June 2015

Blyth paedophile jailed for sexual offences against young girl

David Ferguson used every opportunity he could get to sexually abuse the girl from the ages of nine to 14.

Now, Ferguson, 49, a former Asda worker of Princess Gardens, Blyth, is beginning a prison sentence of more than five years after admitting a string a sex offences on a girl aged under 13, twisted crimes he thought he’d get away with.

To cover his tracks and keep the child quiet, Ferguson bombarded her with lavish gifts and, on one occasion, even bought he underwear.

For five years, he used every opportunity he had alone to abuse her, once even assaulting her in a caravan on holiday in Northumberland

Finally, aged 18, the girl plucked up the courage to tell her childhood boyfriend and her uncle and she texted Ferguson to say she was going to reveal his sordid secret.

Panicked, he wrote back begging her to change her mind and offering to pay for any psychologists or counsellors she needed.

Sentencing Ferguson to five years and three months behind bars, Judge Robin Mairs: “This was repeated abuse. It was repeated, persistent and prolonged.

“It had a considerable traumatic effect at the time. She wished she was dead.

“The abuse continued on through pre-adolescence and her adolescent years.”

He added: “This was abuse of a child within your care to fulfil your own twisted needs.”

The victim said: “I was frightened I wouldn’t be believed at first. But that wasn’t the case and I had a lot of support.

“Seeing him in court getting sentenced didn’t feel real, it felt like it was happening to someone else. I’m glad we can now put a line under it and move forward. I think I’m going to get some counselling and hopefully move forward and get married and have a family.”

June 2015

“Sexual predator” (47) jailed after grooming schoolgirl for sex

A road worker who had sex with a schoolgirl in his van and in remote woodland was jailed for four-and-a-half years.

Judge Simon Hammond said Owen James Hanton was “a sexual predator” and the courts had a duty to protect young girls from people like him.

Leicester Crown Court was told that Hanton, 47, who worked all over the country on the roads, met the girl in Leicester and groomed her.

On three occasions they had sexual intercourse in his van, parked near a supermarket in the city, when she was aged 15.

Alan Murphy, prosecuting, said on another occasion he took her to Swithland Woods, where she performed a sex act upon him.

A relative of the victim found out and reported him to the police.

Evidence of the encounters, which also included “naked cuddles” was found in text messages on his mobile phone.

Hanton, of King Edward Street, Barmouth, pleaded guilty to four counts of sexual activity with the girl.

Mr Murphy said on occasions the defendant encouraged the victim to drink alcohol.

He said the schoolgirl quickly ended her association with Hanton, and was left in a state of “confusion.”

He added: “The defendant badgered her with messages and tried to coerce her into seeing him again, even if it was just on the basis of casual sex.

“The messages to her demonstrate he was manipulative and at times rather unpleasant.

“He suggests she’s going to get a bad reputation when she makes it clear she doesn’t want him.”

Hanton then became insulting towards her.

Mr Murphy said: “She was completely out of her depth and he took advantage of her vulnerability.”

“It affected her school work and left her feeling nervous.”

Judge Hammond said: “The law is also to protect impressionable young girls from themselves.

“The defendant was the adult and she was the child and she was forbidden fruit.

“His guilty plea means she’s been spared the ordeal of giving evidence in court.”

Dafydd Roberts, mitigating, said: “The offences took place over a relatively short time and sexual activity was on a few occasions.

“He has no previous convictions and knows it’s immediate custody.

“He has a good work ethic and has been a road worker throughout his adult life and has always provided for his family.”

Hanton was placed on a restraining order banning contact with the girl and his future addresses will be on a sex offender register.

May 2011

Serial child abuser jailed for 16 rapes

A sick paedophile branded “evil, callous and cowardly” who subjected his victims to years of sexual abuse will only be released when he is no longer considered a danger to young girls.

David Skeen, 42, secured the silence of his three victims, who cannot be named for legal reasons, by threatening to kill them, while sexually abusing and raping them for more than a decade.

The serial rapist, of Guillemot Lane, Wellingborough, was at risk of being given a life sentence when he pleaded guilty to 22 charges of rape and other sexual offences, moments before a jury was to be sworn in at the start of his trial.

Skeen made his victims participate and watch mutual sex acts and view pornography.

His victims, some of whom were as young as six when the rapes began, were in court to see Skeen jailed and branded a danger to children.

Passing sentence at Northampton Crown Court on Monday, Judge Michael Fowler said a life sentence was not appropriate but instead passed a term of imprisonment for public protection and ruled he must service a minimum of nine years before even being considered for parole.

Sam Mainds, prosecuting, said: “The defendant was so arrogant because he knew that all his victims all knew what was going on and such was their fear that he was sure and content nothing would come out about it.”

Skeen will also be placed on the Sex Offenders’ Register for life.

