July 2015

Photographer jailed for assaults & making indecent pictures of a child

A WELL-known photographer has been jailed for six years.

Earlier this year, he pleaded guilty to seven charges relating to making and possessing over 85,000 indecent images of children.

Steven Oatway, 56, of High Street, Owston Ferry, pleaded guilty to two counts of indecent assault, one count of sexual assault on a female child under 13, five counts of possessing indecent photos of a child and five counts of making indecent photos of a child.

He was sentenced at Grimsby Crown Court.

A spokeswoman for Humberside Police said Oatway was arrested in November 2014 by officers from Humberside Police’s Protecting Vulnerable People Unit

Speaking after the case, Detective Constable Jeannine Armstrong said: “I would like to thank the victims for their bravery and courage in what was a traumatic case.

“Oatway abused his trusted position in the community to manipulate young girls to his own ends.

“Today’s sentence is the result of six months of persistent and dedicated work by a team of specialist detectives.

“The sentences given send a clear message that this type of crime will not be tolerated in our communities and those responsible will be pursued and brought to justice.

“Our communities are safer today and show that the Humberside Police is as determined as ever to target offenders and protect the public.”

Anyone who might have concerns following this case, should call Humberside Police Protecting Vulnerable Persons’ Unit on 01724 241700.

May 2015

Photographer faces prison over indecent pictures of children

A PHOTOGRAPHER who secretly “took extra pictures” of girls while they were changing for photo shoots has been warned he faces a prison sentence.

Steven Oatway, 56, of High Street, Owston Ferry, admitted two charges of making indecent photographs of a girl in 2006.

He also admitted five offences of possessing indecent photographs of children on or before November 12 last year. They included individual charges involving 84,869 images, 36 images, 82 moving images and 74 moving images.

Simon Hirst, prosecuting, told Grimsby Crown Court that the offences were committed while Oatway was working as a photographer, taking photographs of three girls “getting undressed” or “changing” for shoots.

He set up a web cam, or something similar, and was supposedly checking the camera was working properly when the offences were committed, said Mr Hirst.

Judge David Tremberg said it seemed Oatway was “surreptitiously taking extra pictures” while the girls were changing.

Defence barrister Richard Butters said it was a serious case and Oatway was expected to plead guilty to further offences of making indecent photographs of children.

Sentence was adjourned until June 26 and Oatway was further remanded in custody. There was no application for bail.

Judge Tremberg warned Oatway: “I am sure you are fully aware of the seriousness of your position.”

He added the judge at the next hearing would be “considering an immediate prison sentence”.

A pre-sentence report had already been prepared on Oatway and a possible draft sexual harm prevention order was also expected to be served, the court heard.

April 2015

Owston Ferry man admits making indecent images of children

An Owston Ferry man, who has previously pleaded guilty to a string of child sex offences, has today admitted to further charges of making indecent images of children.

Steve Oatway, 56, appeared at Grimsby Crown Court today, where he pleaded guilty to seven charges relating to making and possessing over 84,000 indecent images of children.

The new string of charges relate to the time period between April 2006 and November 2014.

At a hearing in December last year, Oatway pleaded guilty to two counts of indecent assault on a girl under the age of 14 years, one count of indecent assault on a girl under the age of 16 years and one count of assault of a girl under 13 by touching.

He was remanded in custody, and is set to be sentenced for all 11 charges at a hearing at Grimsby Crown Court later this year.

July 2015

Facebook pervert pressured 13-year-old girl into sex

A PERVERT who trawled the social-media website Facebook grooming young teenage girls for sexual purposes has been jailed for four years.

Liam Goulding, 20, of King Street, Bacup, told the youngsters he wanted to marry them and make them pregnant before threatening to kill himself if they did not go along with his wishes.

Preston Crown Court heard disturbing details of a ‘relationship’ with a girl of just 13, when Goulding was 18, in which he urged her to send explicit photographs of herself, and pressured her into sexual activity at his house while his parents were away.

On one occasion, as the pair walked in Whittaker Park, Burnley, Goulding took the girl’s mobile phone away from her, telling her ‘when we are married it will be mine anyway’.

He also pleaded guilty to sexual activity with a child after offences he committed against her that day.

But the court heard the young teenager was not the first girl Goulding had made unwanted sexual advances towards.

A 16-year-old girl told police he had pushed her against a wall and sexually assaulted her in public and an 11-year-old girl complained he persistently asked her for private photographs of herself.

