May 2015

Girls filmed with secret camera by military man

A court heard the soldier fitted the covert devices in a property where he had been staying in Devon.

Matthew Walters admitted voyeurism by recording a private act during the course of a month in October 2013.

Exeter magistrates heard that he filmed the girls aged 16 and 12 when they showered and were undressing in the bathroom.

The victims’ mother discovered video recordings on a computer and searched the house and found the hidden camera and digital devices.

She confronted Walters and called in the police.

Prosecutor Lyndsey Baker said ten movies were seized by police and they showed the girls ‘naked and intimate parts of their bodies could be seen’.

Walters, aged 37, of Priestacott Park, Kilkhampton near Bude, Cornwall, fully admitted what he had done to police.

He said he viewed the footage and pleasured himself as he sought sexual gratification from the recordings.

Miss Baker told the court there were various aggravating factors in what Walters had done including the age of the victims and the planning involved to fit the secret devices.

Defence lawyer Stephen Nunn said Walters has an exemplary military record having served in various parts of the world in active service including Iraq, Kosovo and Bosnia.

“He is devastated by his behaviour. He has shown significant remorse. He tried to kill himself and spent a few weeks in hospital.”

He said Walters is being counselled for post traumatic stress disorder and had been under marital and financial difficulties.

The court heard the defendant, who has no previous convictions, was currently suspended from work.

He will be sentenced next month after a probation report is prepared.

June 2015

Bus driver who sexually abused an 11-year-old girl has been jailed

The victim, now a grown woman, told York Crown Court she had had 40 years of nightmares about Michael Anthony Seeds’ crimes against her before she was able to tell police.

She said Seeds had used the trust people had in him to abuse her because he knew no-one would believe her if she spoke out.

“I think he believed he was untouchable,” she said in a victim impact statement read out in court.

“For the last 40 years I felt everyone knew what he had done to me, as if I had a sticker on my head.

For him, what he did was insignificant. I have had to live with it. It affected my life and relationships for 40 years.

He took away part of my childhood, took my innocence, took me to a place no child should visit.”

Although she had tried to lock the memory of his crimes away, they kept recurring and giving her nightmares.

She had to give evidence at two trials because the first jury could not reach a verdict. At each, Seeds claimed he did not know her and denied three charges of indecent assault and indecency.

Today, Seeds, now 70, of Height Lands Lane, Rufforth, is starting an 18-month prison sentence after the second jury convicted him.

He is also subject to a sexual harm prevention order, restricting his contact with children on his release, and on the sex offenders’ register, both for ten years.

The Recorder of York, Judge Stephen Ashurst, told him his crimes were a serious breach of the trust of the close-knit York community he lived in in the 1970s.

Parents had allowed their children to “go in and out” of his home and many had spoken highly of his legal activities with children.

For Seeds, Simon Kealey said prison would be hard with him because of his health problems and age.

The offending had been limited to a single summer and had ended either voluntarily or by the girl moving to a new school, he said.

June 2015

Tunbridge Wells paedophile teacher avoids jail

A paedophile teacher who searched the Internet for tips on getting a pre-teen boyfriend has avoided jail.

Martin Davies, who taught at the Skinners’ School, Tunbridge Wells, for around three decades, admitted being sexually interested in photos of young boys in swimwear and in a naturist setting.

Police raided the 64-year-old’s Langton Green home on April 8 last year after some 188 child abuse images were found on his computer by a computer technician.

Maidstone Crown Court heard today Davies surfed the Internet for images of “pre-teen boys”, “teen boys gay butt pics” and “tips on getting a boyfriend 11-13″.

The images, of which 185 were Category C – the least serious – had been deleted from the computer six months previously and Davies insisted he thought that part of his life was over.

The former English teacher, of Birchetts Avenue, had previously pleaded guilty to six counts of downloading the images.

Sentencing, Judge Philip St John-Stevens said: “it seems a computer technician came to your address and came across these images, which had been deleted.

“When there is a prospect of rehabilitation, I must consider a community order.”

Prosecuting, Craig Evans said: “Police attended the defendant’s home following a call from a computer technician who had been at Mr Davies home to upgrade his computer system. He had noticed pictures of young male children and immediately reported it to police. A number of related search terms were also found on the computer, including ‘pre-teen boys’, ‘teen boys gay butt pics’ and ‘tips on getting a boyfriend 11-13′.

