Latest Offenders

Description

A repeat sex offender who is considered "a high risk" to young females is back behind bars after his latest breach of a court order.

Ben Richardson was released on July 9 after a previous term in prison for flouting a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO).

But Teesside Crown Court heard that within a week he was arrested again and locked up for further breaching the order.

The court was told he was released on licence conditions, while still subject to a lifelong SHPO and registration as a sex offender.

Emma Atkinson, prosecuting, said when his police risk manager called on a monitoring visit, on July 14, Richardson presented a mobile phone and gave the pin number.

A check revealed in the few days preceding the visit he had downloaded several applications which were no longer on the device.

The apps, many for dating sites, were last used the previous day and even in one case earlier on the day of the officer’s visit, itself.

He had also downloaded a Virtual Private Network (VPN) application and a browser, which had also been deleted, with the data of its use history also removed.

Miss Atkinson said these were all in breach of his SHPO conditions.

Richardson was arrested and interviewed and admitting downloading the apps and the VPN.

He said he obtained them with the intention of viewing pornography, but he told police he realised he had been “stupid” and so deleted them.

Miss Atkinson said it was clearly a deliberate flouting of the order less than a week after his release from prison for previous breaches.

The 27-year-old defendant of The Crescent, Linthorpe, Middlesbrough, admitted the latest breach of the order.

Judge Jonathan Carroll noted the defendant’s criminal record features 13 sexual offences, including the rape, “of a very young female”.

The judge said: “The very nature of his sexual interest is directly towards young girls”.

He told Richardson’s counsel, Michele Turner, that in the circumstances he was considering passing a sentence close to the five-year maximum for the offence.

Miss Turner said while, at 27, the defendant is still a young man, the original offence for which Richardson was convicted was, “some time ago, when he was a very different individual”, with a subsequent, “significant difference in his level of maturity.”

She said that the defendant is in danger of becoming institutionalised, given the time he has spent in custody, where he finds a “supportive environment”, as he gets on well with prison officers and other inmates.

Miss Turner added that the dating apps obtained by the defendant are all adult sites, with nothing to suggest any child contact.

But the judge said the use of a VPN was indicative that the defendant was trying to circumvent any scrutiny of his use of the internet.

He said the defendant’s offending history indicates an attraction to “very young females” from inciting them to commit sexual acts escalating up to rape.

Despite being made subject of both lifelong registration as a sex offender and restrictions under the SHPO, the judge said Richardson had continued to demonstrate, “sexual desires focused on young girls”.

He told the defendant:

“You are clearly a high-risk offender”, but added that the manner and history of his breaches of the order indicate he is also “devious”.

“I’m satisfied your conduct was risking very serious harm and distress as you have shown you are someone who is willing to commit serious criminality.”

The judge said he was taking a four-and-a-half year starting point for the sentence, but would deduct one-third to mark the defendant’s early guilty plea, making a three-year sentence.

He reminded the defendant that the SHPO and registration requirement will remain in place upon his release.

Description

Update: 12 August

A man has been jailed for 14 years after pleading guilty to 13 charges under the Sexual Offences Act, many of which involved children.

Rhys Lynn, 32, of HMP Lincoln, pleaded guilty to the offences which took place between July 2017 and April 2026.

He pleaded guilty to all 13 offences in the face of such robust and compelling evidence.  He appeared at Lincoln Crown Court on Friday 7 August where he was jailed after the judge applied an exceptional extended period of four years to the maximum custodial term of 10 years.

He is also banned from working with children or vulnerable adults and will be required to sign the sex offenders register for life.

The officer in charge of this case, DC Portia Hakes of Lincoln’s Protecting Vulnerable People Unit, said:

We welcome the sentence handed down by the court. This man committed a series of serious sexual offences and has rightly been held accountable for his actions. The extended sentence recognises the ongoing risk he poses and provides additional protection for the public. I hope this outcome gives victims some reassurance that their voices will be heard and their experiences taken seriously.

6 July

A man has pleaded guilty to thirteen charges under the Sexual Offences Act, many of which involved children, during a hearing at Lincoln Crown Court on 19 June.