A fourth girl, 13, said she had been befriended by Goulding on Facebook and had chatted to him on Skype.

But when it seemed she did not want a relationship Goulding would throw a tantrum and send messages such as: “I try to give you a good life and you throw it back in my face. I give up.

“I’ll make sure you never see me again because I will be dead.”

Judge Andrew Woolman, sentencing, said he accepted that in this case Goulding was a vulnerable young man whose emotional maturity did not match his chronological age.

July 2015

Paedophile jailed for 15 years after he raped a child under the age of 13

The 36-year-old denied 14 matters under the Sexual Offences Act but was convicted of all the charges after a trial in May.

Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court heard the defendant, who has no previous convictions, committed the offences over a three-year period.

Despite the jury’s verdicts, Richard Walker, of Whitethorn Way, Newcastle, continues to deny responsibility for the offences.

Anis Ali, mitigating, conceded the offending must have had some psychological effect on the victim.

He added that Walker’s family are devastated by the jury’s verdicts but remain supportive of him.

Judge David Fletcher said Walker’s offending started with kissing and progressed to full sex with the complainant.

He told the defendant: “You express no sympathy or remorse.”

Walker will serve half the sentence in prison with the rest on licence. He will be on the sex offenders’ register for the rest of his life and was also made the subject of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order until further order.

July 2015

Perverted Dover dog warden who preyed on young girls for 30 years is JAILED

A PERVERT dog warden’s 40-year obsession with young girls has landed him in prison for three and a half years. 

Philip Lawrence, 55, who worked in both Folkestone and Dover, was jailed after pleading guilty to five sex offences over a 30-year period.

The former dog warden, of Balfour Road, Dover, was convicted on two indecent exposure charges in 1975 – but his fascination with girls aged under 16 continued.

In 1979 he exposed himself to a 13-year-old girl while he was in his car with two young children in the back seats.

Dominic Connolly, prosecuting last Friday, told Canterbury Crown Court that the car was parked in a Dover side street and the girl could not get out.

Lawrence tried to get her to engage in sexual activity with him but she fled after he opened the passenger door.

She complained to police in the 1990s but it was not until last year that Lawrence was charged.

In 1996 Lawrence caught a 12-year-old girl smoking and tried to get her to take nude photos of him. She wanted to go on holiday to Florida with friends and Lawrence said he would pay £400 if she had sex with him.

Sick Lawrence continually tried to get her to engage in sex acts.

He gave her a lift in his official van and exposed himself to her. Three years later she told a social worker what happened and Lawrence was questioned but not charged.

Three times in 2012 he preyed on a young girl who is a friend of his young wife Emma. Once she was walking into Lawrence’s house and he grabbed her bottom.

Then he picked her up in his van and said he fancied her. Twice when she visited Lawrence’s home to see his wife, the pervert exposed himself.

She told police she was ‘sick to her stomach’ because of what he had done. She later told his wife about what had happened and then went to police.

Lawrence admitted to police that he found young girls sexually attractive.

In a victim impact statement the second girl said she could not cope or trust men after Lawrence branded her as a liar and a thief.

Claire Cooper, defending, said: “He is a very sad opportunist with a terrible way of getting sexual gratification.

“He accepts the sexual harm he has done to the young ladies in this case.”

Sentencing him to a total of 42 months in prison, Judge Heather Norton said Lawrence was not a candidate for a sexual rehabilitation unit.

She said the sentence sent a clear message that his behaviour was totally unacceptable and that the public needed protection.

Judge Norton said: “You present a risk to the public. You are a very dangerous offender.

“You targeted these young women who trusted you. You acted in a sexually inappropriate way.”

July 2015

Saltash man to be sentence later this month after admitting indecent exposure to young girls

A MAN who has admitted to indecently exposing himself to young girls from his car will be sentenced later this month.

John Leslie Olver of Alamein Road, Saltash appeared at Plymouth Magistrates Court on June 18 where he pleaded guilty to four counts of indecent exposure.

Oliver was arrested on June 16 on suspicion of exposure and charged with four offences at different locations around Plymouth which are understood to have taken place over the previous 12 months.

He has been remanded into custody and will next appear at Plymouth Magistrates Court on July 17.

July 2015

Child abusing beast locked up for 8 years

A child abuser who kept pictures of his victim on his mobile phone has been locked up for eight years.