The defendant originally denied the offence to police but later admitted a sexual interest in boys aged 11 to 18.”

Davies was handed a community order with a 36 month supervision requirement and must complete a sex offender treatment programme.

June 2015

Man abused girl at Kenilworth swimming pools

A man who sexually assaulted a teenager at Kenilworth’s swimming pools in the early 1990s has been jailed.

Andrew Settle pleaded guilty to a total of ten offences of indecently assaulting the girl when he appeared at Warwick Crown Court.

Settle, 44 of Featherbed Lane, Bascote Heath near Southam was jailed for three years and ordered to register as a sex offender for life.

He denied another three offences which were allowed to lie on the court file.

The offences took place when Settle was aged around 20 and met the 14-year-old girl and her friend while swimming at the town pools

Prosecutor Simon Phillips said Settle was at first interested in the girl’s friend, but later turned his attention to the victim,

He would touch her, as if accidentally, in the water as they were swimming. He then began offering her lifts home, and further indecent assaults took place, including him kissing her and touching her under her clothes.

Phillips said the girl, who to a degree enjoyed the attention but had not wanted things to go that far, wrote about the abuse in her diary.

She first reported the abuse to police last year after keeping quiet for over two decades.

The court heard that Settle always believed what was taking place was with the girl’s consent.

Jailing Settle, Judge Sylvia de Bertodano told him that he was seven years older than he girl than at the time.

She told him the law had to protect under-age girls from older men, and that there was no alternative to an immediate prison sentence.

June 2015

Devon artist bought DVDs of naked children on the internet

A 73-year-old South Devon artist has been given a suspended prison sentence after ordering DVDs of naked children over the internet.

Arthur Glendinning, 73, of Elmwood Park, Loddiswell, Kingsbridge, bought DVDs online which contained naked images of children aged between 12 and 16.

Magistrates were told the artist bought the DVDs thinking they were legal.

He was given a suspended sentence and told to take part in a sex offenders’ course after admitting four offences of making indecent images and two of possessing indecent photographs.

Prosecutor Deborah Hodges said police were tipped off by Interpol about a purchase of DVDs online.

Enquiries led to Glendinning who had bought six DVDs.

A search of his computer revealed a number of indecent images of children.

They were all images which had been made from screen shots from the DVDs.

Glendinning told police he had bought naturist DVDs online and assumed they were legal due a disclaimer notice shown at the beginning of the films.

He admitted getting sexual gratification from them. The images had not been distributed to anybody else.

Ms Hodges said the DVDs contained erotic posing but no sexual activity.

In total there were 59 indecent Category C images — the lowest level of seriousness.

Nigel Butt, mitigating, said the DVD were bought via a link on the Amazon website.

“He was a bit naive to think they were legal,” he said.

Glendinning has two previous convictions for related offences, dating back 23 and 13 years, the court was told.

“He’s a 73-year-old fairly well known local artist,” said Mr Butt.

“He has been self-employed all his life doing his work, creating images himself for greetings cards and advertising. He is quite a successful artist.”

He was jailed for 16 weeks, suspended for two years.

Glendinning was told to sign the Sex Offenders Register, given supervision, and told to participate in the Thames Valley Sex Offenders Programme.

June 2015

JAILED: Man, 53, groomed schoolgirl for sex

A man who groomed a schoolgirl by buying her gifts and taking her to the seaside has been jailed for four and a half years.

Nigel Blackshaw, from Brownhills, ‘took advantage’ of the 14-year-old to have sex with her dozens of times, Stafford Crown Court heard.

The grooming was uncovered only when a neighbour of the girl’s parents became suspicious of a car pulling up numerous times, with the girl getting out of it.

Blackshaw, aged 53, formerly of Howdles Lane, admitted five charges of sexual activity with a child.

Judge Mark Eades told him: “Sex with a 14-year-old breaches one of the taboos in society.

“You used her as your bedfellow to relieve your sexual desires.

“You were aware this girl was attracted to you.

“Your duty was to make it plain to her you had no sexual interest in her.”

He added: “Your life is now ruined and you have expressed significant remorse.”

Along with the jail sentence, Blackshaw was also ordered to register as a sex offender for life and was banned from working with children.

