January 2017

Man pleads guilty to child sex offences

A man has pleaded guilty at Maidstone Crown Court for planning to sexually abuse a child.

Peter Rider travelled from his home in Norwich to an address in Surrey after he arranged to abuse a six-year-old girl with a man he believed to be her step-father.

Unbeknown to Mr Rider, he was in fact communicating with an undercover officer from the Kent Police, Paedophile Online Investigation Team.

The 40 year old also pleaded guilty to four counts of possessing indecent images of children.

January 2017

Pensioner caught with child abuse images

A pensioner caught with child abuse images on his computer claimed he only viewed the material to help cure his erectile dysfunction.

Robert Sibley, 67, amassed a huge collection of extreme images while scouring the internet for depraved sex scenes.

The granddad from Harrogate, North Yorkshire, viewed more than 146,000 pornographic photos, including sex scenes featuring animals.

Though the vast majority were legal, 127 featured child sexual abuse

York Crown Court heard Sibley told police he had been looking at extreme material after suffering erectile dysfunction in the hope he could cure himself.

Prosecuting, Lorraine Harris said: “He said he initially used Viagra but found it expensive.

“He said he had watched all types of pornography including bestiality.”

The court heard Sibley had searched for terms such as ‘Paedo girl’ and ‘bestiality’.

Police swooped on his home in August and charged him with possessing indecent images of children.

He admitted the offence and was handed a 12-month jail term, suspended for two years.

Defending, Peter Minnikin said: “He has suffered from erectile problems for a considerable period of time and started looking for legal pornographic images in order to try and combat that (condition) in some way.

“In essence he started seeking out more extreme material to see if it would have a reaction upon him. He is insistent that it did not.”

Sentencing, Judge Andrew Stubbs QC said: “It’s a concern that he’s developed this substantial interest in young children, who suffered appalling abuse.”

Sibley was also placed on the Sex Offenders Register for 10 years and made subject to given a Sexual Harm Prevention Order which will severely restrict his internet use.

In addition, Mr Stubbs ordered him to carry out 100 hours’ unpaid work and pay £425 costs.

January 2017

St Andrews medical student caught with child abuse images 

A MEDICAL student had his flat raided in an FBI crackdown on a malicious computer programme – only for cops to instead find he had a stash of child abuse images and videos.

James Cottrill avoided a jail term over the find at his student digs in St  Andrews, where he stayed while training to become a doctor.

A court heard the find had had a “catastrophic effect on his career plans” – with Cottrill now working as a manager at a ski equipment shop in Tignes, France.

American federal authorities co-ordinated a worlwide operation after the so-called BlackShades “malware” infected over half a million computers around the world.

Cottrill was initially accused of “making or supplying” a user guide for the virus.

But when his computer was fully examined by police e-crime experts they found a stash of sick child abuse images.

Fiscal depute Eilidh Robertson told Dundee Sheriff Court: “On the laptop there were six images at category A – the highest level – five at category B and three at category C.

“On his hard drive there were three category A, one category B and three category C – all movies.

“There were a further 12 category A still images, nine category B and 13 category C.”

Cottrill, 23, of Danescourt Road, Tettenhall, Wolverhampton, pleaded guilty on indictment to charges of downloading and possessing indecent images of children.

His not guilty pleas to five charges of sending written sexual communications to children asking them to expose themselves on webcams were accepted by the Crown.

Defence solicitor Douglas Williams said: “He accepts the offences are serious.”

Sheriff Alastair Brown imposed a community payback order, placing Cottrill under supervision for three years and ordering him to take part in a sex offenders groupwork programme.

Cottrill was also placed on the sex offenders register for three years.

January 2017

Ross-shire child abuse pensioner jailed

A former Ross-shire publican who sexually abused two young girls over an eight-year period was today (Friday) jailed for three and a half years.

But 70-year-old William “Billy” Mackay will be free within weeks as he has already served the equivalent of 40 months while awaiting sentence.

Mackay was brought to justice after one of his victims began having flashbacks and she and his other victim went to dream therapy and realised he had abused them as children.