Rhys Lynn, 32, of HMP Lincoln, pleaded guilty to the following offences which took place between July 2017 and April 2026:

• Make 267 indecent photograph / pseudo-photograph of a child (Class A images)
• Make 102 indecent photograph / pseudo-photograph of a child (Class B images)
• Make 387 indecent photograph / pseudo-photograph of a child (Class C images)
• Possess an extreme pornographic image
• Two counts of causing or inciting a girl under 13 to engage in sexual activity
• Causing a child under 13 to watch or look at an image of sexual activity
• Causing a child under 13 to watch or look at an image of sexual activity
• Two counts of breaching a sexual harm protection order
• Causing or inciting the sexual exploitation of a child aged between 13-17
• Threaten to share a photograph or film of a person in an intimate state
• Send a photograph or film to cause alarm, distress, or humiliation

Lynn has been remanded into custody and will appear at Lincoln Crown Court on 7 August 2026 for sentencing.

The officer in charge of this case, DC Portia Hakes of Lincoln’s Protecting Vulnerable People Unit, said:

“Thanks to the bravery of a child victim coming forward, we were able to secure vital evidence involving numerous vulnerable victims across the UK. Due to this evidence, this dangerous and relentless offender has been remanded into prison awaiting sentencing. We wish to thank vulnerable child victims for having the courage to speak out against individuals like this and help end the suffering to other children across the UK.”

2023-02-23

A sex offender previously jailed for getting girls to send him naked photos is back behind bars after he failed to notify the authorities he was in a new relationship with a partner who had two young children.

Rhys Lynn, 27, was jailed for 16 months after he admitted failing to notify the police of his new partner’s address and breaching his Sexual Harm Prevention Order on four occasions.

Lynn, formerly of Hawthorn Avenue, Cherry Willingham, and now of The Quays, Gainsborough, was sentenced to five years and four months imprisonment at Lincoln Crown Court in February 2019.

In addition to his jail term, Lynn was also given an indefinite Sexual Harm Prevention Order and told to comply with sex offender notification requirements.

Those orders required Lynn to notify the authorities if he began a relationship which put him in possible contact with children or if he was staying at a new address.

Lincoln Crown Court heard Lynn started working at a chicken factory in Gainsborough and began a relationship with a woman who had two young children around a year after he was released from prison.

Caroline Bradley, prosecuting, said Lynn did not disclose his offending to the woman and on occasions would act as a babysitter for the children and stay at their address.

There were also other child visitors to the property, and Lynn also visited a friend who had a teenage daughter, Miss Bradley told the court.

Lynn was arrested after the authorities became aware of the contact.

During interview he admitted failing to disclose his new relationship to his risk offending manager and the Probation Service because he was happy.

Neil Sands, mitigating, said Lynn had been successfully co-operating with the Probation Service for a year after his release from prison before this new relationship began.

Mr Sands told the court Lynn’s best mitigation was his early guilty plea and candour with the police.

Passing sentence Judge Catarina Sjolin Knight made it clear there was no evidence of further sexual offending.

But the Judge told Lynn: “I understand the desire for happiness, but you have a history others do not.”

Lynn’s sentence hearing in 2019 was told he posed as a teenager and also threatened his victims that he would distribute images of them that he had already obtained if they did not send him even more.

That hearing was told the five girls involved, one of whom was only 12, were left badly affected by their contact with Lynn over the internet with a number of them having to undergo counselling.

One later told police that her chances of success in her A levels had been completely wrecked by him.

Lynn had set up accounts on sites such as Instagram and Snapchat using fictitious names claiming he was a teenage boy, his original sentence hearing was told.

Four of the girls sent him naked photographs of themselves and Lynn also sent sexual images of himself to them

Before being sentenced in 2019 Lynn admitted five charges of causing or inciting exploitation of a child, two charges of causing a child to watch a sexual act, a further charge of inciting a child to engage in sexual activity and three charges of making a total of 1,218 indecent images of children.

Description

Abdul Nabizada was found guilty of rape at the High Court in Edinburgh on 7 July 2026.

The trial heard how the 19-year-old woman entered his vehicle in the early hours of 13 November 2021 after it appeared to be the vehicle she had booked.

Rather than taking her home safely, Nabizada, now 36, took her mobile phone from her and drove to a secluded area in Joppa where he raped her.

The victim managed to escape from the vehicle and contacted friends, who found her distressed and frightened a short time later.

CCTV footage from Queens Bay Crescent then showed Nabizada repeatedly returning to the area after the attack.

