May 2016

‘Swinger’ jailed for 16 months for downloading indecent images of children

A self-confessed swinger who asked online naturists to send him photographs of their children has been jailed for downloading indecent images of kids as young as four.

Christopher Waters told police many of the people he met through a website called Fab Swingers were interested in nudism and he would ask if their children joined in.

“If they did, he asked them to send him photographs of the children,” prosecutor Simon Sandford told Maidstone Crown Court.

Waters, 59, was arrested in March last year after his lodger spotted such messages on his computer, which was not password locked, asking women on a swinging site if they abused their children.

She then found images depicting girls aged between 10 and 14 in explicit poses and being sexually abused.

Mr Sandford said police were alerted and other still images and movie clips showing semi-naked girls aged four to seven were discovered on the computer, as well as prohibited and extreme pornographic images.

One of the movie clips showing a seven-year-old girl being abused was three-and-a-half minutes long. Another was shared online.

The prohibited images were drawings of sexual activities taking place between adults and children, and extreme pornography involving a horse.

Search terms used on the computer included “family nudist fun” and references to incest.
None of the images found, however, were said to be of victims related to or known by Waters.

Jailing Waters for 16 months, Judge Charles Macdonald QC described him as a dangerous man with no real remorse.

Waters, of Mulberry Close, Meopham, admitted four offences of possessing indecent photos of a child, one of possessing prohibited images of children, one of distributing indecent images of a child and one of possessing an extreme pornographic image.

The images of children were categorised by police as covering all three levels of seriousness.

Mr Sandford told the court Waters denied having a sexual interest in children, despite admitting to performing sex acts with the images or asking naturists for photos of their youngsters.

Judge Macdonald ordered that at the end of the 16-month sentence, of which Waters will serve half behind bars and the rest on licence, he should be subject to a further four months’ supervision.

He must also sign on the sex offenders’ register for 10 years and be subject to a sexual harm prevention order which imposes conditions on his use of the internet.

May 2016

Jobless taxi driver jailed after grooming two schoolgirls on Facebook

A CYBER pervert who groomed two schoolgirls told police his online messaging was “harmless and just my sense of humour”.

David Robinson, 28, was yesterday (Wednesday, May 11) jailed for 16 months for inciting one of the youngsters to engage in sexual activity.

The jobless taxi driver, from Darlington, also told detectives he thought the other girl – aged just 12 – looked 17.

There were gasps and tears in the public gallery at Teesside Crown Court where victims’ relatives were sitting.

Judge Peter Armstrong told Robinson: “You know full well that this sort of behaviour is not to be tolerated.

“It seems to me clearly you had an unhealthy and distorted way of thinking.

“You now accept that this was not something which can be treated as anything of a joke. This was serious as far as your victims were concerned.”

One of the girls said in an impact statement how her schooling suffered and she endures nightmares.

Robinson groomed both on Facebook, paying them compliments and making filthy suggestions, said Shaun Dodds, prosecuting.

He planned to meet them – although that never happened – and told a probation worker his intention was to have sex.

Defence barrister, Simon Perkins, said Robinson became bored after losing his job, which may have contributed to his offending.

“Given this is a computer crime, there is no suggestion of any associated child sex offences like indecent images to give the court grounds for thinking that this is an entrenched inappropriate interest in underage girls,” he added.

“There was no masquerading in this offending and there was no actual activity.”

The court heard how Robinson has one previous conviction for burglary when he was 16 – when he broke into a neighbouring family’s home after they went on holiday and stole a 14-year-old’s underwear.

In this case, he groomed the girls between 2013 and 2014 but was caught after a relative of one of them found massages on her iPod, and then pretended to be the youngster.

When Robinson asked what she was doing, she said she was going shopping with her aunt, said Mr Dodds.

The pervert replied: “Make sure you buy something sexy, some red lace underwear. You can get it from Anne Summers.”

Robinson, who admitted two charges of attempting to meet a child following sexual grooming and one of inciting a child to engage in sexual activity, was also banned from working with under-16s.

Judge Armstrong told him: “Immediate imprisonment must be imposed to deter you and anyone else from thinking it is ok to speak to young girls in this appalling way over Facebook or any other social media.”

Robinson, who moved to Caerphilly after his arrest, was also banned from having unsupervised contact with girls under-16.

May 2016

Felixstowe man awaits sentence over child abuse images and videos

A Felixstowe man is awaiting sentence after admitting having nearly 2,000 indecent images of children and more than 10 videos featuring youngsters.

Adam Haseman, of Langer Road, pleaded guilty at South East Suffolk Magistrates’ Court to two charges of making indecent photographs of a child.

Prosecutor Colette Harper said the 42-year-old was arrested as a result of a trans-Atlantic operation to direct and investigate the use of peer-to-peer file sharing of indecent images.

The operation has access to US law enforcement child protection files and is able to obtain IP addresses for computers.

This ultimately led officers to Haseman’s address.

The court heard the authorities received information on April 2 last year and confirmed an address had been used to download photos of children.

The registered address initially led to Haseman’s stepfather and a search warrant was executed at his home on June 10 last year.

However, his stepfather told police Haseman had set up his computer and they also shared computers.