He declined to face his victims during the Crown Court session and kept his body turned away from them during the three hearings.

Judge Fowler added: “There is evidence of perversion, simply beyond the fact you committed these offences, of causing your victims to participate and watch mutual acts and view pornography.

“In short, you have been shown to be evil, callous and cowardly.

“You have solely used them, it would seem, for your own sexual gratification and have sacrificed their childhoods.”

June 2015

Carl Abbott, 50, of Harlech Close, Banbury, convicted of possessing an indecent or pseudo-photograph of a child on a two gigabyte memory card in Banbury on or about January 16, 2014.

Also convicted of possessing an indecent or pseudo-photograph of a child on a four gigabyte memory card in Banbury on or about January 16, 2014.

Made subject to a community order requiring him to take part in an internet sex offender treatment programme for 35 days.

Ordered to pay a £60 victim surcharge and £750 costs.

June 2015

Architect caught downloading indecent images of young boys given suspended sentence

An architect caught downloading indecent images of young boys has been given a suspended jail sentence.

Richard Francis Kaye, 61, was arrested at his then home in Exton, near Rutland Water, in April last year.

Officers seized his laptop, a memory card and hard drive, containing child pornography.

Ben Gow, prosecuting, told Leicester Crown Court: “He had been deleting images, but hadn’t deleted them all.

“What they the officers were able to recover were 186 images and movies in the most serious range, category A, as well as 114 in category B and 49 in category C.

“Four of the category A images were of boys under five, but mostly were of 13-year-old pre-pubescent boys.”

After an initial “no comment” interview, he returned to the police station and owned up, saying: “If the images are there, then I’m responsible.”

He then voluntarily enrolled on a Lucy Faithful Foundation course, at his own expense, to rehabilitate himself.

Kaye, now of Roman Road, East London, admitted three counts of possessing indecent images of children.

He was given a 12 month jail sentence, suspended for two years, with one year of supervision, and a requirement to undergo rehabilitation.

Judge Ebraham Mooncey said: “Although efforts are made to remove the sources of this vile material, there seems to be a never ending stream.

“Whilst there are consumers there will always be more.

“You are of previous good character and probably never envisaged being before a crown court judge.

“Your barrister says there are a modest number of images and he’s right, in relative terms.

“But these children have been abused.

“They’ve been filmed and photographed; they are crime scenes you’re watching and who knows what the effect will be on those children in the future.

“Your looking at this material encompassed only a few months, not a long period, and you sought help for your problem before being charged, which shows you’re remorseful.”

Martin Elwick, mitigating, said: “His Leicestershire architectural business completely collapsed following his arrest.

“He’s since moved to London to try and make a living in the same field.

“He’d put a stop to viewing the material before the arrival of the police.

“He came to realise how wrong his offending was and there were real victims and is determined nothing like this should ever happen again.

“His fall from grace was spectacular last year when he was living in a cottage, on his own, trying to conduct his business.

“Since then he’s married his partner and has a solid relationship.”

June 2015

Convicted rapist sent back to jail after grooming deaf teen over internet

A convicted rapist who preyed upon a profoundly deaf teenager was sent back to jail.

Jason Duncan was branded dangerous by a judge at Liverpool Crown Court as he was handed an extended six-and-a-half year prison sentence.

The 31-year-old, of Southcroft Road, Wallasey, groomed the teenager on the internet and on text messaging platform Whatsapp and persuaded her to send a topless photo.

He tried to arrange meeting her and promised he would buy his innocent victim presents on her birthday.

But Duncan was outed when the girl’s mother uncovered the “intimate” messages and reported the matter to police.

Judge Mark Brown heard that Duncan had previously served a seven year sentence for raping and assaulting a 15-year-old girl.

Passing sentence, he said: “You befriended her on the internet and it’s clear that you went though a process of grooming her in the expectation that you would meet up for sexual purposes.

“She was particularly vulnerable, she is profoundly deaf and is described as being very immature for her age.

“It is clear from the victim statement provided by her mother that the family are extremely protective of her. I can well understand the shock and horror which her parents must have endured once they discovered what was going on.”

Judge Brown said it was “particularly sad” that the girl’s parents had understandably clamped down on her internet use, because the web enabled her to communicate with others far more easily.

He told Duncan: “It is clear to me that but for the prompt and very vigilant actions of her mother, it may be that the pair of you would have met up. Goodness knows what may have happened had that taken place.”

In the victim statement, the girl’s mother said: “We are constantly in fear and looking over our shoulders in case her contact details have been passed on to other people.

“My daughter is upset and not as she was, she thinks she has done something wrong and that we blame her.”

Duncan will serve two-and-a-half years in prison before serving another four years on licence.

June 2015

Jailed: Gorton pensioner who subjected young girl to ten years of sickening sexual abuse

A man has been jailed for sexually abusing a girl over a ten-year period.

