October 2014

Leeds pervert exposed when partner saw images on tablet

A MAN who downloaded more than 1,000 indecent images of children was exposed after his partner looked at his tablet computer by chance.

Leeds Crown Court heard Alistair Armitage’s partner Juliette Richardson contacted police after looking at the tablet at their home in Garforth.

Police searched the house on December 3 last year and found a laptop computer, which also contained indecent images, under a mattress in the attic.

The court heard police also found find a pair of knickers, which Armitage had stolen from a washing basket at a friend’s house.

Prosecutor, Duncan Ritchie said: “He (Armitage) expressed relief to police at being arrested.

“It was discovered he had conducted internet searches for indecent images of children. Some of the images were obtained by using a peer to per sharing website.

“The defendant was interviewed and he admitted he had downloaded or obtained the images. He told officers he did not obtain sexual gratification from the images.”

Armitage, now of Queen Street, Castleford, has no previous convictions.

He admitted making indecent images of children between 2011 and 2013 and theft of the knickers.

Mr Ritchie said the images were of girls who appeared to be under the age of ten.

The majority were still images in the least serious Category ‘C’ and two were videos, including one Category ‘B’ image.

Mitigating, Christopher Moran, said: “The best thing I can say on his behalf is what he said when arrested. He said ‘It’s a relief actually.’”

Judge Neil Clark told Armitage: “It doesn’t take me to tell you that possessing images of this type is truly unpleasant. The children in these images were children who had no choice abut the situations they were placed in.”

Judge Clark sentenced Armitage to a three year community order with supervision and a high level 50 day activity requirement. An indefinite sexual offences prevention order was made, banning Armitage from owning an internet enabled device on which the search history can be deleted.

Armitage’s name will be on the sex offender register for seven years.

October 2014

JAILED: Teenager who raped 12-year-old girl

A TEENAGER is behind bars after admitting raping a 12-year-old girl and possessing indecent images of children.

Mark Cox, aged 19, formerly of Manchester Road, Bury, cried at Bolton Crown Court on Tuesday as he was sentenced to three years in a young offenders institution.

He admitted 15 charges, including 12 counts of possessing explicit photographs of children.

The court heard Cox began messaging the victim, who cannot be named for legal reasons, and pressurised her into sending indecent pictures of her to him.

He then invited the girl — who was only 12 years old — to his home in Manchester Road, where he raped her.

The crime came to light when the child went to a sexual-health clinic with a friend and staff uncovered the crime.

After being arrested by police, Cox was discovered to have indecent images of children on his mobile phone, including one with a girl thought to be as young as 11.

The court heard how Cox had an unhealthy and “immature” interest in young girls.

Cox, now of Pansy Street South, Accrington, was given three years’ custody for raping a child under the age of 13, and 15 months for inciting a girl under the 13 to engage in sexual activity.

He was also given a three-month sentence for 12 charges of possessing indecent images of children.

Cox will service the sentences concurrently.

He was also given a sexual offences prevention order for 10 years.

October 2014

NHS worker caught with vile child abuse images avoids jail

A former NHS worker avoided jail after being caught with nearly 700 child abuse images.

Thomas McLachlan, 32, was arrested after police became aware of a server hosting indecent pictures.

Police went to an address in Ormesher Road, Birkenhead, and seized McLachlan’s computers from which they recovered 685 illegal pictures of children being abused, 126 of which were category A, the most serious, 194 were category B and 365 category C.

McLachlan, who at the time worked in the records department of Arrowe Park Hospital, admitted to police that they were his images and he also admitted to retweeting certain images on Twitter.

McLachlan, now of Singleton Avenue, Birkenhead, pleaded guilty to three counts of making indecent images of children and possessing 685 indecent images.

His counsel told the court that McLachlan, who had previously worked at the Countess of Chester Hospital for seven years, had lost his job after the allegations came to light and his access to his children, aged nine and one, now had to be supervised.

He said the public interest would be served by rehabilitation rather than prison.

Judge Robert Warnock, said: “The simple fact is that you probably did not appreciate the full extent of the plight of the children depicted in these photographs. They are the victims.

“You are not a stupid man. You have passed A-levels and had a decent career in theNHS. That has gone.

“The relationship with the mother of your children has gone. These are the proper consequences of these sorts of offences.”

He made him the subject of a three year community order and told him to attend a sex offenders’ program which he would find “challenging and difficult”.

October 2014

St Leonards man convicted of performing sex in front of young girls

A man who performed a sex act in his garden while he knew two girls could see him from the upstairs window of a nearby house.