Officers went to Haseman’s flat and he was arrested.

There was no suggestion that Haseman’s stepfather had known about what was on the two Acer laptops.

When the computers were accessed police found four videos and 99 images at Category A – the most serious level of child sexual abuse images

They also discovered two videos and 147 images at Category B, and six videos and 1,458 images at Category C.

Mrs Harper said on December 15 Haseman spoke to officers and told them he would make a confession.

He had lent a laptop to his stepfather despite downloading the images found.

Haseman told police he wanted to get things off his chest.

But magistrates were told when he was interviewed by police Haseman had a solicitor with him and said he would make no comment.

The court was told Haseman has learning difficulties and has no previous convictions.

Sentencing was adjourned until June 15 to give the opportunity for a pre-sentence report to be compiled.

May 2016

Former scout leader jailed for seven years for sexually abusing boy

An 80-year-old former scout leader has been jailed for seven years for sexually abusing a boy scout.

Clifford Fairhurst committed the offences 50 years ago during the 1960’s.

He was found guilty by a jury at Leicester Crown Court of three counts of indecent assault and three of indecency with a child, when the scout was between 11 and 14 years old.

Fairhurst, of Noble Street, Leicester, denied the offences claiming nothing untoward happened.

The victim, now a retired police officer with 30 years’ service, told the jury that he was a naïve child, who had not even realised he was being abused.

Sentencing, Judge Simon Hammond said: “This defendant was a scoutmaster in Leicester.

“There’s no doubt at all he decided he was going to groom this boy for his own sexual gratification.

“He’d sometimes make him stay behind, after scouts, to play hide-and-seek or murder mystery with the lights off.

“He would take hold of him and put his hand down his shorts.

“It was over a two year period and happened at least a dozen times.

“The other part of the abuse was at Vestry Street Swimming Baths, in Leicester, on about 10 to 12 occasions in a cubicle when helping the boy to dry.

“The victim thought this was a game of fun and felt fortunate and honoured the scoutmaster should treat him in this way – he had no idea it was wrong.”

Further abuse happened in a scout tent in Ireland.

When he became a little older he realised it was wrong but decided to get on with his life, said Philip Gibbs, prosecuting, during the trial.

However, in 2014 he became aware of high profile historic sex cases, involving celebrities, and after watching a programme about abuse on television he broke down and told his wife.

Judge Hammond said: “No-one should minimise the legacy of sexual abuse, even after 50 years; the pain was still there.

“It was still buried there and like a volcano it came before him again.

“A scoutmaster is a man in a position of trust and the boy’s family entrusted him with the care of their son.

“Mitigating features?

“There are none.

“The defendant didn’t even have the moral courage to plead guilty and he denied doing anything wrong – he lied.”

Judge Hammond said it was important for the victim to know was believed by the jury and said he hoped he could find comfort from that and “move on with his life.”

Clive Stockwell, defence counsel, said after the unanimous guilty verdicts that the judge should take into account the defendant’s age, health and the fact he had already served a long sentence in 2005, for offences committed many years after these offences.

May 2016

Man admits killing 15-week-old baby boy after losing temper

A man has admitted killing a 15-week old baby boy by shaking him in a fit of anger.

Paul Burgess, 25, from Dumfries, who was originally charged with murder, pled guilty to the lesser charge of culpable homicide of Zaiidyn Burke on October 27, 2012.

The High Court in Glasgow heard that while Zaiidyn’s distraught parents were at his bedside, Burgess went to a Halloween party dressed in a costume and then went out drinking.

Baby Zaiidyn died on October 29, 2012 after his parents agreed to take him off a life support system as he had un-survivable brain injuries.

The court heard that Burgess was left in charge of the baby for just over an hour between 1.20pm and 2.30pm while his mother took a four-year-old girl to hospital after she fell and struck her head on a coffee table.

Prosecutors believe he lost his temper while trying to feed the baby and then launched the attack.

Advocate depute Iain McSporran, prosecuting, said: “The accused was left to care for the baby, including giving him a feed.”

The court heard the accused, who had started a relationship with the mother some weeks after she gave birth to Jaiidyn, had previously done this without incident.

At 2.20pm he sent the mother a text asking how long she would be. When she entered the living room ten minutes later Burgess seemed nervous.

Jaiidyn was in his bouncy chair and had been changed out of his pyjamas into day wear.

Mr McSporran said: “The accused indicated a full bottle of milk on a table explaining that the baby had only taken a few mouthfuls. He went on to say the baby had choked a little, but he had patted his back and “sorted it” before putting him in the bouncy chair.”

The mother was surprised at this as he was normally a good feed and immediately looked at her son and realised something was far wrong. His lips and face were turning blue and he appeared completely lifeless.

She picked up her son and placed him on the couch and gently shook him, but there was no response.

The accused carried out chest compressions, while she phoned 999. The mother was too frantic and upset to assist the emergency call handler and passed the phone to Burgess, whose very calm demeanour struck the call handler as unusual.

The baby was taken to Dumfries and Galloway Royal Infirmary and then transferred to Yorkhill Hospital in Glasgow.