He was cleared of rape after trial, but convicted of three counts of sexual abuse at a house in Muir of Ord between 1986 and 1994.

One of his victims was only seven when her ordeal began.

During trial the court heard that one of them came forward after suffering flashbacks about the abuse.

Today at the High court in Glasgow defence QC Frances McMenamin said that Mackay, who is in poor physical health and suffers from short term memory loss, continues to deny committing the offences.

Mackay formerly ran a public bar in Dingwall.

Judge Graham Buchanan, sentencing Mackay said: “You continue to maintain your innocence of these charges and were acquitted of more serious charges towards these girls at the young ages they were was quite disgraceful.

“A significant custodial sentence is the only appropriate form of disposal.”

A psychologist who examined Mackay believed that he suffers from an anti-social personality.

Judge Buchanan also placed Mackay on the sex offenders’ register.

The court heard that Mackay, who walks with a stick, has significant health issues.

Judge Buchanan was not able to give Mackay, who is considered a medium risk of re-offending, an extended sentence which would include monitoring in the community because the offences were committed before that legislation came into force.

January 2017

Woman jailed after sexually abusing 14-year-old boy

A MUM of four who had sex with a 14-year-old boy was spared jail when she appeared for sentence at the Isle of Wight Crown Court today (Friday).

Terri Spragg, 35, of Bettesworth Road, Ryde, was found guilty of seven charges of sexual activity with a child following her trial last year. She was cleared of two further charges.

Former dinner lady, Spragg, had sex with the schoolboy on the kitchen floor of her home and warned him not to tell anyone about it because it was not legal.

She had sex with the boy on several occasions, often after drinking sessions. She had denied all the charges.

Sentencing Spragg, deputy circuit judge John Price, said the two had played a game on New Year’s Eve, 2014 where the ‘loser’ got to massage the back of the ‘winner’.

Judge John Price spared Spragg jail, saying it would have meant her four children going into foster care.

For Spragg, Rufus Taylor, said she was a vulnerable single mother and had suffered a recent bereavement as well as a miscarriage.

He said: “This relationship gave her some sort of self worth.”

Spragg was sentenced to 15 months in jail, suspended for two years. She has been placed on the sex offenders’ register for five years.

December 2016

Mum, 46, who sent sex act pics and arranged a threesome with a 14-year-old boy jailed

A MUM who thought she was sexting naked pictures of herself and photos of her performing sex acts to a 14-year-old boy before arranging a threesome with him has been caged.

Ellen Horne, 46, thought she was sending the X-rated messages to a teenager called Sam – but she was actually sending them to an older man.

The mum-of-three told cops it gave her a “thrill” to send the snaps to the ‘schoolboy’, but she was humiliated when she was arrested and found out she was actually talking to a man called Stuart Bailey.

Horne, from Caerphilly, Wales, was sentenced to 12 months in prison after admitting attempting to cause a child to watch a sexual act.

Cardiff Crown Court heard she had become “intoxicated with attention” after meeting men on dating sites for sex.

She started emailing Bailey, who introduced her to a 14-year-old boy called Sam Davies.

Jim Davis, prosecuting, said: “Bailey said Sam liked older women and provided her with an email address.

“She admitted to officers that she had sent explicit picture messages to Sam believing him to be 14-years-old.

“That was actually an account that Bailey was using himself.

“The emails between her and ‘Sam’ show a record of sexual conversation between them and a requirement from Sam for her to send pictures of her with c***s and explicit images of her to him.”

She sent pictures of herself performing sex acts to the teen, and agreed to a threesome with him and Bailey.

Mr Davis added: “She admitted she believed she was talking to a 14-year-old boy but said she didn’t think she would have gone through with the meeting or the threesome.

“She told the officer: ‘I got a thrill from the attention I was getting because they were getting a thrill from me.’”

Judge Eleri Rees, sentencing, said: “This is a cautionary tale for those who engage in dating websites. You take a risk because you don’t know fully who you are engaging with.

“But it was you who decided to engage in this action with a 14-year-old and you who decided to send explicit photos of yourself performing oral sex.