Aubrey Shaw, 82, of Collin Avenue, Gorton, has been jailed for six years and ordered to sign the sex offenders’ register for life at Manchester Crown Court.

Shaw repeatedly sexually assaulted the victim – who was four-years-old when the abuse began.

She reported the offences to police last year.

Speaking after the case, Det Con Kate Burrows said: “Aubrey Shaw was a predator who took advantage of the trust placed in him.

“He completely betrayed that trust and spent years abusing this girl.

“I would like to pay tribute to the victim for the courage that she has shown coming forward and I hope this sentence shows that we are prepared to investigate sexual assaults, no matter how much time has passed.”

June 2015

41-year-old man jailed for sexually assaulting young child

41-year-old man who sexually assaulted a child under the age of 13 in Slough has been sent to prison for more than three years.

Andrew Hatowski, of no fixed abode, appeared at Reading Crown Court on Friday for sentencing. 

He had already pleaded guilty at a previous court hearing on March 30 to one count of sexual assault of a child under 13.

The incident took place in July 2012 and Hatowski was arrested on October 27 last year following a lengthy investigation by Thames Valley Police’s Child Abuse Investigation Unit.

He will serve a sentence of three years and four months.

Speaking following the sentencing, investigating officer Det Con Victoria Steele, from the Child Abuse Investigation Unit, said: “This is a serious offence and although Hatowski has shown remorse for his actions, they have had a lasting effect on the victim who has continued to deal with what they have been through.

“Thames Valley Police takes all reports of sexual offences seriously and treats them sensitively.

“If you have been a victim of any offence, please call the Thames Valley Police non-emergency number of 101 to report it. You will be listened to and offences will be investigated.”

June 2015

Paedophile convicted of sex attacks on girls as young as nine

A Pembrokeshire man is facing a lengthy jail term after a jury convicted him of sex offences against girls.

Byron Scarfe, 54, had denied sex attacks on two girls some years ago when they were aged nine and 11.

But following a brief trial at Swansea Crown Court a jury returned unanimous verdicts on all charges, except for four the judge informed them they did not need to consider.

Formal not guilty verdicts were returned on those charges.

Scarfe will now be sentenced next month. He was remanded in custody.

The defendant was accused of raping one of the girls twice and sexually assaulting her on other occasions.

Jim Davis, prosecuting, said one of the incidents had been witnessed by a woman who was so shocked she struck him twice.

However, said Mr Davis, at the time she accepted his explanation that he had walked into a building to find the girl naked and had not actually touched her.

Mr Davis said Scarfe had asked the second girl if she had ever had “a real kiss” before putting his tongue in her mouth.

Mr Davis told the jury it was the second girl who first told an adult what had happened.

When that became known the allegations relating to the first girl came to light.

Neither of the complainants can be identified for legal reasons.

Scarfe told interviewing police officers and the jury the alleged incidents had not happened, apart from the incident that had been witnessed by the woman who hit him.

Scarfe, of Rowlands Way, Pembroke, said it had been “understandable” the witness on that occasion had jumped to the wrong conclusion.

June 2015

Pervert admits downloading indecent images of children as young as babies

A Burnley dad was downloading and viewing “disturbing” child abuse images of youngsters from a similar age to his own baby, a court was told.

Paul Brierley (29), who had a stash of almost 100 pictures – including 34 at the most serious level, of which two were video clips – lived his life on the internet because he was “ housebound” and isolated.

Brierley claimed he searched for more and more extreme porn and eventually indecent images of children out of curiosity.

Burnley Crown Court was told Brierley, whose partner is pregnant again, looked at photos of youngsters from less than 12 months old up to 15 years of age.

The defendant, of Colne Road, Burnley, admitted 11 counts of making an indecent image of a child and three allegations of possessing an indecent image of a child.

He received eight months in prison, suspended for two years, with two years’ supervision.

Brierley must attend the internet sex offender programme for two years and sign the sexual offenders’ register for 10 years. He was given a 10-year sexual harm prevention order.

Miss Mercedeh Jabbari (prosecuting) said last June, police executed a search warrant at the defendant’s family home and seized computer equipment.

Brierley told officers he had download pornographic pictures, but they were not of children. He was cautioned, arrested and taken to the police station.

The prosecutor said a total of 97 images were found on Brierley’s mobile phone, a laptop and a computer tower.

Thirty four of the pictures were at category A, the most serious, 10 were level B and 53 were category C.

He was questioned after the high tech crime unit found the pictures and made no comment.

The defendant had 14 offences on his record, but no previous convictions for sexual offences.

Robert Kearney, mitigating for Brierley, said: “He lives now an even more sheltered life than before. He lives with his mother and three siblings.