The baby’s father Lee Burke was at Ms Caven’s side when Zaiidyn died in her arms at 4.25pm on October 29.

They were described by hospital staff as “hysterical and distraught” in contrast to Burgess who appeared unconcerned, detached and very matter of fact.

The court was told that a CT scan of the baby’s head and spine at Dumfries showed the type of brain injury caused in baby shaking cases. A consultant opthalmologist who examined the baby at Yorkhill Hospital confirmed the presence of haemorrhages in the eyes suggestive of a shaken baby.

He said that the extent and degree of the haemorrhaging was the worst he had seen since qualifying as a doctor in 1993.

Ms Caven and Burgess later broke up after he appeared in court charged with murder. Mr McSporran told the court: “The relationship ended during the sheriff court proceedings as the truth dawned on her.

“There was no evidence that would explain the sudden change in the baby’s health that afternoon. He had been healthy and alert when left in the sole care of the accused – and unresponsive an hour later.”

“The sheriff concluded that the accused had been required unexpectedly and at short notice to look after the baby.

“The sheriff found that Zaiidyn was the victim of an assault causing fatal injuries and that the accused was responsible for that assault.

“The Crown accepts that the accused, for some reason as yet unknown, but most probably associated with difficulty feeding the baby, suffered a loss of temper and shook him with sufficient force to cause fatal brain injuries.”

Judge Lord Boyd deferred sentence until next month for background reports and remanded Burgess in custody. Defence QC Edward Targowski will give his plea in mitigation then.

May 2016

Pizza delivery driver jailed for sex attack on 15-year-old girl

A pizza shop driver tried to take advantage when he realised three teenage girls at a house he was delivering to were on their own, a court heard.

Mohammed Shahab Mahboubian was yesterday (Tuesday May 10) given a seven-and-a-half year prison sentence after admitting sexually assaulting one of the girls, who he was said to have virtually “abducted”.

Durham Crown Court heard the 37-year-old returned with a further delivery and repeatedly knocked at the door, asking to come in for a slice of pizza.

After two of the girls eventually came out, he urged one to “come for a ride in my car.” The court was told he added: “If you don’t come for a ride, I’ll hurt you.”

Mahboubian, of Spennymoor, County Durham, told her he was only going to drive up and down but when she got in, asked her age.

Robin Turton, prosecuting, said when she replied she was 15, he told her she was too young for sex.

He asked other questions, including where she lived, as he drove to a remote spot where he forced her to kiss him.

Mr Turton said Mahboubian also indecently touched the girl, who later said she did not want anything to happen, but “froze”.

She eventually told him her friends would be wondering what was happening to her, so he drove back to the house and dropped her off.

One of the girl’s friends rang to tell her grandmother and police were alerted.

Mahboubian was arrested that night and would not confirm whether sexual contact had taken place.

Mr Turton said all three girls at the house picked him out in an identification parade but he made a prepared statement in which he denied it, despite a neighbour saying she saw the girl getting in his car.

Mahboubian, 37, of North Drive, Spennymoor, previously denied two counts of sexual assault and one of rape on November 29.

But, on the day his trial, Mahboubian admitted the two counts of sexual assault, and the prosecution agreed to leave the rape charge to “lie on the file”.

Glenn Carrasco, mitigating, said the Iranian-born defendant, who is of previous good character, has worked for five years since coming to Britain, and has settled here with his family.

He added it was not a planned offence, and Mahboubian did drop the girl back home after the incident.

Jailing him, Judge Christopher Prince said the defendant tried to take advantage when he realised no adults were present, before, “effectively” abducting the girl.

He made Mahboubian subject of sex offenders’ registration for life and a sexual harm prevention order, “until further order”.

October 2001

DJ guilty of sex attack on girl, two

Photo is recent

A WEDDING party DJ who jumped bail during his trial for indecently assaulting a two-year-old girl and had to be CS gassed after a police chase, was yesterday convicted of the offence and told he faced jail.

Jeremy Britton, 34, of Station Road, Sway, failed to appear at Bournemouth Crown Court on Wednesday morning – the third day of his trial. It wasn’t until the early afternoon that police spotted him driving his car near Christchurch.

They pursued him to the banks of the river at Iford where he parked his car and ran. Officers sprayed him with CS gas before he could enter the water and escape.

The defendant, previously bailed to his home address, was remanded in custody and the case resumed on Thursday.

Jurors were not told of Britton’s bail offence until they had delivered their verdict.

After the jury convicted him of the charge, which related to an incident at a wedding party at the Springfield Hotel in Wareham on December 17 last year, Judge Stuart Harington told Britton he would remain in custody while pre-sentence reports were prepared.

Judge Harington said: “You should know that as you go from here you go with the probability that when you return you will receive a custodial sentence.”

The jury had heard from prosecutor, Stephen Dent, that Britton changed his version of events for a third time when confronted by DNA evidence.

When first confronted about the offence, which took place in a toilet, by the girl’s mother just after 12.21am Britton denied it, saying to the girl: “We were dancing, weren’t we?”

After that he told police he had been drunk and had gone to the toilet to be sick and had not seen the little girl.