“What a corrupting influence a woman in your position at age 46 could have had on a 14-year-old boy.

“As it turned out that you had been duped.”

January 201

“High risk” sex offender jailed for breaching order

A REGISTERED sex offender has been jailed after failing to tell police that he had stayed overnight with friends at a home where there was a child present.

Robert David Jones of Park Hall, Carmarthen, pleaded guilty to breaching the conditions set upon him by being on the sex offender register when he appeared at Llanelli Magistrates Court on Thursday.

The court heard Jones, aged 27, had struck up a friendship with a mother of a young child and had visited the home on occasions and stayed overnight as part of a group of friends to play board games and socialise.

However, prosecutor Sian Vaughan said Jones had been in breach of the sex offenders register on November 29 last year, by failing to notify police of him staying at the property for more than 12 hours when there was a child present.

Prosecution said Jones was a “high risk offender and subject to home visits from police.”

He had been cautioned by police in 2011 for possessing indecent images of children and prosecuted in 2013 for the same offence and for possessing extreme pornographic images.

Jones remains on the sex offender register until May 2018 and is also subject to a sexual harm prevention order until January 2019.

Jones’s conviction came to light to the mother when she contacted police to ask about him.

At this point she severed all ties with him and they are no longer friends or in contact.

Mr Davies said: “He cannot remember if he went to her home more or less than seven days within 12 months.”

“He accepts he should have notified the police.”

In sentencing, district judge David Parsons said: “I have to look at the context of your conduct over the last six years.

“You had 14 offences of making indecent photos of children, cautioned, and then again on May 23, 2013, Carmarthen magistrates sent you to crown court for sentencing.

“It was hoped a three year community order would bring about change but we know it had limited effect.”

“By breaching the order you had access to a house of a parent and vulnerable child.

“Looking globally at your behaviour in the true context only custody is appropriate.”

Jones was jailed for 20 weeks and ordered to pay £115 victim surcharge.

January 2017

Lewisham builder and DJ jailed for raping two young girls

A part-time builder and DJ from Lewisham has been jailed for the rape and sexual assault of two ‘very young’ girls.

Paul Francis, 46, was sentenced to 13 years in prison yesterday (January 6) at Woolwich Crown Court for five counts of sexual assault and four counts of rape.

The two victims, who were known to Francis, were raped over a period of years, with the attacks beginning at a very young age.

Poilce were made aware of the offences in September last year after one of the girls told someone at school.

Officers spoke to the younger girl who initially would not say anything, but wrote a short note and did a drawing explaining what Francis had done to her.

Francis gave no comment when interviewed but was charged on September 14 and pleaded guilty on December 2.

Investigators established that he worked as a art-time builder and also as a DJ at parties and private functions, mainly in the Lewisham area.

January 2017

Man jailed after trying to drag a terrified nine-year-old girl from a park

A homeless man was jailed for three years yesterday after he tried to drag a terrified nine-year-old girl from a park and into a wood.

Paul Barton, 33, watched the girl before grabbing hold of her in what a judge described as “every parent’s nightmare”.

Norwich Crown Court heard he was living rough at the time of the incident in Norwich, Norfolk, on September 30.

January 2017

Teen guilty of sexually touching young girl

Alex Butler, 18, of The Fairway, Abbots Langley was found guilty of sexually touching a girl aged 13 in Abbots Langley on March 3, 2014.

He was handed a community order including four weeks curfew and six months supervision, and ordered to pay £60 victim surcharge.

December 2016

Club helper pressured girls to send him indecent images of themselves

A helper at a young people’s club encouraged two young girls to send ‘provocative and indecent images’ of themselves to him, a court heard.

Jason Greaves had first sent the girls, who were both 12-years-old, obscene photos of his own.

The 22-year-old of Elgin Drive, Melton, but formerly Syston was jailed for three years and four months after admitting inciting them to send indecent images at Leicester Crown Court.

Prosecutor Philip Gibbs said Greaves had been in a position of trust as a helper at the club.

“Younger girls would have looked up to him,” he said.

One of the girls added Greaves to her Snapchat list.