Passing sentence, Judge Jonathan Gibson told the defendant he (the judge) had seen some of the Category A images. He said: “They are very serious and disturbing, involving very, very young children indeed, together with adults in sexual acts.”

June 2015

No prison for pervert who had indecent images of girls as young as 11

A pervert who took photographs of semi-dressed females was caught out when he inadvertently handed a memory stick to a work colleague – containing one of his covert pictures.

Martin Reid, of St Georges Court, Huntingdon, was found in possession of sexually explicit images of girls under 16 after police were notified about other inappropriate photos on his USB.

The 52-year-old, who pleaded guilty on May 19 to making an indecent photograph of a child, was reported to police by his own work colleague.

Giles Beaumont, prosecuting, told Cambridge Magistrates’ Court on Thursday that the businessman handed over his memory stick to his colleague for work purposes.

He said: “His colleague realised there was something else on there and he spoke to his brother and the matter was reported to the police.

Police visited his house in Huntingdon and discovered that that he had photos of women in their underwear taken through a window.

This prompted officers to take eight hardware devices from the defendant and they found 18 Level C semi-naked photographs of girls, aged between 11 and 14.

These photographs – which showed girls with exposed breasts and genitals visible through sheer knickers – had been stored on or before November 20 at Brecon Way, Huntingdon.

Reid gave a no comment interview with the police – but he pleaded guilty before the court at the first opportunity.

Reid had no previous convictions ahead of the case, the court heard.

No mitigation was given as the district judge informed the lawyer representing Reid that he would follow the probation service’s suggestion of a community order.

District Judge Alan Jones said: “I am going to give you credit for the fact you have pleaded guilty.”

He also took into account Reid’s age, employment and remorse in regards to the historic offence.

Reid was given a 12 month community order with 250 hours of unpaid work.

Mr Jones said: “I have chosen that number of hours to reflect the seriousness of the case, but also the early guilty plea.”

He was also made subject to a Sexual Prevention Offences Order for five years, ordered to pay £85 in costs and a £60 victim surcharge.

June 2015

Former church elder jailed for child abuse

A former church elder who groomed and sexually abused two young children – before going on to download the most extreme type of indecent photos nearly 40 years later – has been jailed for four and a half years.

Alan Baker “put a stain on the development” of the two children whose lives he “blighted” during the 1970s and 80s, an Amersham Crown Court judge said as he was imprisoned today.

Now aged 78, Baker abused a position of trust as an elder at a church in Wooburn Green to “engineer” meetings with the two children, the court heard.

When his home in Altona Road, Loudwater, was searched by police in 2014 several indecent images of the most severe category were found.

Judge John Cole said Baker had edited several of the sickening videos, superimposing his own head onto the body of someone abusing children.

Several boxes and bags filled with boys’ underwear were also found at his home by officers, the court was told.

Baker pleaded guilty to four counts of indecent assault and one of possession of indecent images at an earlier court hearing. He was jailed for a total of four years for the indecent assaults and given a consecutive six month term for possessing the indecent images.

The court heard two of the counts referred to times when the defendant forced one of the boys – who at the time was aged eight or nine, while Baker was in his 40s – to perform sex acts on him. He offered the boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, a box of liquorice to do this and threatened to beat him if he did not comply.

On another occasion he forced the same boy to perform a sex act on him while on a camping trip.

The court heard the boy harmed himself in a bid to force the memory of what happened out of his mind, smashing his head against a wall and knocking himself out.

Another boy was the victim of the other indecent assault, where Baker cuddled and kissed the youngster when he sat on his lap on a trip to a factory or workshop and said, “You know I love you, don’t you? You do love me, don’t you?”

The court heard Baker told police “children are beautiful” when he was interviewed last year.

Jailing Baker, Judge Cole said: “You have harboured a deeply worrying and lifelong sexual attraction towards children.

“Your victims spoke of the robbing of their childhood and the lifelong effect on their relationships your offending has had. It involved an extreme abuse of trust on extremely young children.”

He added: “I have borne in mind the moving, well expressed and appalling victim impact statements by both of these men, whose childhoods you blighted. You put a stain on their development, which has lived with them their entire lives. That is to your eternal shame.”

Baker has also been barred from having unsupervised contact with anyone under the age of 16 until further notice.

June 2015

Child abuser convicted of sex offences in Somerset

A 65-year-old man has been convicted of sexual offences, two of which were against children in Somerset between 1976 and 1988.

Malcolm Cohen from Aldershot was sentenced at Exeter Crown Court on Friday (June 12), convicted of sexual offences against four victims including charges of rape and indecent assault.

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

Investigating officer DC Catherine King said: “The victims in this case have shown tremendous courage in coming forward to disclose the details of the abuse that they’ve suffered at the hands of Malcolm Cohen and for supporting the police investigation and court case throughout.