The conviction followed an extensive Police Scotland investigation.

Officers had to identify the offender despite there being no legitimate booking record linking the victim to Nabizada.

Investigators gathered and analysed evidence from multiple sources, including CCTV footage, mobile phone data and witness testimony.

This helped establish the movements of both the victim and the offender, helping to build the case presented at trial.

Forensic analysis also found Nabizada's DNA on the victim's clothing, providing further evidence to support the Crown case.

On 11 August 2026, the private hire taxi car driver was jailed for seven years at the same court.

His name has been added to the sex offenders register indefinitely and a non-harassment order was also granted.

Faye Cook, Procurator Fiscal for High Court Sexual Offences, said:

"This conviction is the result of the victim's courage in coming forward and the determined work of police officers to uncover what happened that night.

"Officers had to piece together evidence from a range of sources to identify the offender and build the case that was presented in court.

"The victim should have been able to trust that her journey home would be safe.

"Instead, she was seriously sexually assaulted by a private hire car driver who took advantage of her vulnerability and abused his position, resulting in a deeply traumatic experience.

"While stranger offending is rare, Scotland's prosecutors treat every report of sexual abuse with the utmost seriousness, recognising the profound and lasting impact these crimes have on victims and communities.

"I hope this conviction provides reassurance that reports will be thoroughly investigated and that COPFS will work with policing partners to ensure offenders are held accountable."

Description

A 74-year-old man who went to Sheffield station with a pack of Viagra to meet a 14-year-old girl has been jailed following a British Transport Police (BTP) investigation.   

Stephen Greaves, of Park Grange Croft, Sheffield, pleaded guilty to a total of five charges, including Attempting to Meet a Child Under 16 Following Grooming.

At Sheffield Crown Court on 31 July, he was jailed for two years and eight months and received a 10-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO).

He was also ordered to sign the sex offenders register for the rest of his life.

Greaves turned up to Sheffield railway station on 26 July 2021 thinking he was meeting a 14-year-old girl he had been grooming for weeks.

Instead, a paedophile hunter group intercepted him and quickly reported his intentions to BTP.

He was arrested at the station, and officers found a blister pack of Viagra on his person.

Forensic analysis of Greaves’ phone revealed hundreds of messages between him and who he thought was a teenage girl.  

Detectives also uncovered other conversations with girls he believed were underage, as well as child sex abuse materials he had saved, including two videos in the most severe category.

Before arranging the meet at Sheffield station Greaves sent a photo of his genitals on WhatsApp to who he thought was a teenage girl, plus a series of sexually explicit messages.

Following an extensive investigation led by BTP detectives, the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) authorised eight charges against Greaves.

He then pleaded guilty to five charges in total. These were: Attempting to Meet a Child Under 16 Following Grooming, Attempting to Cause or Incite a Child Under 16 to Engage in Sexual Activity, Attempting to Engage in Sexual Communication with a Child, and two counts of Making Indecent Images of Children.

BTP Detective Constable Lee Walker said:

“Stephen Greaves poses a serious danger to children and has demonstrated a clear sexual interest in them.

“He spent weeks grooming who he believed was a teenage girl, sending vile and explicit messages before travelling to the station with Viagra for what he thought would be a sexual encounter.

“Our investigation uncovered the full extent of his offending. Through the forensic examination of thousands of gigabytes of data from his phone, we unearthed abhorrent child sexual abuse material.

“Thankfully Greaves is now behind bars and no longer able to prey on children.”

Description

A man from Neath Port Talbot has been jailed after sending sexual messages to someone he thought was a child.

26-year-old Ashley John, from Gwaun Cae Gurwen, used Snapchat to engage in chat with a profile he believed to belong to a 12-year-old girl in October 2024. In his communications, John claimed to be a 17-year-old sheep farmer from South Wales and proceeded to engage in sexual communications, including sending explicit images of himself and requesting indecent images of the child.

After initially pleading not guilty to the offences of attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child, attempting to cause/incite a girl under 13 to engage in sexual activity and attempting to cause a child under 13 to look at an image of sexual activity, John changed his plea to all three offences to guilty on July 6.

John has been jailed for three years and ten months.

Detective Inspector Hannah Millership said:

“This sentence reflects the serious risk that sexual communication poses to children and their safety and well-being.