Mr Neil Ahuja, prosecuting, said the neighbour spoke to the girl’s parents about their concerns and the girl’s phone was taken from her.

On the phone were a number of text messages and photos sent between the defendant and the girl.

Their relationship had started with a kiss, the court heard.

Sometimes Blackshaw would pick her up from school and on one occasion he took her to the seaside.

He told her she must not tell anyone because he would get in to trouble.

Mr Ahuja said there had been a degree of planning and grooming of the girl, items being bought for her and money spent on her.

Mr Anthony Bell, defending, said: “The girl in question was very much a willing participant and to some extent the driving force.”

However, Judge Eades replied: “When you have a 14-year-old and someone in their 50s, that’s an extremely difficult submission to make.”

Mr Bell said Blackshaw had worked hard all his life to provide for his family.

He said: “There is no risk of him behaving like this in the future.”

July 2008

Jail for sex beast who raped 14-year-old girl

A MAN who raped a 14-year-old girl was yesterday jailed for 52 months.

Graham Young, 25, attacked the youngster after she agreed to go with him to his parents house in Alva, Clackmannanshie, in September 2006.

Jock Thomson, defending, told the High Court in Glasgow: “He has expressed considerable remorse that he had sex with a 14 year-old girl.”

Judge Lord Hodge told Young: “It must have been a frightening and degrading experience.”

Young was convicted after trial.

October 2008

Irvine pervert had child abuse images on computer

A PERVERT caught with sickening child abuse images on his computer has avoided jail.

Michael Lawless, 24, ‘claimed’ to have downloaded the images by accident while surfing the net for adult porn.

But Stuart McMillan, prosecuting, said: “The browser history indicated searches had been carried out using the words pre-teen sex, pedo, kids, kiddie and child prostitution.”

Officers armed with a search warrant raided Lawless’s home in Girdle Toll, Irvine, while he was out and took away a computer.

They discovered 33 indecent images of children along with 17 paedophile movie files – 16 of which were of the second most serious category involving child rape.

The phrase “pre-teen hardcore” had also been typed into the browser, Kilmarnock Sheriff Court heard.

Lawless, a call centre worker and father, admitted possessing indecent photographs between September 2006 and May 2007, when he was arrested.

He was given 150 hours’ community service, three years’ probation and put on the Sex Offenders’ Register for the same period.

June 2015

Sheffield man found guilty of sex offences against six-year-old child

A 51-year-old Sheffield man has been found guilty of sexual offences against a child committed 24 years ago.

Neil Beeken of Busk Meadows, Shirecliffe, was found guilty of four counts of inciting a child to commit gross indecency, after the court heard that he had inappropriate contact with a 6-year-old girl in 1991.

Beeken was originally arrested in 1991 but he was released without charge after consultation with the Crown Prosecution Service.

In November 2013, South Yorkshire Police was contacted by the victim in the case who wanted to make a formal complaint and reopen the investigation.

Following further advice from the Crown Prosecution Service, Beeken was reported on summons for four counts of inciting a child to commit gross indecency.

Following a short trial, he was found guilty of all charges on Friday 5 June.

He is due to be sentenced on July 21

June 2015: Currently in Hull prison

December 2007

Sex attack by homeless man

A PSYCHIATRIST’S report will be carried out on a homeless Bridlington man who sexually attacked a 12-year-old boy.

Oliver Anglesmith will spend Christmas behind bars and has been told that he can expect a prison term when he is sentenced at Hull Crown Court in around three weeks time.

A report by his victim was read out in court last Friday by crown barrister Rachael Harrison. It said: “I have nightmares at least once a week. Nightmares of him outside my window and him coming to me.

“I get very frightened when I sleep. I always seem to be crying when I think of Oliver Anglesmith. I never want to see him again.”

Anglesmith appeared at Hull Crown Court last Friday and was told by Judge Roger Thorn, QC: “A custodial sentence is going to be inevitable, so don’t raise your hopes too high. There are a number of matters that need to be assessed.”

The court heard Anglesmith pestered the boy, urging him to cycle to a tent where the defendant was living.

Once there he persuaded the boy to drop his cycle, unzipped the tent and lured him to sit on a sleeping bag.

Anglesmith initially denied all involvement, saying he had taken the lad to a go-kart track and not gone near the tent, but he was caught using DNA evidence.