“He solicited her to send sexual images of her top half but was always rebuffed – he did not get anywhere,” said Mr Gibbs.

He said the girl’s mother had made a personal statement on her behalf as she did not want to talk because of the memories it brought back.

“Those activities ruined her trust.

There was no statement from the second girl because she was too disturbed by the offence.

Judge Philip Head said that Greaves had been viewed as a friend by the girls.

Speaking about how Greaves acted towards one of the victims, he said: “You badgered her, using strong emotional pressure for her to send pictures to you.”

Greaves was jailed for three years four months, half of which will be spent in custody.

He was also ordered to sign the sex offenders’ register, forbidden from having an unsupervised contact with females under 16 unless with written consent of a parent who knew of his conviction, allow any female under 16 in any domestic premises or to use the internet.

January 2017

I.T consultant believed he was grooming schoolboy

An I.T consultant from Gateshead has today been jailed for 8 months after organizing to meet up for sex with what he believed to be a 14 year old boy.

Diego Arudino Marques however, was confronted by child protection team “Guardians of the North” after speaking to one of their decoys and who he believed to be 14.

The conversation quickly turned sexual before he asked to meet the “boy” for sexual purposes.

When he turned up he was stunned as he was confronted by Guardians of the North instead and immediately arrested.

A spokesman for Guardians of the North commented “We’re are really pleased that he got a custodial sentence, it restores a bit of our faith in the justice system. The team work tirelessly around the clock to make sure these people are brought to justice.”

Marques appeared at Newcastle crown court yesterday and was handed an 8 month prison sentence, a 7 year sexual harm prevention order and ordered to sign the sex offenders register for 10 years.

He was also ordered to pay a £140 victim surcharge.

October 2014

Jailed for eight months for viewing 4,000 indecent images of children

A pervert who admitted viewing 4,000 indecent images of children has been jailed for eight months.

Paul O’Kane, of Clonmeen Drive, Strathfoyle, pleaded guilty to a total of 42 child sexual abuse images offences committed between July 2001 and August 2013.

They include making indecent images of children and possessing indecent images of children.

Derry Crown Court heard that police searched the 47-year-old’s home in August last year.

When officers arrived, he handed over a box file full of discs and said ‘this is what you are looking for’.

Two laptops, a computer tower and two external hard drives were seized during the search.

A number of photographs were also discovered and seized by police.

All of these items were sent for examination and between 2,000 and 4,000 indecent images and movie files were found.

The images were of children as young as seven or eight years old up to teenagers aged between 15 or 16.

It was revealed that the 47-year-old was remanded in custody less than a month ago after he was found in possession of a computer, in breach of bail conditions.

Passing sentence, Judge Philip Babington said : “I take into account that these images were never shared. They were kept entirely for himself although that is not to say it is victimless. The victims are the children in the images and movie clips.”

He added that cases like this are ‘worrying in case the individual does something more’.

Judge Babington imposed a determinate sentence of eight months custody and a further eight months spent on licence.

O’Kane must sign the sex offenders register for ten years and is disqualified from working with children.

The 47-year-old will also be subject to a sexual offences prevention order for an indefinite period.

This bans O’Kane from using a computer, phone or mobile device with internet access without prior approval of a risk manager.

He is also prohibited from any unavoidable contact with children without prior approval and from forming a relationship without disclosing his convictions.

January 2017

Whitehaven man found with cache of child sexual abuse images

A pervert amassed a cache of child sexual abuse image featuring almost a quarter of a million sick and perverted pictures.

Graham Capocci, 44, spent seven years downloading a library of illegal images which was branded a “horror show” by Carlisle’s top judge.

Some of the 236,000-plus pictures found on Capocci’s computer equipment featured girls aged as young as two to four.

He was jailed for 12 months at Carlisle Crown Court having admitted four crimes.

These were three counts of making indecent photographs of children and one possession charge.

Prosecutor Wayne Jackson said the criminal collection was uncovered after police raided Capocci’s Wellington Row home in Whitehaven.