When told four months later that his salival DNA had been found on the girl’s clothing Britton said he had been instructed by his solicitor to lie in the initial interview and came up with another version of events.

This time he claimed the girl had been sitting on the toilet in a cubicle he entered to be sick while very drunk and he moved her from the seat.

February 1998

Jail for sex case social worker

A SOCIAL worker who had sex with a 15-year-old boy in her care was last night locked up in Cornton Vale prison.

Vicki McIntosh, 26, wept as she was jailed for nine months after admitting to having sex with the teenager in her car. She was also ordered to be put on the sex offenders’ register for 10 years.

The boy’s mother said: ”I’m glad. But prison is too good for her. She should rot in hell for what she did to my boy.”

McIntosh, a mother of two, was one of a group of care workers entrusted by Falkirk Social Services to run a home for children from troubled backgrounds.

Depute fiscal Valerie Barber-Fleming told Falkirk Sheriff Court McIntosh started as a relief care worker in 1991, employed by Central Regional Council in children’s homes in the Falkirk area. She was appointed to a full-time post in a children’s home in 1995.

She was suspended when her offences came to light in July and she resigned last August.

The fiscal said that her 15-year-old victim was put in care after ”problems at home”.

Early last year, the boy asked McIntosh for £10 to buy alcohol.

Mrs Barber-Fleming said: ”She agreed and withdrew #10 from her bank and gave it to him. She then drove him to Airth in her car.

”The car stopped there and, according to the man, the accused asked him what he most wanted to do at that time – implying she wanted to have intercourse with him. He said he wanted wine and hash and said she wouldn’t take no for an answer. The accused kissed him and they had intercourse.”

The fiscal said: ”There is no suggestion that he was forced physically. But it was suggested.”

In July, the boy had been drinking in a park with a female friend. They met McIntosh in Falkirk town centre. The girl attacked McIntosh with a bottle and the boy went to help the care worker.

McIntosh was injured, said the fiscal, and she and the boy drove to Slamannan and had intercourse in a wooded area.

Police launched a hunt for the teenager when he was reported, by the mother of the boy’s friend, as having been abducted.

Police found them near McIntosh’s home in Bainsford, Falkirk.

The fiscal said when he got back to the children’s home, the boy was ”in considerable distress. He had locked himself in the toilet. He was crying and asked to be left alone. He was very distraught.”

McIntosh was prosecuted on two charges of ”shameless indecency”.

Her lawyer, Mr Paddy Imray, yesterday complained about certain press coverage of the case since McIntosh pled guilty three weeks ago. He told Sheriff Andrew Murphy: ”A newspaper article paints her as a seductress. The picture presented in these articles is an extra strand of humiliation that Mrs McIntosh has had to face.”

Mr Imray said the victim’s mother was a single parent and most of the family had been in care at some stage ”due to difficulties in coping with her family”.

He said the boy was over six feet tall, fully developed, and had appeared in court on indictment in the past on a serious assault charge. He was eventually admonished on a reduced charge of breach of the peace.

The lawyer said: ”Since these incidents, he’s had various problems. But my information is that he had these problems before these incidents.”

Mr Imray stressed that the second offence happened when the boy was not in McIntosh’s care and asked the sheriff not to jail her. He said she had two children, a four-year-old boy and a three year-old girl.

”The younger child has a heart defect,” he added.

”At the time of the first incident the marriage was under stress, partly because of the health of the child and other reasons. They were not getting on well.”

Jailing McIntosh for nine months, Sheriff Andrew Murphy told her: ”As you know yourself, when you are in a position such as you were dealing with adolescents who are suggestible and manipulative, you’ve got to be above reproach in matters both moral and sexual and can’t allow yourself to be involved emotionally with adolescents under your charge.”

Last night, Mr Imray said an appeal against the sentence would be lodged at the High Court today.

After McIntosh’s first court appearance, Falkirk Council said lessons had been learned and new arrangements had been made for the supervision of staff and young people in their care. The council added: ”We regret the distress caused to the boy and the other young people in the home.”

March 2016

Plymouth man viewed indecent images of children

A MAN who viewed more than 4,000 indecent images of children has been told that he supported a “vile trade” of exploiting abuse.

Justin Stone, aged 40, looked at thousands of internet pictures, some of the most appalling kind, a court heard.

A judge said that by viewing the images he was perpetuating the suffering of child abuse victims.

Judge Ian Lawrie ordered that Stone be held in a cell for more than an hour – but suspended his prison sentence.

He told Plymouth Crown Court: “These children are robbed of their innocence at any early stage of their lives. You should reflect on the misery your viewing would have helped cause to someone somewhere around the globe.”

Judge Lawrie said some of the images were “appalling”.

Stone, of Hallerton Close, Leigham, admitted seven charges of making or downloading indecent images of children.

They included about 250 Category A images, the most vile type featuring children being abused.

The court heard that images had been viewed over almost five years on his laptop.

Richardo Childs, for the Crown Prosecution Service, said police acting on intelligence about internet use from the National Crime Agency raided Stone’s former home in Langdale Gardens, Estover, in June 2014.

He immediately admitted that he had viewed indecent images of children.

Dr Childs said police found more than 4,200 pictures dating back to 2009.