The 20-year-old, of no fixed address, had pleaded guilty to a charge of having sexual activity with the boy in November and appeared at court for sentence.

The court heard he had convictions for criminal damage, threatening behaviour, breach of an Anti Social Behaviour Order and had once been sent to a Young Offenders’ Institute for eight months.

Defence barrister Anil Murray said Anglesmith was prepared to co-operate with a forensic psychologist’s report on his background before sentence.

He was remanded in custody until sentencing in the New Year.

June 2015

Teacher admits string of child sex offences

A paedophile New Cross teacher caught on camera trying to befriend a youngster by offering sweets has admitted a string of child sex offences.

Perverted Emmanuel Oke, 51, of Camplin Street, has been jailed for 22 months after admitting four counts of sexual activity with a child and one count of arranging or facilitating commission of a child sex offence.

Woolwich Crown Court heard on June 4 how Oke was reported to police in Southwark when eight “inappropriate videos” were found on his computer.

In some of the videos, the teacher was seen trying to befriend a child, offering sweets in exchange of hugs.

He was eventually arrested and charged on April 2.

Following his court appearance, Oke was served with a ten-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order and barred from working with children.

Officer in the case Detective Constable Rob Harris, said: “Oke abused his position of trust. Officers immediately investigated Oke after he was reported to our officers in Southwark. This case demonstrates the Met’s commitment to bringing to justice those who commit crimes against children.”

June 2015

Hospital worker behind bars after being caught with ‘disturbing’ child abuse images

A hospital worker caught with horrific child abuse material that included an image of a newborn baby with its umbilical cord still attached has been sent to jail.

Scott Wallace downloaded a horde of photos and videos over a four-and-a-half-year period at his Dundee home and searched the internet using terms including “pre-teen hardcore”, a court heard.

The 33-year-old, who was sacked by NHS Tayside when the allegations came to light, was remanded in custody today by a sheriff who described the case as “extremely disturbing”.

Dundee Sheriff Court heard that Wallace, formerly a technical officer who delivered drugs to wards which included children, told police who raided his home “curiosity got the better of me.”

A total of 8,631 indecent images and 97 videos were recovered from computer equipment found in Wallace’s house.

Wallace, of Symers Street, admitted possessing indecent images and videos of children between December 2009 and July 2014.

He will be sentenced next month.

June 2015

42-year-old pervert asked 13-year-old girl for indecent pictures – No prison

A man who contacted a 13-year-old girl on Gumtree and offered her £50 to send him a picture of herself in a school uniform has avoided jail.

Carlo Donofrio, 42, was sentenced at Cardiff Crown Court on Tuesday after pleading guilty to inciting a child to engage in sexual activity.

The court heard how Donofrio had made contact with a teenager on the classified advert site where she was offering her services as a dog walker.

Prosecutor John Lloyd said Donofrio contacted the girl, who was 13 at the time, in August last year by email and asked her if she had had any luck with job opportunities.

He then began messaging the girl regularly and offered her £20 towards a job fund but then the conversation took an inappropriate turn after he asked her if she had “sexy legs”.

After asking her for a picture Donofrio then asked if the girl wanted to meet him and if she wore “tight shirts”.

He also sent pictures of himself, one which revealed his bare chest, and offered the girl £50 to wear a school uniform.

The police were informed about the messages after the girl’s mother discovered the phone and became concerned.

Donofrio was arrested following an investigation and admitted making contact with the girl but denied there was any sexual motive.

The court was also told about Donofrio’s previous conviction of indecent assault after he inappropriately touched a young woman on a bus in 2000.

Judge David Wynn Morgan, sentencing, said: “You entered into an online conversation with a 13-year-old female, someone who you knew to be nearly 30 years younger than you.

“There is no excuse for what you did and your victim was very young and immature.

“Her common sense, maturity and judgement have yet to be fully formed and you took advantage of her for your own sexual gratification.

“We have no idea where this might have led were it not for the good fortune that your victim’s mother intervened.”

Judge Morgan said the defendant deserved a prison sentence but added that sending him to jail would not help him reform.

Donofrio, of Pantbach Road, Birchgrove, Cardiff, was sentenced to carry out a community order for 36 months, including attending a sexual offender treatment programme, and ordered to complete 200 hours unpaid work.