David Gazzard, 55, of Whatlington Way, St Leonards, appeared at Lewes Crown Court on Monday 6 October, having pleaded guilty at an earlier hearing, and was sentenced to 12 months imprisonment, suspended for two years, for sexual activity in the presence of both children.
 
He was also required to register as a sex offender for 10 years.
 
He had been seen performing a sex act in his back garden on the evening of 20 July this year, whilst clearly aware that two small girls were at the upstairs window of a nearby house.
 
The two girls were very upset and told their mother. She immediately contacted police who arrested Gazzard later that night.
 
Detective Constable Barry Chandler said; “This was a very deliberate and blatant offence by Gazzard and the two youngsters were most distressed.

“However he has now been brought to justice, and the sentence sends a clear message to him and the wider community that such behaviour will not be tolerated.”

October 2014

Five years for pervert with Parkinson’s Disease who sexually abused schoolgirl

A 63-year-old man who suffers from Parkinson’s Disease has been jailed for five years for grooming a schoolgirl and sexually abusing her.

Former Brighouse man John Franklin, who now lives in Pendle View, Nelson, pleaded guilty to a series of charges relating to his sexual abuse of the youngster, who cannot be identified for legal reasons.

Franklin, who had previous convictions in relation to offences of indecent exposure, was said to have given the girl money as part of the grooming process and allegedly offered her cash for sex which she refused.

Franklin, whose right hand shakes uncontrollably as a result of his Parkinson’s, publicly apologised through his barrister for his “despicable crimes”.

His barrister Adam Birkby conceded that such an apology may seem trite given the circumstances, but he said Franklin was very sorry for what he had done.

Mr Birkby said his client was now a man in utter disgrace who was deeply ashamed of himself.

Franklin pleaded guilty to a series of offences of causing a child to engage in sexual activity and sexual activity with a child.

Judge Jonathan Durhan Hall QC said his guilty pleas had at least saved the complainant from the ordeal of being questioned in court.

The judge said his starting point for sentence had been seven-and-a-half years in jail, but Franklin was entitled to maximum credit for his early guilty pleas so his prison term could be reduced to five years.

Franklin will have to register as a sex offender with the police following his release and he will also be subject to a sexual offences prevention order for the rest of his life.

October 2014

Smallthorne pervert spared jail over child sex abuse images

PERVERT Carl Wood downloaded images of children for his own ‘sexual gratification’.

The 24-year-old loner was arrested after police searched where he was living and seized his computer.

He co-operated with officers and admitted there were some images on his laptop and memory stick.

The material was examined and, in total, there were 24 still images and 145 moving images at category A – the most serious.

There were 16 still and 81 movies at category B and 83 still and 13 movies at category C.

Wood, of no fixed address but formerly of Smallthorne, pleaded guilty to 10 charges of possessing indecent images of children. He was yesterday spared a jail sentence at Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court.

Robert Holt, mitigating, conceded Wood, who has no previous convictions, was lucky to be arrested when he was.

He said: “He was going down a very dark path. Had the police not stopped him when they did he would perhaps be looking at more serious charges. He accepts that.”

Mr Holt said Wood was genuinely remorseful and had taken steps to address his offending.

Mr Holt added: “He is something of a loner. He has some issues in respect of social interaction. There is work that can be done to address that.”

Judge Paul Glenn said if he sent Wood to prison it would be for a short period.

Instead, he sentenced him to a three-year community order with a requirement to complete the community sex offender programme, supervision and 140 hours of unpaid work.

Wood was also placed on the sex offenders’ register for five years and barred from a range of activities involving children and vulnerable adults. He was also ordered to pay £700 costs.

Judge Glenn said: “A number of images, still and moving, were found on your laptop, and others were found on a memory stick.

“You were immediately frank when they arrested you.

“You accept you had searched for and downloaded images for sexual gratification.

“Some of the images were of very young and vulnerable children, boys and girls. But your preference was for boys. They depicted sexual activity. These were real children being abused.

“The acts of people like you encourage the perpetrators of that abuse.”

The judge warned Wood he can expect to go to prison if he breaches the order

October 2014

Web child sex pest caught performing sex act on video-cam by undercover officer

A man who performed an explicit act on a video-cam call to a 14-year-old girl who turned out to be an undercover policewoman has been ordered to complete community service.

The officer joined an internet chatroom called Imesh under the nickname ‘SarahLou’ where she was contacted by 50 year old Thomas Neale.

Stafford Crown Court was told that the defendant asked her for pictures of herself and the officer told him several times she was only 14, but Neale said he didn’t mind.