Ali Rafati, for Stone, who has no previous convictions, said he was in a healthy adult relationship with a woman who was standing by him.

Judge Lawrie imposed a 20-month prison sentence, suspended for two years, under probation supervision.

The court heard that probation officers would address his sexual offending, though not through an accredited course.

Stone must pay £535 costs and will sign the sex offender register for a decade.

May 2016

Pervert church elder found guilty of five counts of sexual assault and flashing in Dailly

As a respectable church elder and community councillor, Michael Clark acted like a pillar of society.

The married grandfather laboured over a perfect cottage garden and kept his country home near Dailly spic and span.

But the true man has been revealed as an opportunistic ‘Jekyll and Hyde’ who preyed on females who strayed across his path.

The pervert was found guilty of sexual assault and flashing at Ayr Sheriff Court last week as he stood in the dock accused of 11 crimes.

The court was told that a schoolgirl had ‘ran the fastest in her life’ to escape the lecherous 66-year-old

The jury found him guilty of luring her into his bungalow, groping her bottom and pressing himself against her in the summer of 2004.

The teenager ran off through a field but he jumped in his car and sped after her. He turned up at her home but she locked him out.

Another 55-year-old lady described Clark as “Jekyll and Hyde” and said his “circus trousers” were “always up like a big tent” .

He grabbed his crotch and pleasured himself while chatting to her over the fence.

Clark – a former church elder in Dailly and member of the village community council – also exposed himself to an elderly widow.

As she drove past his lawn he dropped his trousers, exposing his privates. In another incident, he flashed while sitting in the driving seat of his car after the 71-year-old victim came to his vehicle window.

Father-of-two Clark lived in Kilgrammie Cottage with wife Ann until 2013 before moving to Aberfeldy in Perthshire.

The former management consultant and soldier who worked at Turnberry Hotel has now been added to the sex offenders register.

His wife Ann said the accusations surprised her. She said: “It is all just very unreal.”

The sex pest struck between 2003 and 2010, mostly while gardening. He denied all accusations, claiming the teenage victim was telling a “pack of lies”. But his protests of innocence crumbled in the court room after the jury found him guilty of five charges.

The jury unanimously found him guilty of causing the 55-year-old woman to see his privates and pleasuring himself in front of her.

The father-of-two was also convicted of indecently exposing himself to the widow.

They found him guilty by majority of sexually assaulting and pursuing the school girl in 2004.

But he was cleared of groping her sister’s bottom and chest after producing evidence that he had been away from Ayrshire staying in a hotel at the time of accusation.

The jury also returned a not guilty verdict that he sexually assaulted and uttered dirty remarks to a 67-year-old lady, and four charges were found not proven.

Sheriff Desmond Leslie has deferred sentencing for reports.

May 2016

Sex predator subjected girl to campaign of rapes from the age of three

A sex predator who subjected a girl to a campaign of rapes and sex attacks from the age of three has been jailed for 10 years.

Shawn Stevenson repeatedly abused the youngster in a series of sordid attacks spanning many years.

The pervert was also caught with indecent images and recordings of children, including the girl, on his computer.

Now Stevenson, 22, from Dunston, Gateshead, has been branded a danger and locked up at Newcastle Crown Court.

He admitted 21 sex offences, including multiple child rapes, child sexual assaults, voyeurism and possessing indecent images of children.

Sentencing him to 10 years with an extended licence period until 2030, Judge Tim Gittins told him: “You have destroyed virtually all her childhood with your campaign of sexual abuse.

“It’s clear there will be severe psychological trauma to her. I hope she now has the strength to rebuild her life.

“It’s clear from the pre-sentence report you are and remain a danger to young females by way of similar such behaviour.”

The court heard the girl was first raped when she was three and there were then repeated further attacks.

Stevenson had also asked the girl to send him pictures of her friends.

When the truth came out about what he had been doing, the victim revealed he had been abusing her since she was three.

Police were called and when they examined Stevenson’s computer they found a recording of the girl.

There were also 99 indecent images which he had downloaded from the internet.

As well as the prison sentence, Stevenson must sign the sex offenders’ register indefinitely and was made subject to a sexual harm prevention order for 14 years.

Jane Waugh, defending, said: “He was only a boy himself when these offences began, although he was an adult towards the end of the offending.

“When he was confronted he accepted it and admitted it and went on to tell the police far more than [the victim] had done. He was full and frank with his admissions.

“He felt very isolated when he was young.

“Although what he has done is terrible, he is but a young man himself. He is wanting and willing to change.”

May 2016

Retired police officer found with child sex images

A retired police officer whose role involved protecting children from abuse was found in possession of indecent images of children as young as six being raped

Robert Branney, formerly of Devon and Cornwall Police, said he was addicted to the images, and also admitted having an image of a sex act with a dog.

The 69-year-old has been handed an eight-month suspended jail sentence at Truro Crown Court.

Judge Christopher Harvey Clark said he had brought shame on his family.

The judge him asked how he could “sink so low” and said he should leave the court “with your head bowed in shame”.

Branney, of Treverbyn Gardens, St Austell, Cornwall, admitted possessing indecent images of children, making an indecent image, and possessing an extreme image portraying a sexual act with an animal.