Some 352 photographs classed in category A – the most serious – were recovered

The court heard Capocci was a man without any previous convictions.

David Birrell, defending, said the defendant had made full admissions in interview.

“He said, frankly, ‘I am addicted’ – his word – to these images, so there was some recognition that was a problem,” said Mr Birrell.

“His previous good character is a reason why this court can legitimately step back from sending him to custody immediately.”

But Judge Peter Davies disagreed. “This is a particularly serious example of indecent images,” he told Capocci, having heard details of the raid by police.

“What they found was an Aladdin’s cave, a horror show of a quarter of a million unlawful images of children, gathered since 2009 – a period of seven years.

“That means you had an insatiable appetite for this material. An exorbitant, catastrophic amount of images.”

Capocci will be subject to the terms of a sexual harm prevention order for 10 years.

January 2017

Buckley man jailed after admitting possessing indecent images of children

A man was jailed for six months on Friday after he admitted possessing indecent images of children.

Christopher James Daniels, 42 of Alyn Road in Buckley, was told by a judge that the offences were suitable for a suspended sentence.

But he had repeatedly failed to engage with the probation service under a community order which had been imposed after the images offences were committed, for a charge of outraging public decency.

The defendant would not co-operate with a suspended sentence, said Judge Niclas Parry.

At Mold Crown Court, Daniels pleaded guilty to a total of eight charges involving possessing and making of indecent images and movies by downloading them from the internet between December 2014 and April 2015.

He was jailed for six months, ordered to register with the police as a sex offender for 10 years and a 10 year sexual harm prevention order was made.

The judge said he had admitted possessing and making by downloading images of very young children being abused.

The starting point was nine months, but he would receive credit for his guilty pleas.

“In normal circumstances I would have been prepared to suspend that sentence if I was satisfied that would be of greater benefit to the community and for the protection of children.

“Regrettably, however, you are on a community order for another offence and I am entirely satisfied that you have repeatedly failed to engage under that order.

“You have made it clear you will not co-operate.”

The court heard that he was found to have 36 still images and seven movies.

Police received intelligence that led them to investigate the defendant’s IP address and a search warrant was carried out in March 2015.

Three of the movies and three of the still images were of the most serious category A. The images involved children as young as five.

Interviewed, he refused to look at the images and said that he did not recall seeing them previously. He said that he did have memory lapses.

In November of last year he was convicted of outraging public decency. That followed an incident when he was seen standing naked in the ground floor window of his home.

Two schoolgirls had been shocked and embarrassed by what they had seen. Daniels had also been seen in the window naked by an adult female.

He denied a charge of outraging public decency, but was convicted and was placed on a 12 month community order with rehabilitation.

January 2017

Man caught with indecent photos of children could be jailed

A man who was caught with hundreds of indecent photos of children is due to be sentenced.

Derby Crown Court heard on Wednesday, January 4, how Gerold Downs, 61, of Springfield Avenue, Shirebrook, pleaded guilty to five counts involving possessing indecent images and a prohibited image and extreme pornography.

Defence barrister David Webster said Downs is of previous good character and entered an early guilty plea to the offences and he suffers with significant physical problems.

However, Judge Robert Egbuna told the court that custody cannot be ruled out as a sentencing option despite Downs’ physical difficulties.

Downs pleaded guilty to three counts of possessing indecent photos of a child for show from between October 2012 and March 2016 involving 146 category A photos, 67 category B photos and 245 category C photos with a view to distribution.

He also pleaded guilty to possessing a prohibited image of a child from between October 2012 and March 2016 and pleaded guilty to possessing extreme pornography during the same dates involving an animal.

Judge Egbuna adjourned the case until February 9 when Downs must attend Ripley police station to be sentenced by the court via a link.

Downs was granted bail in the meantime and was ordered to sign the Sex Offenders’ Register before he is due to be sentenced on February 9.

January 2017

Yeovil paedophile downloaded images and videos of children in most serious category

A Yeovil man who was found in possession of pornographic images and videos of children has been sent to Taunton Crown Court to be sentenced.