He than invited her to a videocam call and when it appeared on her screen, he was committing an explicit act.

Miss Fiona Cortese, prosecuting, told the court that Neale made two further video requests to ‘SarahLou’ the same day in November 2011.

Neale, aged 50, of Calf Heath Marina, Calf Heath, who admitted attempting to incite a child to watch indecent images, was given a three year community order with 100 hours of unpaid community work. He was also ordered to register as a sex offender for the next five years.

Miss Cortese said police did not seize Neale’s computer equipment from his home until March last year. He was never arrested and went voluntarily for a police interview last November, when he admitted he was the man on the videocam stream and expressed remorse for doing it.

Mr Steve Hennessey, defending, said the incident was out of character for him.

He sadded: “He didn’t deny any of the conduct, he expressed remorse then. When his computer was analysed, nothing incriminating was found. There is no suggestion of a background of an interest in young people. This does seem to be something of an isolated incident and out of character. He has been honest and open about this with his family.”

Recorder Mr Martin Hurst told him: “[The officer] made it plain to you she was ‘only 14’. Anyone who seeks to indulge in sexual behaviour in the presence of a 14 year old child commits a grave offence.

I am persuaded this was wholly out of character for you. I am able to take that view because it occurred in November 2011. Nothing has happened in the meantime and all of your electronic equipment has been examined and nothing incriminating found. I am very concerned about the delay in this case; it seems woefully unjust you are being sentenced now.”

October 2014

Child abuse images shame of football agent

A SCOTS football agent who claims to have contacts at Britain’s biggest clubs was jailed for six months for downloading child abuse images, the Record can reveal.

Shameless Jonathan Hope, 35, from Ayrshire, tried to stop us revealing his child porn conviction and jail term.

He engaged lawyers to fight the Daily Record in the Court of Session.

But his gagging bid collapsed yesterday when his lawyers pulled out of representing him – 15 minutes before the case was to be heard.

We can now reveal that the agent’s true identity is not Jonathan Hope but Steven Hope – the name under which he was jailed in 2003.

We can also reveal how Hope enraged parents at a youth football team by sponsoring the club’s shirts – meaning his name was emblazoned on the back of an under-nine team’s jerseys.

A disgusted parent who found out about his child porn conviction contacted us to blow the whistle on him – prompting his now failed bid to stop us reporting it.

Married father-of-one Hope is a former RAF police officer who now claims he is a leading football agent and a “celebrity” in the world of sport.

But authorised soccer agents need to be licensed by a football governing body and Hope is not licensed as an agent by either the English FA or the SFA. Nor does he appear on the FIFA list of licensed agents.

And at least two of the clubs he claims to have had dealings with say they’ve done no business with him.

He was jailed at Bedford Crown Court under his real first name, Steven.

That means his past is not revealed when people do internet searches on him using his assumed name, Jonathan.

The football team were not aware of his conviction until we alerted them

The angry parent who contacted us said: “A man convicted of child porn setting it up so his name is on the back of children’s football strips is quite troubling, to say the least.”

Body-builder Hope – who regularly posts pictures of his muscle-bound body on the internet – also has convictions under his current name for an unprovoked assault on a pub landlord and for drink driving.

Despite his child abuse images conviction, Hope visited an orphanage in the poverty-stricken Democratic Republic of Congo in 2012.

He posted pictures and a video of a visit there to donate football boots. But the orphanage struggled to get in touch with him after his visit.

Hope claimed in court papers submitted by his lawyers that he had no idea his name would appear on the shirts of the youth football team, who we are not naming.

The documents also claimed he is a “celebrity” whose business would be damaged by publication of the child porn conviction.

Hope maintained he hadn’t known his name would feature on the youth team’s shirts – despite having put a message on Twitter on September 22 saying he was “hopefully going to design a new kit” for the players.

Asked about his jail term, Hope said: “My conviction was years ago and there’s no story here.”

He claims he brokers transfer deals for big-name footballers, including Arsenal star Danny Welbeck.

But both Welbeck and Arsenal insisted Hope was not known to them and had no part in negotiations during Welbeck’s £16million move from Manchester United.

An Arsenal spokeswoman said: “We can confirm that Jonathan Hope has no connection to either Arsenal or Danny Welbeck and was not involved with the negotiations to bring Danny to the club.”

When the Daily Record visited his £150,000 rented home in Ayrshire, Hope showed our reporter messages claiming to be from Tottenham Hotspur owner Daniel Levy and a senior finance boss at Manchester United.