The court heard Branney had been a police officer for 28 years, and spent four years working in child protection, helping to protect children from sexual abuse from adults.

Nigel Hall, prosecuting, said Branney, who retired in 2001, had “too much time on his hands”.

As well as viewing the images, he visited chat rooms to talk to other offenders before his arrest in August last year.

When police visited him, Branney said “I know why you’re here”.

The officers said “why?” and he replied “child pornography”.

Police inspected his laptop computer and found images and a film in the most severe category A which showed young children being raped by adults

He told police he “dreamt of getting rid of it all” but it was like an addiction.

May 2016

Rochdale man jailed for string of sex offences

Justin Bingham from Milnrow has been sentenced to 12 months in prison after pleading guilty to:

• Two charges of inciting a girl under sixteen to commit an act of gross indecency

• One charge of making indecent photo of a child

• One charge of possessing an indecent photograph of a child

• One charge of producing a controlled drug of class B cannabis

Bingham met the victim at a pub in Rochdale in 2001 when she was aged 14, from this point the pair began to see each other and engaged in a sexual relationship.

This continued for several years, during which time Bingham would pick the victim up from school.

May 2016

Music teacher indecently assaulted nine-year-old child in his home

A music teacher jailed for indecently assaulting a pupil in his home 25 years earlier has lost an appeal against conviction.

Breffni O’Rourke (67), who was living in Ferrybank, Waterford at the time of his trial had pleaded not guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to indecently assaulting the then nine-year-old girl in his Stamullen home in June 1987.

He was found guilty by a jury and sentenced to two years imprisonment with the final 12 months suspended by Judge Desmond Hogan on July 30, 2012.

The Court of Appeal dismissed his appeal against conviction today on a number of grounds.

Giving judgment, Mr Justice Garrett Sheehan said O’Rourke was single at the time and resided alone in a cottage. He was employed in credit control in a public company but also gave music lessons in his spare time.

At some point in 1985, the injured party began music lessons with O’Rourke. The lessons subsequently moved to O’Rourke’s home.

As part of his “modus operandi” it was alleged that he tickled the complainant as a preparatory act to the indecent assault.

There was evidence the complainant initially disclosed what had happened to a teacher in 1992 and this was referred to the ISPCC.

She subsequently attended a garda station in 2000 but apparently broke down and was unable to advance the complaint.

However, while attending third level college she met with a counsellor from the Rape Crisis Centre and in May 2003, a formal complaint was made.

Mr Justice Sheehan said the argument that the absence of notes from the 1992 meeting prejudiced O’Rourke was essentially a speculative one.

It was also weakened by the fact that the maker of the notes was available for cross examination, a right that was availed of at trial in a minimal way. The prejudice, as contended by O’Rourke’s barrister Colman Cody SC, was “minimal”, Mr Justice Sheehan said.

Mr Justice Sheehan said the trial judge adequately dealt with the issue of delay and it was clear that the defence case was summarised fairly.

The court could not see how a number of other matters such as criticism of the gardai for not interviewing other parents or for investigating the colour of O’Rourke’s van, “could have advanced” his defence.

Mr Justice Sheehan, who sat with Mr Justice Alan Mahon and Mr Justice John Edwards, dismissed the appeal.

May 2016

Father-of-three jailed after abusing vulnerable teenager

A NEWPORT father-of-three has been sentenced to five years in prison after grooming and abusing a “vulnerable” teenage girl.

Christian Morse, aged 42, of Moorland Park, previously pleaded guilty to possessing a prohibited image but denied six other charges, including sexual activity with a child under 16 and inciting a child under 16 to engage in sexual activity.

A jury found him guilty of all contested charges on April 28. He had been on remand ahead of his sentencing at Cardiff Crown Court on Wednesday.

Prosecutor Heath Edwards told the court that Morse abused the girl on two separate occasions.

Defending, Susan Ferrier said that Morse had just one previous conviction for benefit fraud.

She said: “I cannot argue with the fact that there was a degree of grooming in this case.

“But he desisted after the two occasions. What brought this matter to the court was that he resumed contact with her, having seen her and pursued her through messages.

“The impact of this case will of course be felt by Mr Morse but also those behind him in this case. They’re struggling to cope with the fact that Mr Morse is no longer with them.”

Summing up, Judge Michael Fitton said the teenager became infatuated with Morse because he behaved like a “flirty boyfriend” towards her.

He said: “You were friendly towards her and supportive to her when she was going through a period of teenage lack of confidence and poor self-esteem.

“When you did what you did, you knew perfectly well how wrong it was. As a father of young girls, you were entirely aware of the inappropriateness of what you did.

“You knew you were committing serious sexual assaults on a girl [who was] too young to consent to your conduct.”

Judge Fitton handed down a five-year concurrent sentence for the sexual activity with a girl under 16 charge; a three-year concurrent sentence for inciting a girl under 16 to engage in sexual activity; and a four-month concurrent sentence for possessing a prohibited image.

Fitton also ordered issued an indefinite sexual harm prevention order for Morse.