June 2015

Pervert who took secret pictures of girl jailed for a year

A PERVERT who took secret naked pictures of a girl and put them on the internet has been jailed for a year.

Sick Stanley Gibbs, 35, set up devices to film his female friend – who trusted him like family – in her Glasgow flat without her knowing.

He then uploaded various pictures, including naked photos of her getting out of the shower, on to the internet.

Using the username “Psycho Stan” he wrote that he got “sexual gratification” from the pictures and that she had no idea she was being filmed.

But, he was snared when a concerned friend of the girl spotted the pictures on the internet.

Gibbs, from Erskine, pled guilty at Glasgow Sheriff Court to using electronic devices to record the female in a state of undress.

He also admitted uploading indecent footage of her on to the internet and recording her without her knowledge between October 2012 and June 2014.

Sheriff Andrew Mackie jailed Gibbs for 12 months, reduced from 18 because of his guilty plea.

He told Gibbs: “Your behaviour as you know was deplorable and appalling.

“It was a gross breach of trust and it was a gross invasion of your victim.”

The sheriff also put Gibbs on the Sex Offenders’ register for 10 years and granted a non-harassment order for the same length of time.

The court heard Gibbs and the female had been friends for a number of years and that he regularly visited the flat where she stayed.

In June, last year, a friend of the girl was online when they came across various pictures and recognised her from them.

Procurator fiscal depute Claire Whyte said there was a number of still images that showed the female in a state of undress.

She said “Perhaps in the process of getting changed.”

She added that there was also pictures showing the female “getting out of the bath and shower”.

Knowing that the victim – who cannot be identified for legal reasons – was uncomfortable with having her picture taken, her friend thought it would be “out of character” to allow pictures of this nature to be online.

The person who uploaded the images used the name “Psycho Stan” and claimed that the girl was unaware they had been taken.

The friend saved everything that they found on to a USB stick and contacted the girl to advise her she should leave her flat.

The police were then alerted and a search warrant was granted for Gibbs’ house.

Miss Whyte told the court that when officers arrived Gibbs said “Whatever you need I will give you”.

He was detained and interviewed by police before being cautioned and charged.

Electronic equipment was seized including a laptop, hard drive, mobile phone and tablet, as well as a digital camera.

They were analysed and 60,000 moving images found which were taken “covertly”.

The court heard much of the footage was of “day to day” business, as well as indecent footage captured.

It was heard that the girl was “shocked and disgusted” and that “she trusted the accused like family.”

Defence lawyer Neil McCulloch said his client has shown genuine remorse for his victim.

He said Gibbs accepts his crimes were “unacceptable and inexcusable”

June 2015

Bristol man who raped 15-year-old girl he befriended on Bebo jailed

A MAN who raped a schoolgirl he had met through a social networking website has been jailed for six years and three months.

Lewis Scott, who met his victim through Bebo when she was just 14, took advantage of her young age and naivety to commit some “truly horrible” crimes, police said.

The officer leading the investigation said Scott subjected both the teenager and a second victim, a 21-year-old woman he was violent towards, to “vile abuse”.

The 25-year-old, of Hallards Close, Lawrence Weston, was sentenced at Bristol Crown Court today after admitting:

• One count of rape against a child

• Two counts of sexual activity with a child

• One count of ABH

• Section 39 assault

• Breach of a restraining order

In addition to the prison term, he will also be on the Sex Offenders’ Register for 10 years.

The sexual offences were committed against a 15-year-old girl from Somerset who Scott met through Bebo in 2010. The contact started when she was 14 and Scott was 19.

The offences of violence relate to a 21-year-old woman who came forward and reported offences to police in August 2014. The incidents happened in the Bristol area.

Investigating officer PC Richard Grierson said: “The two victims in this case have shown tremendous courage in disclosing details of the vile abuse they’ve suffered at the hands of Lewis Scott and for supporting the case throughout the court process.

“Scott began contacting the girl when she was just 14, with the sexual offences against her occurring in 2010. He took advantage of her young age and naivety to commit some truly horrible crimes.

“The offences were reported to us in the summer of 2014, which I hope shows that no matter how long ago offences are committed we’re able to thoroughly investigate them and bring those responsible to justice.

“The pattern of behaviour demonstrated by Lewis Scott show him to be a manipulative and dangerous offender and I believe our communities are safer now he is behind bars.