Richard Ferguson, of Carnforth Avenue, Bispham, took pictures as he sexually assaulted a five-year-old girl in the room where she was sleeping earlier this year.

When police seized the 31-year-old’s phone they found indecent pictures of another girl, also five.

Ferguson pleaded guilty to a string of child sex offences and was sentenced to eight years behind bars followed by eight years on extended licence, the maximum allowed by law.

Speaking after the court hearing at Preston Crown Court, detectives said Richardson was a “risk to the public”.

His crimes came to light after his victim told her family what he had done to her.

Richardson, who was known to the victim’s family, assaulted at an address in Blackpool on March 3.

He went into the room where she had been put down to sleep and abused her.

Police were called after the girl told her family what had happened and when detectives examined his phone they found evidence of his horrific crimes.

Pictures on the device showed him assaulting the five-year-old in what detectives called an “opportunistic” attack.

It was then they discovered indecent images of a second child.

Detectives said he had befriended the family of his second victim over time in order to abuse this victim.

Det Con Andy Gilmour, of Blackpool CID, investigated Ferguson.

He said: “The two offences have seen him act as an opportunist, and also as someone prepared to spend time ingratiating himself with a family in order to create opportunities to offend.”

Det Sgt Mark Dickinson, also of Blackpool CID, added: “He has befriended the family of the second victim over a long period of time.

“Offenders like Ferguson present a clear risk to the public.

“Such crimes are difficult to investigate, not least because of the capacity of such young victims to explain what has happened.

“I’d like to offer reassurance that any reports of sexual offences, new or old, will be dealt with sensitively, thoroughly and professionally, with the interests of the victims and their families being our priority.”

Ferguson was jailed at Preston Crown Court on Tuesday after he pleaded guilty to assault by penetration, sexual assault and making indecent images of children,

He was made the subject of a sexual harm prevention order and a notification requirement indefinitely.

He will also have to pay a £120 victim surcharge.

Anyone who has been the victim of a sexual offence, or knows someone who has, is advised to contact police on 101.

July 2015

12-years in prison for Spanish man who raped 12-year-old girl

A Spanish pervert who raped a 12-year-old girl just 10 days after arriving in the country was jailed for nine years today (Thurs.)

Luis De Los Santos, 27, attacked the youngster, who was dressed in her school uniform after chatting to her at a bus stop in Catford, southeast London.

De Los Santos managed to persuade her to to with him to his lodgings on Laleham Road, where he forced her onto his bed and raped her on January 30 this year.

The sex beast ignored her pleas for him to stop during the 40 minute ordeal before letting her go, Woolwich Crown Court heard.

July 2015

Pervert who said cancer left him impotent faces jail for having sex with under-age girl

A CANCER survivor who argued his treatment left him physically unable to make love faces jail after being convicted of having sex with an under-age schoolgirl.

Sanjay Soni, 41, suggested he was unable even to have sex with his own partner after having a testicle removed four years ago.

But Bolton Crown Court heard he set up a fake Facebook account and used it to groom a 15 year-old girl into believing they were in love.

On Wednesday he wept as a jury found him guilty of engaging in sexual activity with a child, inciting sexual activity with a child and possession of indecent images of a child.

Soni will be sentenced next month and Judge Timothy Stead ordered he be locked up immediately – warning him a jail term was an “inevitability.”

During the six-day trial, the jury heard Soni was arrested after the girl told a dance teacher at her school she was having a relationship with an older man.

Soni had been communicating with her via a fake Facebook page he set up under the name Lucy Lou.

The court heard the pair had discussed online getting married and having children and the girl later told detectives how she believed Soni to be her boyfriend.

Soni had sex with the girl three times in April to December 2013 at his home in Daubhill, Greater Manchester.

In the girl’s police interview, she said she did not enjoy having sex with Soni, and that she did not really want to do it.

In December, 2013, the victim told her teacher that something was upsetting her but she could not say what as it would “change the way the teacher thought of her”.

July 2015

Nantwich man, 54, guilty of child sex charges jailed for 4 years

A Nantwich man has been jailed for more than four years after being found guilty of sexual behaviour involving a 15-year-old child.

Andrew Robinson, 54, from Broomhall, near Sound, was convicted on five counts of inappropriate conduct with a child under the age of 16.

Robinson (pictured) was jailed for 52 months at Chester Crown Court, and placed on the Sexual Offender’s Register.

The former company director will also be subject to a sexual harm prevention order.