As part of the order, Morse will be unable to:

• Contact the victim;

• Live in the same house as a child under 16 unless approved by social services;

• Have unsupervised contact with a child under 16;

• Download file cleaning software;

• Use a device that can store images unless he allows it to be inspected;

• Use an incognito browser;

• Use aliases;

• Delete his internet history.

June 2007

Priest who adored rapist friend

A parish priest from County Kerry, Father Jeremiah McGrath, has been jailed for five years in Liverpool for arranging and facilitating the rape of a young girl in 2005.

William Adams, from Belfast, (pictured below) pleaded guilty to repeatedly raping the 12-year-old girl in England.

It was his third paedophile conviction and the judge gave him seven and a half years.

Father McGrath, first met William Adams in a hostel for the homeless in Dublin in 1988.

The two men developed a sexual relationship.

McGrath told the court he was “besotted” by Adams and loved him.

“I don’t think he loved me”, McGrath told the court in Liverpool.

At this stage Adams had already been to jail in the Republic for abusing a young girl and had admitted as much to the priest.

A year after they met, McGrath moved away from Dublin to begin parish work elsewhere. In the meantime, Adams raped an eight-year-old girl in the Republic and went on the run.

The priest gave Adams money to allow him travel to Scotland to avoid arrest.

But Adams was arrested and received a 12-year-sentence for the rape.

When he got out of prison after just six years, Adams moved to Bootle near Liverpool and with financial help from McGrath rented a flat.

Described in court as a “predatory paedophile”, William Adams was soon on the prowl again for a new victim.

In 2005, he made contact with a Liverpool family with two children.

It was the perfect target.

The girl’s parents had split up. The mother was an alcoholic. The family was described as “dysfunctional”.

Adams befriended them – using the name Adamson.

Soon he was plying the young girl with presents, including a mobile phone.

He would use this to contact the girl behind the family’s back and lure her away.

Before long, Adams had taken the girl to his Bootle flat and raped her. At the same time he paid for her gifts, clothes, meals and hair styling.

But he also threatened her.

The girl told the court by video link: “He said he would batter me… I was scared in case he battered me.”

At the time William Adams was unemployed and receiving social security.

Yet, despite his apparent lack of wealth, he took the girl with him to Blackpool for her 12th birthday.

Adams lavished presents, entertainment and food on her. But every night for three nights, the girl told the police, Adams raped her.

Adams took the girl back to Blackpool, along with her mother and young brother, for a three-week holiday to Blackpool. Father McGrath would eventually join them.

To most people it looked like a family unit; Adams as the father of the girl and McGrath as Adams’s uncle. But there was absolutely no family relationship between the three.

Yet the hotel would set a place card on the dinner table inscribed, “The Adamson family”.

They believed William Adams was the young girl’s father and that the priest was Adams’s uncle. McGrath never challenged this. He never spoke out when Adams claimed the girl was his daughter.

The priest just told the court, “I didn’t tell anybody I wasn’t his uncle”. Yet he had admitted he already knew Adams background as a paedophile.

The Adamson Family

And why the name tag – The Adamson Family? Didn’t he wonder what this was all about?

“It didn’t matter to me what the name was”, McGrath told the court.

“Didn’t you wonder why he (Adams) wasn’t using his own name?”

“It didn’t matter to me”.

“You sent him mail in that name.”

“Because he asked me to,” replied McGrath

“You didn’t say a word to anyone?” McGrath was asked in court.

He answered “No”.

“Didn’t you think you had a responsibility to warn the family about the sort of person Billy Adams was?”

“No”.

If he was unemployed, where did Adams get all the money from to groom the girl? Witnesses told of money being spent like it was going out of fashion.

Month after month, regular sums of £3,000 were placed in a joint account set up by the two men. McGrath insisted the money was from Adams winning at the bookies. But it was claimed in court he had given Adams more than £23,000 over eight months.

McGrath certainly knew Adams was a twice-convicted paedophile.

But even when the girl’s family confronted Father McGrath with Adams’ real history, he still denied it.

And he did nothing to prevent William Adams from seeing the girl again, even though social services by now had warned Adams off contacting the girl.

Instead, McGrath paid the rent of the flats in Blackpool that Adams would use.

Eventually in late November 2005, the girl told a family friend what Adams had done to her and Adams was arrested and charged with raping her. He eventually pleaded guilty to raping and assaulting the girl.

After searching McGrath’s house, police found a character reference McGrath had written to a judge. It was for William Adams who was due in court on a drink driving charge.

The letter read: “As a Catholic priest and uncle of William…” But McGrath wasn’t William Adams’ uncle.

He admitted in court: “I shouldn’t have done it. It wasn’t true.”

“It was a deliberate lie, Father McGrath, wasn’t it?”, insisted the prosecution.

“I know it’s a lie but I didn’t do it deliberately.”

McGrath claimed he was blind to what was really happening.

“I knew the nature of the allegation but he claimed he didn’t do it,” McGrath had already told the court. “He could do no wrong in my eyes.”

“The tragedy of that, Father McGrath, is that Billy Adams was able to corrupt this child under your nose,” said the prosecution

After being arrested, Adams had written to McGrath to ask the priest to help him make bail. McGrath had written a reply.