“The offences were reported to us in 2010 and date back to 1976 which I hope shows that we are able to thoroughly investigate sexual offences and bring those responsible to justice, no matter how long ago they took place.

“We work with our partner agencies to make sure we’re robustly tackling sexual abuse in all its forms.

“Hopefully Cohen’s victims will be able to find some form of closure to what’s been a traumatic and difficult part of their lives.

“We would urge anyone who has suffered abuse to come forward and talk to us, whether the case is recent or non-recent.”

June 2015

Paedophile brothers found guilty of child abuse images

An artist blamed his older brother for illegal images of children found on his computer.

Jon Ball, 28, claimed Jason Ball, 33, downloaded the indecent pictures, which were discovered along with a hoard of photos of the Hollywood star.

But a jury rejected his pleas of innocence and convicted him of four charges of possessing or making indecent and prohibited images.

However, in a strange twist to the case, the court heard Jason had since been arrested on similar charges – and confessed to downloading some of the sordid pictures.

Jon had claimed he had been searching for “gothic Lolita” images to help with his drawing of Japanese-style pictures.

But Recorder Ed Connell told him: “Your account of how those images appeared on your computer was you didn’t know anything about them and you have no sexual interest in children.

“You said there had been some inadvertent downloading while looking for legitimate material in relation to your interest in drawing.”

He said the fact Jason had confessed was something he could not take into account in sentencing, explaining: “The jury didn’t accept your explanation and for my part neither do I.

“There was other evidence showing you had sought out, quite deliberately, indecent images of children, including using certain search terms found on your computer.

“Your claim you were looking for gothic Lolita images was rejected by the jury. And I also heard during the trial your filing of Emma Watson images, again demonstrating an unusual sexual interest in young girls.”

Canterbury Crown Court was told how police raided the home he shared with his brother in St Peter’s Place, Canterbury, in November 2012.

There they discovered 137 banned images and photographs on his computer – along with legal photographs of Watson.

Speaking at his sentencing, Jon’s barrister Crispian Cartwright said: “This is an unusual case and things have developed since the jury’s verdict.

“He was bitterly disappointed after being convicted in April and he became tearful. It was part of his case that others had access to his computer.

“And it was with a degree of reluctance on behalf of this defendant to specifically blame his brother.”

The barrister added he was contacted by solicitors weeks after the verdict and told that the brother had now confessed to similar offences and is due to be sentenced next month.

“The brother said he felt guilty, both in the legal and moral sense, because he was responsible for the images found on the computer,” he said. “That is slightly strange.

“My client remains absolutely adamant that he is not guilty of these offences. He now feels terribly confused and rather bitter and finds the whole thing appalling.”

Jon was jailed for eight months and placed on the Sex Offender’s Register for 10 years.

June 2015

Child rapist moved to UK ‘AFTER’ gardaí saw a video of him raping 11-year-old girl

A child rapist was able to travel to the UK and commit further offences after being interviewed by gardaí in Ireland who had seen a video of him raping an 11-year-old girl.

Michael Smith from Tipperary groomed, raped and sexually assaulted the girl, who he considered to be his daughter, for 10 years before going to the UK where he was jailed for grooming and sexually abusing a teenage girl he meet through a social media site.

The Central Criminal Court heard that the Irish victim went to gardaí about the abuse in 2004 and a follow-up search uncovered a recording of him raping the child when she was 11.

Smith was interviewed voluntarily and went to England shortly afterwards.

Smith previously of Maplewood Way, Tallaght, pleaded guilty to nine counts of rape, two counts of oral rape, one count of possession of child abuse images and assault causing harm of Michelle Smith at addresses in Rathmines, Tallaght and Cabra on dates between 1994 and 2004.

Sergeant Paul Maher revealed that Smith, who has no previous Irish convictions, was jailed in England for engaging in sexual activity with a child, inciting a child to engage in sex and possessing indecent material.

The Irish victim, who has waived her right to anonymity, believed that Smith was her father at the time of the abuse. The victim said that the abuse began when Smith lived with her mother.

He would take her out in the car at night, park outside a factory and assault her. The abuse escalated when Smith moved out of the family home and rented a flat in Sunbury Gardens.

The victim went to live with Smith for a year when she was 11 or 12 years old. During that time they slept together in a single bed and he began raping her. After sex, Smith would thank her and say goodnight.

Sgt Maher told Caroline Cummings BL, prosecuting, that the victim reported her father’s abuse in March 2004, when she was 17 years old.

She said she had been continuously sexually abused by him from the age of eight.

Smith moved between various Dublin residences over the years and would have regular sex with his victim at these addresses. The victim told gardaí she thought the sex was normal and that Smith had on several occasions recorded the abuse on a camcorder.

On one occasion Smith told her to strip slowly in front of a camcorder, telling her it would give him something to watch during the week. This happened a further five or six times, she said.