“We believe there may be more victims out there, so I would encourage anyone who has been affected by this case, or who has information which could help our ongoing inquiry, to come forward.”

June 2015

‘Predator’ raped 15-year-old babysitter and young mum

A “predatory” handyman who raped or indecently assaulted three females when they were alone with him has been told he faces a lengthy prison sentence.

A judge at the High Court in Livingston yesterday described Colin McKay’s sex crimes against young and vulnerable women as “nasty attacks”.

A jury found the father of two guilty of raping his first victim on two separate occasions in the summer of 2005 after he walked uninvited into her home.

He took the teenager’s four-month-old daughter out of her arms and laid the baby on the corner of her bed before pinning her against a wall and having sex with her without her consent.

The second time he burst into her home again a few days later, forced her to the floor and raped her.

McKay, 34, was also convicted of raping a 15-year-old babysitter in his home in Armadale, West Lothian, while his wife was on holiday in Blackpool between June and September 2005.

The girl, now aged 25, gave evidence that he climbed into bed beside her and repeatedly tried to kiss her before raping her.

A jury delivered unanimous verdicts finding all three rape charges proven and also returned a majority verdict convicting him of indecently assaulting a third woman in the summer of 2011.

McKay, of McNeil Crescent, Armadale, who was described in court as an unemployed bankrupt, had denied all the charges against him.

His historical sex crimes only came to light after one of his victims went to the police in 2014, sparking an official probe by detectives.

Ian Duguid, defending, said McKay had two previous convictions from 14 years ago, relating to offences he committed as a 21-year-old.

He added: “The offences of which he’s been convicted today will certainly result in the imposition of a custodial period and Mr McKay accepts and recognises that.”

Judge Lady Wolffe called for criminal justice social work reports into McKay’s background.

She added his name to the sex offenders’ register with immediate effect and ordered that the conviction be reported to Scottish Ministers for the protection of vulnerable young adults.

She told McKay: “By the verdict of the jury you have been found guilty of the four charges that were remaining.

“Three of them are very serious indeed involving two complainers, both vulnerable and of young ages. The fourth charge of which you’ve been convicted is itself one of indecent assault.

“These are very serious matters indeed – quite nasty attacks that were described by the complainers so you can expect to be receiving a substantial custodial sentence.”

She will sentence McKay at the High Court in Edinburgh on July 3.

June 2015

Birkenhead dad convicted of child abuse images offences

A Birkenhead dad who held sick online discussions with other “like-minded” men about child abuse has avoided jail.

Barry Turnbull, 55, pleaded guilty to possessing 36 indecent images of children as young as 10 at Liverpool Crown Court today.

Former Daily Post and Echo journalist Turnbull, of Park Road East, held conversations on the internet video calling service Skype with other men about abusing children, the court heard.

Simon Duncan, prosecuting, said police IT experts found searches for “underage girls,” “underage bikini babes” and “12 year old sex” on Turnbull’s computer.

The sick images were discovered on February 6, 2014, after his computer was seized by police investigating another matter, which did not result in criminal proceedings.

He was charged with four counts of possessing indecent images of children, one count of possessing an extreme pornographic image involving a woman and a dog and one count of possessing a prohibited image of a child.

The court heard one of the images was Category A, the most serious according to sentencing guidelines, while four were Category B and the remaining 31 were Category C.

The court heard the images included a 13-year-old girl being raped by an adult man.

Mr Duncan said: “In interview Turnbull said it first started with him answering adverts from men looking for sex on the internet site Craigslist, and he descended into a fantasy world.”

The court heard Turnbull had been “bored” and “frustrated,” but claimed he got no gratification from the images.

He said he used them to “titillate” other men in what he told police “became like a game.”

Neil Gunn, defending, told the court his client had been “industrious” and “hard-working” as a reporter on a local paper and was a man of previous good character.

He said: “His fall from grace has been quite spectacular.”

The court heard publicity about the case had already forced Turnbull to move house twice.

Judge Andrew Hatton, passing sentence, said: “The images may be few in number but you know, having viewed them, that children have suffered abuse in order for these images to be created.”

But Judge Hatton conceded the defendant showed “genuine remorse” and a “desire to change.”

Turnbull was sentenced to six months in prison, suspended for two years, and subjected to a two year supervision order.