Benjamin Lee downloaded the indecent material from the internet and when police discovered the images they covered all three categories of seriousness from A (the most serious) to C.

Lee, 24, of Hendford Hill, pleaded guilty to being in possession of indecent photographs at Yeovil on July 5 last year, namely three category B images/videos of a child.

He also admitted two similar allegations involving four category A images/videos of a child and one category C image of a child on the same date when he appeared in the dock before Somerset Magistrates, sitting at Yeovil.

Prosecutor Julyan Stephens said that the category of the images discovered by the police suggested that the case should be dealt with at the crown court due to the serious nature of the offences.

Defending solicitor Chris Ivory said that the starting point for offences of this nature was 12 months custody and did not argue with the decision to send it to the higher court.

The magistrates declined jurisdiction and ordered Lee to be sent to Taunton Crown Court to be sentenced on February 3.

In the intervening period they ordered the Probation Service to prepare a pre sentence report to be put before the judge and until the neat hearing released the defendant on unconditional bail.

January 2017

West Yorkshire pensioner locked up over sex abuse of girl

A PENSIONER has been jailed more than four decades after he carried out sex offences against a schoolgirl.

Eric Bowman, 82, was locked up for three years, eight months, over the abuse he carried out against the youngster who was around 12 years old when he targeted her in the 1970s.

Leeds Crown Court heard Bowman’s victim, now aged in her fifties, has suffered a lifetime of psychological suffering as a result of the ordeal.

Bowman, of Fairfax Avenue, Featherstone, pleaded guilty to attempted rape, gross indecency and three offences of indecent assault.

The court heard Bowman targeted the girl on a number of occasions then threatened her so she would not report the abuse.

The victim maintained her silence for many years as she thought no one would believe. Jailing Bowman, judge Robin Mairs said: “The effects of the offence have lasted a lifetime. “What you did to that young child effectively scarred her for the rest of her life and you did it for your own simple perverted sexual gratification.

“She has suffered significant and aggravated psychological effects from this over many years. “She did not report this because she was terrified of the consequences of what you told her.”

Geraldine Kelly, mitigating, said Bowman had admitted to his offending at an early stage. She said the pensioner could not remember committing some of the offences but accepted what he had as he did not want the victim to suffer the ordeal of giving evidence at a trial.

July 2016

Grimsby man jailed for 18 years for string of ‘horrendous’ sex offences

A Grimsby man has been jailed for 18 years for after being found guilty of a string of “horrendous” sexual offences.

David Woodhouse, 65, formerly of Rothwell Avenue, Grimsby, was found guilty of three rapes and 12 indecent assaults after a trial at Grimsby Crown Court.

The offences occurred in the 1980s over a six year period and were committed against two girls.

Woodhouse, who denied all the charges, was also placed on the sex offenders register for life.

January 2017

Paisley pervert ordered to keep out of trouble

A pervert caught with a vile stash of child sex abuse images has been warned to stay out of trouble or else.

Internet paedophile Kenneth Pyle, 58, amassed 227 images over five years at his flat which is adjacent to a primary school and children’s nursery.

Paisley Sheriff Court heard the loner was handed a Community Payback Order, placed on the Sex Offenders’ Register and placed on probation for three years, after he pleaded guilty to offences last March.

The accused, from the town’s West Street, appeared for a sentence review to make sure he has been complying with the terms of the court order.

The order bans him from owning, keeping or accessing any device which can connect to the internet.

He has also been banned from having contact with anyone under the age of 17.

Pyle had been caught with the stash of images, which included eight at category A, which is the worst level of indecent material and depicted images of children being raped by adults.

He had pleaded guilty to charges of taking or permitting to be taken, indecent photographs of children at his flat between December 1, 2009 and December 10, 2014.

The tenement flat is close to West Primary and also Abbey Nursery.

Sheriff Tom McCartney reminded Pyle he would be brought back before the court if he breaches its terms.

He said: “You have complied with the terms of the order as far as completing the unpaid work element, and the order should continue and in the circumstances, no further review will be required.

“However should you not comply with the terms of the order, at that point you, will be brought back before the court to face further sanctions.”