Robinson had pleaded guilty to all five counts and was sentenced by Chester Crown Court on Thursday, June 25.

Today, a friend of the victim’s family said there was relief. She cannot be named for legal reasons.

“People need to know about what he did, it should not be brushed under the carpet,” said the friend.

“He pleaded guilty, but he could be out in two years. For the sake of everyone, this needs to be known.”

July 2015

Huyton man caught with huge stash of child abuse images is spared jail because of sick wife

A Huyton man caught with thousands of child sex abuse images was spared jail because he is his sick wife’s sole carer.

William Burton, 49, admitted downloading a stash of sick pictures and videos at his Crosswood Crescent home.

Liverpool Crown Court heard police raided the property at around 6.40am on July 15 last year.

Paul Blasbery, prosecuting, said they seized a computer tower, hard drive and USB stick.

They contained 441 Category A images – the most serious category – 1,643 Category B images and 471 Category C images – the least serious.

Mr Blasbery said there was also one Category A video, seven Category B videos and five Category C videos, plus eight extreme adult porn images.

Burton made no comment when arrested and interviewed by police.

But he was interviewed again in March and admitted responsibilty.

Mr Blasbery said: “He stated that he had searched for the indecent images of children initially by mistake while searching for music.

“Out of curiosity he had clicked on a file title, discovered indecent material then continued to look.

“He said he had been doing it since losing his job in 2011 and was very contrite and remorseful about his behaviour.”

The bearded defendant, with swept back grey hair and wearing a grey suit, white shirt and black tie in the dock, had two previous convictions for unrelated matters.

His wife, who attended the hearing on a mobility scooter, sobbed in court.

Stephen Polson, defending, said the case had caused much anxiety for his client who was now “a very frightened man”.

He said: “Most of his family don’t know. This is going to bring great shame upon the household.

“His wife is present. She has stood by him and written a letter to you.”

Judge Neil Flewitt, QC, accepted Burton had shown genuine remorse.

He said: “The children depicted in these images are the victims of your offending.

“These children have suffered untold harm, physically, psychologically and sexually in the preparation of these images so that people like you, remote from the reality of that harm, can experience your own private pleasure and their pain and suffering.”

Judge Flewitt said the letter from Burton’s wife was “particularly moving”.

He said: “You have been together for very many years and in recent years life has been far from easy.

“She has a number of illnesses and ailments and relies entirely upon you for care and assistance.

“It’s her you have let down by putting her in a situation where you are risking leaving her without your care and support.”

He handed Burton eight months in jail suspended for two years, a two-year supervision order and told him to attend a sex offenders programme.

Judge Flewitt also gave him a seven-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order and said he must sign on the Sex Offenders Register for a decade.

He said: “You have your wife and her letter to thank for the course that I have taken.”

July 2015

Jury determines man, 61, deemed unfit to stand trial, did sexually abuse young girl 35 years ago

A MAN who sexually abused a young girl 35 years ago has been brought to justice despite the fact that he is medically unfit to stand trial as he now has dementia.

Graham Summers, 61, was today found by a jury to have committed three offences of gross indecency and two of indecent assault against the eight-year-old child in 1980.

Summers, who was working as a steward at the then Norfolk Gardens Hotel in Hall Ings, Bradford, developed dementia after his victim, now 42, made her complaint to the police in 2013.

She was molested by Summers, then in his late 20s, when she was staying at a house in Little Horton, Bradford.

He bought her purple sandals and a necklace after telling her the abuse was “their secret”, Bradford Crown Court heard.

Summers, of Thornaby Drive, Clayton, Bradford, was found by medical specialists to be unfit to stand trial because of memory loss owing to dementia.

But a hearing took place to determine if he “did the acts complained of”.

After the jury unanimously agreed that he had, the judge, Recorder Tahir Khan QC, gave Summers an absolute discharge and made a Sexual Harm Prevention Order banning him from contacting his victim.

Prosecutor Nick Adlington told the court that Summers called the child into a bedroom on four consecutive evenings. He touched her indecently and made her perform sex acts on him.

She recalled him saying: “It’s our secret and and I’ll buy you a present at the weekend when I’m paid.”

On the following Saturday, he collected his payslip from the hotel and bought her the shoes and necklace.

“I’d seen some shoes in the town, some little purple sandals that were £35, and there was no way my mum could afford them,” she said.

“I wanted those shoes desperately. They were the absolute bee’s knees.”