But a Manchester United spokesman said: “This man has had no dealings with Manchester United.

“He is not and has not been involved in the club or with any deals involving players including Danny Welbeck.”

A spokesman for Tottenham added: “We have had contact from Mr Hope in the past in his guise as an agent, but have had no dealings or meetings with him whatsoever.”

Hope was on radio stations including talkSPORT and BBC Radio 5 Live on transfer deadline day last month, talking about his supposed role in deals including Welbeck’s move.

Speaking to talkSPORT on August 31, he said: “Danny doesn’t want to go on loan. He wants a straight transfer and he has every right to say that.

“In the last half an hour I have received some interest in a straight transfer which I’m going to speak to Manchester United about.”

Both stations say they will not offer Hope airtime in future after our revelations.

Hope was convicted in 2003 on three counts of downloading depraved images – including a seven-minute video showing a girl of about eight engaging in sex acts with a man.

He was thrown out of the RAF after the case.

The Record previously exposed Hope in 2006 when, under his real name, he was putting together a fundraiser for Ayrshire Hospice involving former terror chief Johnny “Mad Dog” Adair.

The Daily Record has now begun proceedings to recover our legal costs from Hope. He also faces a substantial bill from the solicitors he instructed to pursue us.

October 2014

Norwich man given custody for sex assault on 14 year-old girl

A man has been given three and half years custody for taking advantage of a 14 year-old girl by having sex with her, after she had passed out from drinking alcohol.

Jordan Lee, 20, knew the girl was only 14, but allowed her to join in drinking alcohol at his flat, Norwich Crown Court heard.

Lori Tucker, prosecuting, said the girl was described as being “smashed” and had passed out, but woke up to find Lee having sex with her.

She later told her family what happened and police were contacted and Lee was arrested.

Lee of Barnards Yard, Norwich, admitted sexual activity with a girl under 16, and was given three and half years custody in a young offender’s institution and also placed on the sex offender’s register.

Sentencing Lee, Recorder Guy Ayers told him that he had known the victim’s age and knew she had been helping herself to alcohol and was becoming intoxicated.

Recorder Ayers said she woke up to find Lee sexually abusing her: “You showed no regard to her whatsoever. There can be no doubt alcohol played a significant part in facilitating this offence. It was alcohol you made available to the victim.”

However he accepted Lee had not plied her with drinks, but she had helped herself.

He also gave Lee credit for his guilty plea,

Michael Clare, for Lee, conceded he had taken advantage of the girl, but stressed that had not given her any drink as she had helped herself to alcohol.

He said Lee himself was only young, and was 19 at the time of the offence and deserved credit for his plea.

“The girl did not have to come to court to give evidence.”

October 2014

Northamptonshire pervert avoids jail by ‘hairs breadth’ after downloading 3,000 indecent images of children

A computer science graduate from Northamptonshire was spared jail and told to attend a sex offenders rehabilitation course after police found more than 3,000 indecent images of children on his laptops.

Robert Fairney, 28, of Chatsworth Drive, Wellingborough, was told by a judge that he came within a ‘hair’s breadth’ of being sent to prison immediately, when he was sentenced for charges of possessing, making and distributing pornographic images of children at Northampton Crown Court on Thursday.

Instead he was handed a three year community order, which will require him to attend regular appointments on a sex offenders’ treatment program during that time.

Judge Michael Fowler told him: “You have at least recognised the problems that you have and have made attempts to address them.

“And address them now you must, because if you find yourself in front of these courts again you will go to jail.”

Police raided Fairney’s address and arrested him on February 2, 2013, following information that he has been using a file sharing program known to be used for circulating such indecent images.

Prosecuting Gregor Purcell said that Fairney told police at the time of his arrest “I’ve been on websites that are questionable, but not recently.”

However investigation of two of Fairney’s laptops revealed he had downloaded 3,108 indecent images and videos of children, some of which showed them performing sex acts.

Out of those a total of 32 videos and 170 still images were classed by police as being in the highest category of seriousness, and at least one related to a ‘male baby’, the court heard.

Mr Purcell continued: “The investigations showed he had made around 18,000 Google searches, at least 2,000 of which revealed search terms which were clearly intended to reveal indecent images of children.”

Fairney was also found to have used a ‘peer-to-peer’ file sharing software, which allowed images he had downloaded to be viewed by other users.

Other images of ‘extreme pornography’ involving adults were also discovered on one of the laptops.

Fairney had initially denied downloading the images, claiming that they had come to be on his laptop hard drives as the result of a ‘trojan’ virus.