Sgt Maher said the victim also told him that Smith punched her in the face, slammed her head into a wall and slapped her till she wet herself out of fright on one occasion at the Maplewood Way address.

Following the victim’s complaint to gardaí in 2004, a search warrant for Smith’s home and workplace was obtained and cassettes were recovered with recordings of the victim.

Sgt Maher told Ms Cummings that one recording depicted Smith having sex with the victim when she was 11 years old.

Victim’s statement

The victim revealed in a statement, read out in court, that nobody knew about the abuse and a lot of people had liked Smith.

“Anyone can by a predator and you’d never know unless the victim speaks up,” she said.

She added: “I find it very hard to sleep at night with all the thoughts, questions and memories in my head.”

Sgt Maher said Smith left Ireland shortly after he had been interviewed voluntarily by gardaí.

English authorities stopped Smith in 2008 with a 15-year-old girl, whom he had groomed online for sex by posing as an older teenage boy about three years previously.

Smith was also caught with over 19,000 images of child abuse 

He was extradited back to Ireland after his release from a UK prison in October 2014.

Sgt Maher agreed with Pauline Walley SC, defending, that her client’s guilty pleas had spared the victim the trauma of a trial.

He further accepted that Smith had completed two sexual offences courses while in jail in England.

Ms Walley submitted to Mr Justice Carroll Moran that her client “fully accepts the appalling catalogue of abuse meted out to the injured party”.

Past abuse

She said her client had suffered abuse in his family home in Clonmel, Tipperary and was sent to an industrial school from the age of ten to 16.

Counsel said Smith was physically abused and saw other types of abuse at this institution. She submitted that the pattern of Smith’s early life “imprinted him” in later years.

She said Smith’s remorse is genuine, as evident in his early plea, and that he has expressed willingness to engage in other treatment programmes in jail.

Mr Justice Moran remanded Smith in custody until sentence finalisation on Friday.

 July 2008

‘Some of the worst paedophile material’

A paedophile who groomed young girls on the internet has been described as a collecter of some of the worst material a police officer has ever seen.

Michael Smith of Church Road, Hayes, was jailed for at least three years on Thursday for multiple charges of sexual activity with children.

He was caught in January this year when officers stopped him in his car with a 15-year-old girl, while he was driving without insurance.

The girl later told police Smith, a labourer, had forced her into sexual activity on more than one occasion.

A search of Smith’s address led to the seizure of a number of computers and other storage devices.

Following an analysis conducted by the Met’s High Tech Crime Unit, Smith was discovered to be in possession of approx 20,000 indecent images of children including many movies.

In his 20 years of being a police officer, Detective Sergeant John Price said material found on Smith’s computer was indescribable.

DS John Price of Hillingdon Police was heading the Sapphire Unit at the time, which investigated the case.

He said “After the first search nothing was found. But I know how these people work and wanted the property searched again.

“That was when we found all the material. Almost 10,000 of the images were of young girls from a web camera.”

He added: “I have been a police officer for 20 years and this was some of the worst paedophile material I have ever seen.”

DS Price said since Smith moved from Ireland in 2004 he had been grooming girls on the internet from that time onwards.

Under the guise Ben Tyler’, Smith pretended to be 18-years-old, and used internet popular internet teenage chat rooms Bebo, Habbo and MSN to engage with young girls and eventually go on to groom them.

Although Smith has been convicted, DS Price still feels there are other victims they do not know about.

He added: “We know he has met at least another girl but we do not know who she is. He has been grooming other girls and we have got evidence of that.

“I am also convinced he has victims all over the place, not just in Hillingdon.”

“He used the internet as a tool to hand-pick his young unsuspecting victims,.

“They believed they could trust Smith and never thought for one minute they would be speaking to a predatory paedophile that would go on to violate their trust.”

He asked for other victims to come forward and speak to police.

He said: “I appeal to them to come forward and call West Drayton Sapphire Unit on 0208 246 1583.

“All calls will be treated with the utmost confidence.”

Smith was jailed for the protection of the public and must spend at least three years behind bars before he is eligible for parole.

He must also sign on the Sex Offenders’ Register for life.

June 2015

Paedophile who sexually abused his adopted daughter jailed for 12 years

BRAVE Rachel has spoken of her ‘elation’ after her depraved adoptive father who subjected her to years of sexual abuse was finally put behind bars.

And the 47-year-old hopes seeing Raymond Bath jailed for 12 years for his ‘appalling’ crimes will give other victims of abuse the courage to speak out.

The victim was groomed and abused by Bath, now aged 72, in the 1970s.

Decades later, and with the support of her family, she found the strength to report him to the police.

Rachel, who waived her right to anonymity to speak out, told The News: ‘It has been a long time but to see that sentence, I am elated.