He was ordered to sign the sex offenders register for ten years and subjected to a sexual harm prevention order for two years.

July 2003

Man jailed for sex offences 30 years ago

DRIVING instructor Richard Andrews walked into Chippenham police station in March and confessed to a string of horrifying sex attacks on young girls going back 30 years.

Police revealed that it was pressure from the family of the 65-year-old driving examiner from Fishers Brook, Calne, that persuaded him into making the admission.

But a friend, who gave him shelter in the days before he was jailed, believes the father-of-three was wracked with guilt for his crimes.

Andrews, who preferred to be called John, was jailed for six years by Swindon Crown Court after admitting attempted rape, three indecent assaults and three counts of indecency with a child.

But people who knew the former driving instructor who ran the Lyneham School of Motoring, which is now closed, expressed shock and surprise at revelations of his sordid past.

Heather Beamish, 63, was co-owner of Fern School of Motoring in Calne until it closed two years ago and knew Andrews well.

“We would never have believed it,” she said. “I would never have thought him capable of such a thing. He was always having a laugh and a joke and was very active in charity work.”

Andrews, who is currently on his third marriage, was a keen runner and took part in numerous fundraising runs, including the London Marathon.

In 1983 he ran for Bristol Children’s Hospital in the Swindon Marathon, which was on his driving test route.

It is thought that he raised more than £100,000 in total for different charities, but John Dolman, of Fishers Brook, near Calne, a friend of Andrews’ wife, Julie, said he believes his fundraising efforts may have been his way of attempting to atone for his past crimes.

Mr Dolman explained how Mrs Andrews asked him to take in her husband when she threw him out of her house in Lansdowne Close, Calne, five months ago. Describing Andrews as a sad, quiet man Mr Dolman said he gradually confessed what he had done.

The officer in charge of the investigation, WPC Julie Corbett, said: “We’re pleased with the conviction because it involved crimes that happened a long time ago, but even if the crime occurred 30 or 40 years ago we will investigate.”

Pervert admits chain of assaults on girls

FORMER driving instructor and charity fundraiser Richard Andrews has been jailed after admitting a series of sex attacks on young girls in his distant past.

Andrews, 65, of Morehill Lodge, Fishers Brook, Calne, walked into Chippenham police station in March to confess his crimes after revealing them to his third wife.

His offences included a string of attacks on two girls aged four and 12 dating back 35 and 23 years.

The former airforceman groomed one of his young victims before carrying out the attacks over a period of several years, Swindon Crown Court heard.

The abuse of the child culminated when Andrews attempted to rape the youngster.

However, after realising the error of his ways, the pensioner walked into Chippenham police station in March this year to confess.

Chris Jervis, prosecuting, told the court that neither of his victims had made a complaint to the police until they were contacted by detectives.

Then they told officers how the systematic abuse had left them unable to form relationships or trust men.

The younger girl, now almost 40, said she thought a lot of what had happened to her was a dream but also that it had badly affected her life.

Mr Jervis told how Andrews starting abusing the first girl in the late sixties when she was about four or five.

He said the pervert would touch her and make her perform an indecent act on him.

Andrews also made the girl and one of her friends touch each other intimately over their clothing in front of him, he told the court. The abuse came to a head when Andrews tried to rape the youngster when she was about five years old.

Mr Jervis said “He said that he had tried to achieve penetration.

“He said he then desisted. He said he suddenly realised what he was doing and how horrible it was.”

However in about 1980 he abused another young girl who was aged about 12, touching her intimately.

Andrews told the police that he had lived the past 23 years knowing what he had done and fearing that his family would find out about it.

However Andrews made a full confession to the police admitting numerous acts of gross indecency with the younger girl.

He said that during two interviews with police Andrew was full of remorse for what he had done. He admitted attempted rape, three indecent assaults and three counts of indecency with a child.

Mark Ashley, defending, said: “The reason that this came to light was because of Mr Andrews. Neither of the victims had approached the police.

“Apart from the dark side, and the incidents of more than 23 years ago, he is otherwise a man of good character.”

Mr Ashley said Andrews had been in the RAF for 16 years and then for the past 30 years worked as a driving instructor and examiner.

He said Andrews had also run at least 50 marathons, raising more than £100,000 for charity, as well as giving up his time to help on cycling proficiency tests.