He eventually admitted the crimes at a case management hearing in September, weeks before the matter was due for trial.

In a short mitigation statement, Richard Storey, defending for Fairney, said his client had been taking steps to address his issues and, although Fairney was arrested in early 2013, he had only first appeared at crown court in July of this year, so had limited chances to change his plea to guilty.

Fairney will also be required to sign the Sex Offenders Register for five years.

December 2013

Sittingbourne guitar teacher Luke Steele Davis facing jail after admitting molesting girl of 14

A Sittingbourne guitar teacher has admitted molesting a teenage girl and downloading child sex abuse images.

Sentence was adjourned on 35-year-old Luke Steele Davis for reports, but a judge warned he could be facing prison.

The musician, of Canterbury Road, pleaded guilty to four offences of sexual activity with a child and five of making indecent photographs of a child.

He denied causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity and a not guilty verdict was entered.

Maidstone Crown Court heard Davis groped the 14-year-old girl’s breasts and bottom while she was at his house for lessons.

Police found 37 child sex abuse images on his computer – one at the highest level of five, one at level four, 18 at level three and 17 at level one.

Davis also had 65,000 pornographic images on the computer that were not illegal.

Louise Oakley, defending, said Davis had believed the victim to be aged 15 at the time, but made it clear he knew she was still a child in law.

“This is a case where a pre-sentence report is absolutely essential,” said Miss Oakley.

“He is of good previous character. There is a breach of trust in the sense he was her guitar teacher.”

Miss Oakley said Davis was still teaching guitar, but lessons were recorded and his father was present.

Adjourning sentence for four weeks, Judge Martin Joy said there should be no unsupervised contact with children.

“You have pleaded guilty to serious sexual offences,” he told Davis. “You must understand by adjourning for a pre-sentence report it is not an indication of the nature of the sentence.”

October 2014

Knebworth pervert admits possessing thousands of child abuse images

A man has pleaded guilty to possessing thousands of child abuse images.

Richard Brandsen, 47, a serving prisoner, faces four charges dating to on or before May 14 in Knebworth.

He admitted three charges of making category A, B and C movies and one count of possessing 1,333 photos at Stevenage Magistrates’ Court on Monday September 29.

He will be sentenced at St Albans Crown Court on Friday October 24.

October 2014

Man has been jailed for nine years for killing his partner’s two-year-old daughter

A violent killer who shook his girlfriend’s two-year-old daughter with such ferocity that her fatal injuries resembled those of a car crash victim has been jailed for nine years.

Connor Gibson, 23, was said to have had a violent ‘flare up’ during which he grabbed and battered Kacey Hambleton in an assault which left her crying in pain.

Kacey, who was described as a ‘happy, jolly child’ was later found unresponsive when police were called to her family home in Blackpool at around 10am on 10 April this year. 

When paramedics arrived, Gibson said that the little girl had slipped in the shower. His lies led to Kacey’s mother Louise Hambleton, 23, being wrongly arrested as she waited at her daughter’s hospital bedside. 

Miss Hambleton, who was at work when the incident took place, was detained in custody and only released on bail to see her daughter die in her arms, two days after the assault took place.  

Gibson, who has no history of violence towards children, later confessed to carrying out the killing during an ‘outburst of anger’ but has failed to say why.

A post-mortem examination found Kacey had suffered severe head injuries, a lacerated liver, bruising to the lining of her stomach and bruising to other parts of her body.

Miss Hambleton, from Blackpool, wept as a statement from her was read out condemning Gibson for his betrayal. He admitted manslaughter at Preston Crown Court  earlier this week after his not guilty plea to murder was accepted.

The statement read: ‘I left my daughter with someone I could trust not knowing it would be the last time I would see her alive.

‘In hospital I saw bruises to Kacey’s legs and couldn’t understand what was going on and couldn’t get anything out of Connor. I just wanted to know what happened.’

She told how she was subsequently arrested and said: ‘I remember thinking hurry up and ask me questions let me go. I knew I had not done anything wrong – I was being kept away from Kacey. 

‘Why did Connor not tell the truth.. When will I be released from this? I never will.’

Miss Hambleton said that she had wrongly been branded a murderer on social networking sites and asked why Gibson had still not explained why he had done it. 

Kasey’s father Russell Hambleton, 27, said: ‘The whole family has been left absolutely devastated and heartbroken by Kacey’s death. 

‘My little princess is gone and I feel like my heart has been ripped out. Kacey was a beautiful little girl with so much to live for; she has been taken from us far too soon.’