‘I don’t know why I didn’t do it earlier. It was one of those things that I have been thinking about for at least the past 20 years.

‘It came to 2012 and I made a decision that actually what he had done had been ruining my life for all that time and I needed to do something about it.

‘It had been horrendous.

I was looking for justice and now I have it.

‘Finally he has got what he deserves. Let us hope that he is never set free.’

Her adoptive father Bath denied the claims and the case was taken to trial at Portsmouth Crown Court, where Mrs Williams had to give evidence.

Bath was found guilty of:

1. Three counts of indecency with a child

2. Two counts of indecent assault

3. One count of rape

– which took place between 1970 and 1977, when Rachel was around five to nine years old.

Judge Ian Pearson called the abuse ‘appalling’ and sentenced Bath, of Nelson Avenue, North End to 12 years in prison.

Bath, who used to work as a machinist at the Metal Box factory in Burrfields Road, Copnor, adopted Mrs Williams in 1968.

He and his wife at the time lived in Grayshott Road, Southsea until 1970, when they moved to Chalkridge Road, in Cosham.

With the crimes taking place decades ago, Rachel was unsure whether her complaint would be taken seriously.

But the grandmother of four and mother of three praised the work of sexual violence counsellors at Hampshire police and encouraged other victims of child abuse to speak out.

She said: ‘I really thought it would never ever happen.

‘I am hoping that anybody else will now have the strength.’

March 2007

Paedophile bailed for wedding now jailed indefinitely

A dangerous paedophile was jailed indefinitely yesterday, only weeks after a judge varied his bail conditions to allow him to spend his wedding night at a hotel.

Judge Philip Richards told Kelvin Wagstaff he posed a significant risk to the public and that he must serve a minimum of 12 months in prison before he can be considered for parole.

The judge was criticised earlier this month for allowing 36-year-old Wagstaff to stay at a hotel with his new bride, after he pleaded guilty to sexually assaulting a girl under 13 and engaging in sexual activity in the presence of a girl under 16.

Monmouth MP David Davies, who launched the Stop All Forms of Early Release (Safer) campaign, said at the time, ‘I find it extraordinary that he was not remanded in custody immediately given the severity of the offence he carried out.’

Prosecutor Caroline Rees told Cardiff Crown Court that Wagstaff of Davis Avenue, Bryncethin, Bridgend, had approached the 10-year- old girl and a younger girl, who were playing in a park, on October 21.

Wagstaff was later identified by both girls and a passer-by, who had noticed him change direction to follow the girls into some woods, she said.

Miss Rees said Wagstaff had a previous conviction for breach of the peace in relation to alleged offences of indecent exposure near a junior school in 1991.

She said no evidence had been offered in relation to the indecent exposure charges at the time and not guilty verdicts had been recorded.

Jennet Treharne, defending, said Wagstaff claimed he had been in an agitated state at the time of the incidents and that his memory of them was limited.

But she said he accepted responsibility and sought help from his GP and the mental health authorities.

Judge Richards told Wagstaff, ‘I don’t think it’s right to have regard to the fact you were charged in the past with offences of indecent exposure, but I’m entitled to have regard to your present reaction to those offences along with your reaction to the present offences, which is to deny any recollection.’

The judge imposed an indeterminate prison sentence and said Wagstaff should only be released when the parole board is satisfied he no longer needs to be detained to protect the public.

He also imposed a sexual offences prevention order, preventing Wagstaff attending places frequented by children.

April 2008

Taxi driver jailed for rape

A MAN jailed for raping a girl was allowed to drive taxis – despite a previous conviction for sexually assaulting two boys.

Robert Wagstaff, aged 40, of Bryncethin, must serve at least four years in jail after admitting raping and sexually assaulting a girl aged between 10 and 11 several times over the course of a year.

Wagstaff was allowed to drive taxis even though Bridgend County Borough Council and the firm he worked for were aware he had previous convictions – albeit spent – for child sex offences.

Cardiff Crown Court heard he was convicted of indecent assault in 1984 after luring two six-year-old boys to a disused railway track, where Wagstaff, then 15, exposed himself and touched them.

In 2003, he found work with Munro’s Taxis and Minibus Hire in Aberkenfig.

Ieuan Bennett, prosecuting, said the firm had discovered his convictions after a routine criminal record check.

But he was allowed to continue his work, which included regularly taking children to and from school.

A spokeswoman for BCBC said: “Mr Wagstaff was CRB-checked prior to the grant of a taxi driver licence in October 2002.

“The check revealed spent convictions and the case was referred to the licensing sub-committee.

“The licensing sub-committee received and considered the details of the convictions and granted a licence on a short-term basis.

“His licence was renewed on an annual basis and the licensing authority received no complaints or information regarding any improper behaviour while driving taxis.

“Mr Wagstaff’s licence was immediately suspended pending the outcome of the court case.”