“You know me. Anything that is possible I’ll do it… it was a very difficult time. We gave it our best shot. At least it was a good year, 2005 and please God next year will be just as good… thanks for everything you did for me.”

“God didn’t have much to do with this,” observed the prosecution. McGrath has been suspended by the Catholic church until they can decide his future.

September 2015

29-year-old sentenced to 3 years and 8 months for possession and distribution of indecent photos of children

May 2016

Pervert jailed for possession indecent photographs of young children

A man caught with indecent photographs of young children has been jailed for 12 months.

Pervert Derek Hartley stored the shock images he had taken between December 2002 and November 2014 on a computer police found in his home.

The 48-year-old, who had been charged on indictment and pled guilty at a previous appearance at Falkirk Sheriff Court, was back last Thursday for sentence.

Sheriff John Mundy was forced to recall the case after Hartley’s lawyer, John Mullholland, explained he could no longer represent him because Hartley now questioned the plea and the content of background reports prepared on him by social workers.

Sheriff Mundy said he could not pass sentence without Hartley being legally represented and adjourned until he could be interviewed by the duty solicitor.

When he returned to the dock later, defence lawyer Simon Hutchison spoke on his behalf.

Mr Hutchison said: “I have gone over the charges and the reports and advised Mr Hartley to accept that the guilty plea is the one that should have been made.”

The lawyer added: “This is a man who needs assistance and a man society needs protection from.”

Sheriff Mundy said that given the guidelines there was no alternative to a custodial sentence.

He also placed Hartley, from Woodburn Avenue, Redding, on the sex offenders register for ten years and agreed with a Crown motion that his computer equipment be confiscated.

May 2016

Man admits string of sex offences against girl

A BOW STREET man was warned to expect “a very lengthy” prison sentence after he admitted a string of sex offences against a girl.

Christopher Jordan, 42, appeared before Judge Keith Thomas at Swansea Crown Court for a plea and trial preparation hearing.

But his barrister, Dyfed Thomas, told the court there would be no need for a trial as he wished to enter­ pleas of guilty as soon as possible.

Jordan, of Pen-y-Garn, admitted sexual activity with a child and also enter­ed guilty pleas to three charges of taking indecent photographs of a child.

Mr Thomas said Jordan wished to be sentenced there and then.

He said he appreciated that only a very lengthy prison sentence would be the outcome.

But Judge Keith Thomas said the offending was so serious he would have to consider whether to pass an extended sentence.

He said he would sentence Jordan on 20 May after a probation officer had prepared a report into his background and made recommendations.

Jordan was remanded in custody meanwhile.

May 2016

Barkerend man jailed for six years for attempted rape and sexual assault

A MAN described as a “ticking sexual timebomb” has been jailed today for six years.

Would-be rapist Ryan Allen, 21, subjected a Bradford sex worker to a degrading attack on New Year’s Day, the court heard.

Judge Jonathan Rose said Allen’s offending as a juvenile demonstrated a clear pattern of sexual activity with vulnerable females over whom he had exercised some dominance.

“You have in the past used violence in order to achieve sexual objectives,” said Judge Rose.

Allen, of Airedale Road, Barkerend, Bradford, was initially charged with rape offences in relation to the offences against the two young girls, but after he admitted alternative sexual offences he was made the subject of youth rehabilitation orders.

Bradford Crown Court heard that Allen had also been put on the sex offender register, but he breached the notification requirements by failing to tell the authorities where he was living in 2012 and 2015.

On New Year’s Eve, Allen had been drinking heavily and taking cocaine when he came across his victim, who cannot be identified, as she was going to meet a friend in the Soho Street area, off Thornton Road, at about 6.30am.

Allen, who had been at a nightclub, asked the woman if she was “doing business” and she agreed to perform sex acts for £20.

But Judge Rose highlighted the fact that Allen had no money on him at the time and added: “You were under the influence of alcohol and drugs. You were going to have your sexual pleasure come what may.”

Prosecutor Michael Collins said the sex worker became concerned when Allen exposed himself and tried to get her to follow him to a more secluded area.

As she began to walk away Allen “launched” himself on her and overpowered her.

Mr Collins said Allen repeatedly punched the sex worker in the head and body and kicked her legs causing her to lose her balance.

As the woman tried to scream for help Allen held his hand over her mouth and called her “a dirty, cheap slag”.

Despite her efforts to fight him off, Allen sexually assaulted the complainant and only stopped the attack when a resident shouted at him and he ran away.

Allen was arrested on an area of waste ground after the sex worker alerted the police, but he denied being responsible for the attack.

At an earlier court hearing, Allen pleaded guilty to charges of attempted rape and sexual assault and Judge Rose said he was sure that the defendant would have gone on to rape his victim but for the intervention of the member of the public.

In addition to the six-year jail term, Allen was also told his licence period was going to be extended by four years due to the danger he posed to the public.

Judge Rose, who branded Allen a “ticking sexual timebomb”, also ordered him to register as a sex offender with the police for the rest of his life. He will also be subject to an indefinite sexual harm prevention order which includes a ban on entering red-light districts in Bradford, Leeds and Huddersfield.