At around 9am on the morning of the attack, Gibson, who had been put in charge of Kacey, text Miss Hambleton to tell her that her daughter was still in bed. 

Less than an hour later, Gibson called the emergency services and said that the two-year-old had ‘slipped’ after he put her in the shower. 

According to prosecutor Francis McEntee, Gibson told the operator: ‘She’s breathing, she’s just not responding. I heard a bang, ran in and she was on the floor. She has got like red marks on her near her private parts and stomach. So that might be it.’

Paramedics arrived at 9.57am and there was a 20 second delay before he answered the door with Kacey in his arms. The medics noted that she did not feel wet as if she had been in a shower cubicle.

She described by paramedics as ‘critically ill’ with pale skin, a low level of consciousness and dilated pupils and it was noted she did not feel wet as if she had been in a shower cubicle, the court heard. 

Gibson continued to claim that he had heard a ‘thump’ after leaving her in the shower and returned to find her unresponsive.

After being taken to the Royal Victoria Hospital in Blackpool, Kacey was taken by air ambulance to the Alder Hey Children’s Hospital with significant bruising to her back, buttocks legs and pelvic area as well as bruising to her face, temple and eye. 

A CT scan showed bleeding to the surface of the brain and lacerations to the liver. 

Mr McEntee said: ‘For some unknown reason the defendant flew into a rage and carried out the fatal attack. He must have spent some minutes inventing a plausible explanation.

He added: ‘This was an assault committed on a child by a man over 6ft and particularly heavy built. 

‘He was capable of causing significant damage when striking out in anger. The pain and distress would have been immediate and painful.

‘It is impossible to conceive that a two-year-old could have caused such a reaction. His intent was an intent just short of that necessary for murder. In striking Kacey he would have instinctively known he would have caused her pain and harm. 

‘The injuries would normally be consisting with punching kicking and stamping, throwing against a hard surface. The brain injuries were as a result of a violent shake.’

In mitigation David Fish QC said: ‘There must have been a build up of tension and pressure at some stage lost control and assaulted Kacey. The defendant is unclear as to how or why these events unfolded.’

Sentencing, Justice Susan Carr told Gibson: ‘You subjected Kacey to very severe abuse and it implicated her mother who has suffered significantly as a result. 

‘She was detained in custody as her daughter was dying and she feels judged every time she goes out. The court takes this opportunity to record her dignity – neither she nor anyone else is in anyway to blame.

‘This was an extreme abuse of trust. You were in sole trust of Kacey and this was a violent assault probably in anger during which you must of caused such terrible pain and such terrible fear. 

‘No sentence can be long enough. I think the fact you lost your temper looking after a child it’s unforgivable.’ 

October 2014

Convicted paedophile flouted ban designed to keep him away from children by working at racecourse on family days

Simon Matthew Clancy got a job at Warwick Racecourse and worked as a steward at two bank holiday events aimed at families with children.

That was despite knowing a court order prohibited him from taking part in any activity where youngsters were present.

In 2010, Clancy was jailed for defying a court order six times by infiltrating a church group, two schools and a kick-boxing club to gain access to children.

London’s Criminal Appeal Court heard the events were advertised as being aimed at children and the entertainment included clowns, balloon-makers and magicians.

The 39-year-old, who has previous convictions for indecent assault and for breaching the court order on another occasion, denied any wrong-doing.

But he was found guilty of breaching the order and was jailed for two-and-a-half years at Hereford Crown Court in March. Clancy, of Worcester, challenged his sentence at the Appeal Court, with his lawyers arguing it was ‘too long’.

The court heard Clancy was convicted of indecent assault on a 14-year-old boy in 1983, and of indecently assaulting two schoolgirls in 1995.

In 2005, after he was caught associating with a known paedophile and a teenage boy, he was handed a Sexual Offences Prevention Order.

A condition of the order was that he was not to take part in any activity which would bring him into contact with children.

Despite this, after meeting a member of staff from the Jockey Club at Cheltenham races, he contacted her and asked if he could be considered for casual work at Warwick Racecourse.

Clancy, who specialised in hospitality events, worked there on Easter Monday and on the May 6 Bank Holiday last year, when family events were being held.

The court heard that, during the course of those two days, he would have seen hundreds of children who attended the events. He was previously sent to prison for two years for six breaches of the order, in 2010. On those occasions he had also got work at events which brought him into contact with children.

Sentencing him, the judge noted no complaints had been made about Clancy, but said he was satisfied he had targeted these events which he knew were aimed at children.

Dismissing his appeal, Sir Roderick Evans said the sentence was ‘not manifestly excessive’.