The court heard that Summers had no memory of that time and could not engage in the trial process.

He sat outside the courtroom with his carer throughout the day-long hearing.

His lawyer, Tariq Hussain, said Summers had not committed any offences since.

Recorder Khan said the only legal disposals available were a Hospital Order under the Mental Health Act, a supervision order or an absolute discharge.

Summers was not suffering from a treatable psychiatric illness so a Hospital Order was not appropriate.

Mr Hussain said his client could not engage with the probation service for a supervision order.

After the jurors had given their determination, Mr Adlington referred to the case of Greville Janner, who was also found unfit to plead because of dementia.

A decision by director of public prosecutions, Alison Saunders, not to charge him with a string of historic sexual abuse allegations was recently overturned.

Mr Adlington told the court: “Unlike a very high profile case that the members of the jury may be aware of nationally, his (Summers’) disability arose after the start of the case.”

July 2015

Man pleads guilty to child abuse images offences

A man from Red Lodge has pleaded guilty to five child pornography offences.

Mark Flack, 49, of Laburnum Close, appeared today (Thursday) at Ipswich Crown Court.

Flack pleaded guilty to four offences of making an indecent image of a child and one offence of possessing a prohibited image of a child.

The offences were committed Red Lodge and Bury St Edmunds before October 14 last year.

Judge David Goodin told Flack that he would continue to be granted bail until his next court appearance.

Flack is due to be sentenced later this month.

July 2015

Jail for Pontefract mum, 31, found guilty of sexual abusing boy, 14

A mum aged 31 has been jailed for five years after being found guilty of having sex with a 14-year-old boy.

A court heard the youngster had sex with Kerry Horsfall using condoms which he told police officers been given to him in a sex education class at school.

July 2015

Doncaster man behind bars for sexually assaulting schoolgirl

A Doncaster man has been jailed for seven and a half years for sexually assaulting a schoolgirl.

Darren Stevenson, aged 41, of Mayfield Crescent, Rossington, pleaded guilty to four counts of sexual activity with a child.

Sheffield Crown Court heard that between December 2012 and May 2013, Stevenson forced a 15-year-old girl to have sex with him on a number of occasion – warning her not to tell anyone what had happened.

The victim disclosed her ordeal in June 2013 and police began their investigation.

Detective Constable Lee Szedzielarz said: “Stevenson has accepted responsibility for his vile actions, which are completely inexcusable.

“He threatened a vulnerable teenage girl, forcing himself on her for his own sexual gratification.

“She has shown exceptional strength by disclosing her abuse to police and I commend her for this bravery.

“We want to empower more victims of sexual abuse to come forward and report this horrific crime so we can bring offenders to justice.”

April 2010

Braintree man, 23, jailed for having sex with girl, 14

A 23-year-old man has been jailed for three years for having sex with a 14-year-old girl after giving her cannabis.

Kevin Clark, of Cant Way, Braintree, was sentenced at Chelmsford Crown Court on Tuesday for the offence on March 29 last year.

The court heard how Clark, who said he had met the girl on social networking site Bebo, had given her cannabis before having sex with her at his home while his mother and four-year-old child were downstairs.

Judge Rodger Hayward-Smith QC told the defendant he believed he was a “potential danger to children”.

He said: “The law is designed to protect young people from inappropriate sexual activity – even if they are willing – and to protect them from themselves.

“At the time of the offences you were 22, she was only 14. There was an age disparity of eight years. It’s very serious.”

Clark, who admitted possessing cannabis and engaging in sexual activity with a child, was ordered to remain on the sex offenders register for life.

A similar ban was imposed preventing him from working with children.

Anil Patani, prosecuting, said Clark and the girl first met on March 17 last year and then on a number of other occasions before the events of March 29.

July 2015

Police find 200,000 indecent child images on man’s computers – NO prison

A Fife man who was found to have 200,000 indecent child images on the computers in his home has avoided a jail sentence.

The images had been amassed over a period of almost seven years by Neil Comerie, who appeared for sentencing at Dunfermline Sheriff Court yesterday.

Comerie, 45, of Burt Grove, Dunfermline, admitted that between January 1 2008 and October 30 last year, at his home he took or allowed to be taken or made indecent photographs or pseudo- photographs of children.

He also admitted that between the same dates he was in possession of indecent photographs or pseudo-photographs of children.

The home of Comerie, who was accompanied in court by a signer for the deaf, was searched by police and various computers were seized.

