston-super-Mare, served as the town’s mayor between 2010 and 2011.

He was elected as North Somerset Council vice-chairman in May 2013 but resigned just a month later.

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