March 2010

Pervert is jailed after breaching court order

A sex offender defied a court order six times by infiltrating a church group, two schools and a kick-boxing club to gain access to children.

Simon Clancy acted as a doorman for an international dance event at Hallow CE Primary School, Hallow, near Worcester, and took photographs of pupils.

He also provided door staff for a prom at St Mary’s Convent School in Worcester. He contacted a boy he met at a church pilgrimage by phone and text and “took a shine” to two boys at the Pershore Club,Worcester Crown Court was told. Police found the boys’ pictures in his possession.

His behaviour breached a sexual offences prevention order (SOPO) – made by south Worcestershire magistrates in 2005 – banning him from contact with children under 16.

Jailing 34-year-old Clancy, of Humber Road, Ronks-wood, Worcester, for two years, Judge Toby Hooper QC said he had “infiltrated the social, recreational and spiritual lives of others” with the intention of grooming youngsters.

He said a pre-sentence report assessed him as posing a high risk in the future and he needed to protect children.

Clancy, who works in the drinks industry, admitted six offences of breaching a SOPO, handed out after three convictions for indecent assault.

One conviction was in May 1993 for an attack on a boy under 14, the others in February 1995 for assaults on a girl under 16, said Paul Mytton, prosecuting.

Clancy went to the school in Hallow in February 2008 after becoming friendly with a parent.

He took pictures of the boy he met at the church pilgrimage when he was 11 and 14 and gave him golf balls and pens as presents.

The manager of the kickboxing club had concerns about Clancy’s motive for joining, said Mr Mytton.

The two boys from the club told police the defendant became really friendly with them.

Clancy never told the head of the Worcester school that he had a criminal record or was under a court order, but attended three prom events.

He admitted to police he had been foolish but insisted taking photographs of children was an innocent action.

Nick Roberts, defending, said although they were persistent breaches, minimal contact with children had led to no physical or psychological harm.

He said Clancy, a licensed doorman before his convictions, had acted in the open and had not gone underground.

June 2011

Former Whitehaven man who targeted girls in school uniform hoping to have sex with them has been jailed for four years

Liam Hargreaves, 21, was also put on the sex offenders’ register, disqualified from working with children and banned indefinitely from having unsupervised contact – either in person, or through the internet, Facebook or text messages – with anyone under 16.

At Carlisle Crown Court yesterday Hargreaves, originally from Whitehaven but has recently been living in Colmore Street in Denton Holme, Carlisle, pleaded guilty to two charges of sexual activity with children.

The court heard how he met his first victim in June last year as she and her friends walked home, still in their school uniform.

He arranged to meet her later that evening, and when he did so he plied her with alcohol in an alleyway before pulling her around a corner and groping her.

Then in October while still on bail after being arrested for that first offence, he befriended another girl on Facebook and sent her a series of sexually explicit text messages.

When he met her he took her into a wood and – even though she had only just turned 13 – had sex with her.

Defence barrister Greg Hoare said both Hargreaves and his girlfriend, with whom he has a 15-month-old son, had “an attitude which is less than mature”.

He told the court: “Over the past few years he has ignored the usual parameters of life and continued to behave as if he were still 15 years old.”

Judge Paul Batty QC told Hargreaves: “It is perfectly plain that you were targeting children in school uniform and plying them with alcohol.

“At a time when you had had a fall-out with your partner, and in order to get back at her, you set out to have sex with children.

“It is difficult to imagine a more irresponsible thing to do.”

March 2010

DJ’s sex attack on girl, 3

A DJ sexually assaulted a three-year-old girl as she slept on a sofa at her mother’s home

Andrew Bull, 25, of Bowland Road, Heysham, met the girl’s mother at a wedding.

They exchanged mobile phone numbers and in July last year Bull went to the house for drinks with the woman and her friend.

Preston Crown Court heard they were drinking cider as the toddler slept on the sofa.

The woman and her friend went to the kitchen and returned to find Bull touching her thigh.

They threw him out of the house and called police, but Bull said the women were drunk and were lying.

He later admitted sexually assaulting the girl.

Mr David Macro, defending, said Bull was a “very limited man” who experienced an unfortunate upbringing.

Recorder of Preston Judge Anthony Russell QC handed Bull a 36-week prison sentence suspended for two years, and put him under two years’ supervision.

Bull was also banned from having unsupervised contact with children for five years and put on the sex offenders’ register for 10 years.

Afterwards, Det Cons Ciara Campbell praised the bravery of the young girl in helping to secure the conviction.