The 200,000 images were found on seven computer hard drives examined by forensic investigators.

Defence solicitor Sarah Meehan said her client suffered from “significant difficulties”.

Sheriff Craig McSherry imposed a community payback order with two years supervision and Comerie was also put on the sex offenders register for two years.

July 2015

Pervert who downloaded child abuse photos & films avoids prison

A SALTFORD father-of-two who downloaded “abhorrent” child abuse photos and movies from the internet has been handed a community order comprising of treatment.

Communications consultant Jeremy Nash was arrested after police acting on information received executed a search warrant at his home.

The 55-year-old, of Manor Road, pleaded guilty to 12 charges of making indecent photographs of children.

Judge Michael Roach told him: “You were a man of good character until now, aged 55.

July 2015

Bournemouth Paedophile Jailed Over Child Abuse Images

A Bournemouth man who possessed and distributed multiple indecent images of children has been jailed for five years.

Colin Janaway, 56, pleaded guilty to:

• Nine counts of possessing indecent images of children

• Three counts of distributing indecent images of children

• And a breach of Sex Offenders Prevention Order on Thursday 11 June 2015 at Bournemouth Crown Court.

He was handed the maximum sentence on Thursday 2 July 2015 at the same court and told he would also be placed on the Sex Offenders’ Register indefinitely.

Janaway was arrested in Bournemouth and charged on Thursday 21 May 2015 following an extensive undercover operation.

The court heard that on searching Janaway’s home, officers found thousands of indecent images of very young children and babies on his electronic devices. They were also able to recover images which he had attempted to hide on the Dark Web.

The equipment was found to contain 1105 category A, 1663 category B and 3826 category C indecent moving and still images, with category A being the most serious. There are a further 4630 images to be classified.

Investigating Officer David Baker, of Dorset Police’s Paedophile Online Team, said: “Janaway presented a significant risk and danger to the public. It is therefore right that he was handed the maximum sentence.

“This jail term is a warning to anyone involved in downloading indecent images of children that you will be found and brought to justice.”

July 2015

Pensioner jailed for child sexual abuse offences

A paedophile who preyed on a teenage girl and cut her off from her friends has been jailed for two years today (July 3).

John Bones, 77, of Soloway, Hemel Hempstead was charged with offences which happened between September 1995 and May 1996.

Bones knew the victim through her family as they both had lock-up garages next to each other in the same area of Hemel Hempstead.

St Albans Crown Court heard that the victim, who was in her early teens at the time, would visit Bones in his garage to talk to him about school.

He would also take her out in his car and inappropriately touch her.

Bones would also tell the victim that he loved her, before gradually grooming her and controlling her.

As a result, she was absent from school for long periods of time and gradually lost her friends.

Bones told her that she did not need friends as he was her friend.

He was convicted of two counts of indecent assault.

For the first count he received six months in custody and for the second he received 18 months in custody.

Detective Constable Duncan Montague, who led the investigation, said: “Firstly I would like to commend the victim in this case for coming forward.

“She has shown integrity and immense bravery throughout this case which has been extremely traumatic for her.

“The fact that these incidents happened two decades ago does not detract from the severity of the offences committed by John Bones against his victim.

“John Bones preyed on a vulnerable young girl and groomed her for his own gratification without any regard for her as a person or the law.

“The sentence passed today reflects how appalling his crimes were and I hope it can give some closure to his victim and allow her to continue to live her life.”

July 2015

Paedophile jailed for indecent assault of two girls under 16

A paedophile has been jailed for five years for offences of indecent assault and gross indecency with a child.

Merlin Parish, 48, of Wharf Road, Grays, had abused his victims, two girls, who were aged under 16 at the time of the offences, over a period of about five years. Matters came to light in 2013.

Parish had denied one charge of indecent assault of a child and three charges of gross indecency with a child.

He stood trial this week at Basildon Crown Court and he was found guilty of all the charges yesterday, Thursday July 2.

He was sentenced today to four years for indecent assault, 12 months for one charge of gross indecency, to run consecutively, and 12 months for each of the remaining indecency charges, to run concurrently.

Investigating officer Dc Ben Griffiths, of the Child Abuse Investigation Team based in Brentwood, said: “Parish had denied abusing his victims and put them through the trauma of having to give evidence in court.

“The judge said it was the first time in a very long time that she had been so moved by testimony given in the courtroom.

“I am pleased that justice has been done in this case.”