Munro’s Taxis refused to comment.

In February 2007, while working as a taxi driver, Wagstaff began to abuse the girl, then aged 10.

Mr Bennett said he would meet with her once a week and had offered her money on several occasions.

The abuse only came to light in February this year when the girl confessed to a school counsellor.

Owen Williams, defending, said Wagstaff had admitted the offences at the earliest opportunity and was keen to undertake treatment to deal with his behaviour.

But, passing sentence, Judge David Wynn-Morgan told Wagstaff: “The fact that you have committed offences of this gravity leads me to the conclusion that there is a significant risk to the public of serious sexual harm caused by your committing further offences.”

The judge ordered him to serve a minimum of four years in prison before he can be considered for release by a parole board.

On release, he will be subject to licence for the rest of his life.

“You have a very great deal of work to do before the parole board will be satisfied that you no longer pose a risk,” he said.

Wagstaff admitted two counts of rape, five of sexual assault and three of inciting sexual activity with a child.

He was placed on the Sex Offenders’ Register for life.

The judge also prohibited him from having unsupervised contact with children, attending playgrounds and driving a taxi or public-sector vehicle with child or female passengers.

ROBERT Wagstaff is the brother of convicted paedophile Kelvin Wagstaff.

Kelvin, of Davis Avenue, Bryncethin, was jailed for at least 12 months last March after admitting exposing himself to a seven-year-old and a 10-year-old girl in Porthcawl.

He was told he would only be released on lifelong licence when he proves he is no longer a risk to the public.

The 37-year-old hit the headlines last year after a judge relaxed his bail curfew condition to allow him to marry and spend the night at a luxury hotel.

October 2011

Sex offender breaches court order

A SEX offender who breached the terms of his court order has received a nine-month prison sentence.

Paul Anthony Lines, 27, was made subject to a Sexual Offences Prevention Order in February 2007 for an offence of sexual activity with a girl under the age of 16.

The order included a prohibition on using or possessing any device with internet access.

He admitted breaching the order by using a computer at Weymouth Library on July 9 this year.

Desmond Duffy, prosecuting, told a sentencing hearing at Dorchester Crown Court that Lines, of Westwey Road, Weymouth, was spotted at the library by a member of staff using the internet.

Mr Duffy said Lines had received a two-year prison sentence at Bournemouth Crown Court for previous breaches of the order last year and was on licence when the offence was committed.

He had since been recalled to serve the remainder of his sentence, with his earliest release date June 17 next year.

Tim Shorter, mitigating, said his client fully admitted breaching the terms of his Sexual Offences Prevention Order by using the internet but stressed that the activity was in no way sexually motivated.

Judge James Meston sentenced Lines to nine months in prison, served concurrent to the remaining period he has left on his current sentence.

June 2015

Boxing coach (49) sent ‘sex texts’ to 14-year-old schoolgirl

A BOXING coach sent a schoolgirl explicit messages encouraging her to perform sexual acts.

Graham Hebden, 49, sent the girl a series of text messages as well as contacting her via social media, including Facebook.

Hull Crown Court heard the victim, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, was aged 14 and 15 at the time.

Hebden, of Rose Cottage, West End, Ulrome, near Driffield, admitted causing or inciting sexual activity with a girl over a ten-month period.

He was due to be sentenced yesterday, but the case was adjourned after the victim’s father claimed the prosecution did not know the full range of his offending.

Police are now investigating.

Caroline Wigin, prosecuting, said of the victim: “It’s clear that [the victim] was uncomfortable with the content of the messages she had been sent.”

One message said: “Don’t want to sound like a pervert or a paedophile but you’re looking fit.”

Another asked: “Are we going to have a day in York before you go back to school?”

Some messages encouraged the girl to perform sexual acts on her own, while others related to suggestions about what she should do with her boyfriend.

After one message, the girl had replied: “What about it? I’m too young to talk about it, know about it.”

Hebden also referred to hugs and told her: “That’s two you owe me.”

Miss Wigin said when Hebden was interviewed he accepted he had “overstepped the mark”.

She added: “He accepted in interview that he had attended a child protection course, but was to suggest he’d forgotten what that taught him.”

Miss Wigin said there was an “element of grooming” to the case.

The court heard Hebden had no relevant previous convictions.

Richard Thompson, defending, argued against the adjournment, and said: “In my submission, it’s almost inconceivable the police have overlooked anything that would affect the sentence in this case.”

Granting the adjournment, Judge Mark Bury said: “Mr Hebden, you’ve heard what’s been going on.

“I can’t adjudicate in this case without having the most relevant information that’s available.

“I’m not saying that there’s more to come; I’m saying I’m told there is and if there is I should hear it.”

Hebden, who was released on conditional bail, is due to be sentenced on Friday, June 26.