Jailing Andrews for six years, Judge Tom Longbotham said the author of the pre-sentence report felt it was unlikely that the offences were isolated and that consciously or unconsciously he had groomed the victims and remained a risk to young girls.

Andrews was also banned from working with children and ordered to register as a sex offender indefinitely.

June 2015

Pervert behind bars after downloading thousands of child abuse images including babies

A pervert who downloaded thousands of child abuse images using search terms such as “death porn” has been jailed for 14 months.

Dean Ditton was told that nothing less than a custodial sentence could be justified for the “horrific” photographs and movie clips depicting babies and very young children in “discernible pain and suffering”.

Ditton, 59, of Hamond Hill, Chatham, admitted possessing 2,904 still images and 380 moving images. They covered all levels of seriousness, with 905 stills and 254 movies rated in the highest category.

The father-of-two also pleaded guilty to possession of extreme pornographic images portraying someone having sex with an animal.

The offences were committed on July 2 last year.

Prosecutor Abigail Husbands told Maidstone Crown Court the images had been saved in various files with names such as ‘paedo pics’ and ‘kids’, as well as in what appeared on the face of it to be a tax folder.

She added that analysis of the laptop revealed many search terms. As well as ‘death porn’ and ‘dark porn’ there were also references to ‘abuse of mentally retarded’, ‘pre-teen models’ and ‘strangling and choking her’.

Following his arrest Ditton told police he had seen the child abuse images while browsing for porn on the internet.

“He said some of the search terms had been suggested to him by the search engine,” Miss Husbands said. “He also stated he had been sent some images by an individual he met in a chatroom.”

Danny Moore, defending, said Ditton’s offending had “snowballed” but he had been frank with police when he was interviewed and shown remorse.

He also told the court Ditton has a cancerous growth on his lung which requires surgery.

But Judge Michael Carroll said nothing but prison could be imposed despite his previous good character and poor health.

“These represent serious sexual child abuse. Just because it’s on the screen doesn’t mean it wasn’t created by serious sexually abusing a child, and those people wouldn’t create it if they didn’t think there were similar-minded people out there wanting to share it,” he added.

“These are horrific images of sexual abuse of babies as well as very young children.”

Ditton must sign on the sex offenders’ register for 10 years and be subject to an indefinite order limiting his use of devices with access to the internet.

June 2015

Man jailed for making girl, 15, commit sex acts on board bus

A Southall man has been jailed after making a schoolgirl perform sex acts as he sat next to her on the bus on her way to school.

Harvinder Singh carried out his ’appalling’ crimes on the route 120 between Hounslow and Southall in February. He sat next to the schoolgirl at 7am and began to touch her.

He then forcibly made her “commit acts of a sexual nature,” a police statement said. His victim managed to press the ‘stop’ button and get off the bus away from Singh – but the predator followed the girl as far as her school, where she was able to report what happened.

The 24-year-old pervert was arrested the very next day. February 12, thanks to a combination of vital DNA evidence and on-bus CCTV.

He responded ‘no comment’ at interviews and remained in custody until his sexual assault trial this month.

Singh, of Minterne Avenue, pleaded guilty to sexual assault and causing a person to engage in sexual activity without consent. On Friday June 5, he was sentenced to nine months’ imprisonment for sexual assault and 15 months’ imprisonment for causing a person to engage in sexual activity without consent, to run concurrently, at Isleworth Crown Court.

He has been placed on the Sexual Offenders register for 10 years, and after he has served his 15-month jail term, he will be deported back to India

Detective Superintendent Adnan Qureshi, of MPS Roads and Transport Policing Command, said: “This was an excellent result, which has seen the perpetrator of an appalling crime receive a lengthy time in jail and deportation on release.

“If you commit an offence on the transport network, we will pursue and arrest you.” The investigation was part-funded by TfL, whose director of enforcement and on-street operations, Steve Burton, said: “We take crimes of this nature incredibly seriously. Thanks to the bravery of this victim in reporting this terrible offence the MPS were able to track down and subsequently help convict this predatory criminal. We will continue to work closely with our policing partners to rid our transport network of this kind of behaviour.

“If anyone experiences any unwanted sexual behaviour on our transport network, I would urge them to report it to the police by texting 61016 or calling 101.

As this case shows we are successfully prosecuting offenders on the network and all reports will be thoroughly investigated.”