July 2005

Sex offender jailed for 6 years

A MAN who had sex with a 12-year-old girl, leaving her pregnant, was jailed for six years yesterday at the High Court in Glasgow.

Craig Barry, 27, of Airdrie, took advantage of the girl while her mother was playing bingo.

October 2014

Man who collected indecent child images admitted “worrying obsessions”

A MAN who collected indecent images of children from the internet was “candid” about his predilections when questioned by the Probation Service.

Kenneth Sharpe conceded his “problems” needed addressing in the aftermath of police uncovering the offending still and moving pictures.

It followed the seizure of 13 items of computer hardware from his bedroom at his home in Lime Avenue, Blackhall, County Durham, on May 8.

Durham Crown Court heard that police carried out the search in response to “intelligence packages” received in April suggesting Sharpe sought material of a paedophilic nature.

Stuart Graham said 69 offending images were uncovered, 56 stills and 13 moving, in all three ranges of severity.

The offending images were collated over a period between June 2012 and October last year.

Mr Graham said all were saved on a file titled “Kenneth Sharpe”.

Thirty-one-year-old Sharpe admitted 16 counts of making an indecent image of a child and one roll up charge covering possession of 53 further images.

Mr Graham told the court that other images recovered, some featuring himself and others concentrating on children’s feet, were not the subject of any of the charges

But he said there was no evidence that Sharpe had been involved in the distribution of any material.

Mr Graham added that when initially questioned, Sharpe gave no reply, and later could not account for his behaviour.

But the court was told that he gave immediate indications that he would plead guilty as soon as court proceedings began in the case.

Stephen Constantine, mitigating, told the court: “It’s clear from his pre-sentence probation report that he has an appreciation of his offending.

“Perhaps the contents of that report are his best mitigation.

“He has expressed his problems with candour, and there appears to be a clear understanding of them and a willingness to address them.”

Judge Robert Adams told Sharpe: “I’ve read that report where you have openly admitted an extreme attraction to children, and you admit you had those images for your own sexual gratification.

“You’ve admitted very worrying obsessions, including photographing yourself in public, but you’ve been frank recognising you need assistance to overcome them.”

He imposed a three-year community order to include supervision and attendance at sex offender treatment programme sessions.

Sharpe was also made subject of registration as a sex offender for five years and a sexual offences prevention order was imposed, “until further notice”.

October 2014

Lifeguard who encouraged children to perform sex acts on themselves over Skype has been jailed

A lifeguard who encouraged children to perform sex acts on themselves over Skype has been jailed for two-and-a-half years.

Adam Tanner, now 20 but aged 18 at the time of the offences, groomed and abused three boys under the age of 13.

Tanner recorded videos of their on-line exchanges and also showing them footage of him performing a sex act on himself.

Bournemouth Crown Court heard Tanner offered to reward the boys for their actions with ‘coupons’ which could be used on-line to buy video games.

“This case is far, far too serious for anything other than a prison sentence to be passed,” said Recorder Robert Linford at the hearing.

“By Skype it may have been, but it was still child abuse, persuading boys of that age to do what they did for reward for your own gratification.”

Tanner, of Dale Valley Road in Poole, had pleaded guilty to: two counts of causing a child to engage in sexual activity – two of causing a child to watch sexual activity – seven of possessing indecent images of the children involved – the nine Skype videos and a still image.

He received concurrent two-and-a-half year jail terms for the first two offences, and concurrent four month terms for the other offences.

Prosecutor Anita Gibson-Lee said there was no suggestion Tanner, who worked as a leisure centre lifeguard at the time, had ever arranged to meet the boys in person, but he told police at interview he was attracted to young boys.

In mitigation, Tom Hill said the defendant’s Asperger’s had contributed to his offending, according to a psychiatric report.

“In my submission Asperger’s has been a factor in that grooming behaviour,” he said. “He has very limited social awareness, he struggles with having empathy for others, he simply does not recognise their emotional responses.”

He said Tanner claimed to ‘identify emotionally’ with boys, and that ‘early experiences’ in his life may have contributed to his crimes.

He said Tanner felt remorse now he was aware of the impact on his victims.

Tanner, who has no previous convictions, was ordered to sign the sex offenders register for 10 years and a Sexual Offences Prevention Order was also imposed for 10 years.

October 2014

One of the worlds worst paedophiles gets away, UK court dismisses India’s extradition plea

UK court dismissed India’s plea for extraditing Raymond Andrew Varley who allegedly molested hundreds of orphaned children in 1995 at a shelter home in Goa.