“We will continue to pursue those who seek to exploit children online and take action to protect vulnerable young people.”

Description

Kingsley Perera, registered sex offender and former children’s entertainer, jailed for hiding devices.

A former children’s entertainer and registered sex offender was jailed after lying to police about undeclared devices, only to be caught when one started “buzzing” in a kitchen drawer.

Kingsley Perera, 63, of Baywood Avenue, West Cross, Swansea, has been subject to a sexual harm prevention order (SHPO) since December 2020 following his conviction for possessing indecent images of children. The order requires him to notify police of any internet-enabled or image-storing devices.

On the morning of 5 May, police made a routine unannounced visit to his home. Perera denied having any unregistered devices. Officers then found a tablet in a bedroom (which he claimed belonged to a friend), a digital camera in the kitchen (which he said was his mother’s), and a mobile phone after hearing a “buzzing” noise from a dresser drawer.

The friend he named later told police he had no knowledge of the tablet and had not visited the property for more than a year.

Perera had previously pleaded guilty to three counts of breaching the SHPO. At Swansea Crown Court he applied to vacate those pleas, claiming the devices were not his and citing memory issues. Judge Huw Rees refused the application.

Prosecuting, Regan Walters told the court that probation officers were concerned about Perera’s “ongoing pattern of secrecy,” his lack of insight into his offending, and his refusal to take responsibility.

Perera has eight previous convictions for 23 offences. In December 2020 he was sentenced to 10 months in prison and given a 10-year SHPO after being convicted of possessing almost 4,000 indecent images of children, including more than 600 Category A images. At that trial he had denied downloading them and blamed others, including people he claimed to help through charitable work. The trial judge noted the particular concern that Perera had worked as a children’s entertainer and clown while knowing he had a sexual interest in children.

In April 2022 he received a suspended sentence for failing to notify police of a move to Port Talbot. Three months later he was jailed for 15 months after being caught with another secret phone.

Judge Rees sentenced Perera to 16 months in prison (with one-third credit for his guilty pleas). He will serve half in custody before release on licence. The SHPO remains in force.

Description

A former York man has been jailed for non-recent child sexual abuse.

54-year-old Ian Mark Wrightson of Holmes Close, Newcastle-upon-Tyne was jailed for three years and four months when he appeared at Newcastle Crown Court on 5 August.

Wrightson lived in York at the time of his offending when he subjected a primary school aged girl to a series of sexual assaults between 1990 and 1992.

Wrightson would entice her to his room on the pretence of playing computer games and before every game, he would abuse her for his own sexual gratification.

He originally pleaded not guilty to five offences but on 5 August, the day he was due to stand trial, he changed his plea to guilty to three counts of indecent assault on a girl under 14, and two counts of gross indecency with a girl under 14. He was jailed on the same day. He was also placed on the sex offenders register for life and barred from working with children.

His brave victim said: “If my story can help someone in need, I would be so grateful that I had helped in a very small way by putting it out there and possibly giving them the strength to believe they can come forward themselves. I hope it will help people like me who have been so scared to come out and say something - whether it’s historic or current to speak up.”

Investigating officer, Detective Constable Helen Hewitt, added:

“Wrightson’s cowardice in denying the offences he committed until just before the trial, forced the victim to endure the build up to the trial, reliving the horrific abuse she suffered.

“His guilty plea is a testament to the strength and courage shown by the victim and I hope the sentence passed will provide other victims of abuse the courage and confidence to come forward. North Yorkshire Police will work tirelessly to give victims of abuse a voice and achieve prosecutions against predatory offenders like Wrightson.

“The effects of sexual abuse are long-lasting and can affect all aspects of a victim’s life. I urge anyone who has been abused, no matter when it happened, to please come forward. If you don’t feel you can report to the police at the moment, there are other agencies who can help you but please do not suffer in silence.”

Description

James Scott, 32, from Greaves Lane East near Malpas, has been placed on the sex offenders register for seven years after exposing himself to two women in separate incidents.

Scott admitted two counts of exposure at Chester Magistrates’ Court. He was sentenced on 6 August by District Judge Ian Barnes to three months’ imprisonment, suspended for 18 months. The order includes a Building Choices course, 20 days of rehabilitation activity and 100 hours of unpaid work.

The first offence occurred in Crewe in June, when Scott exposed his genitals to a hotel worker in a reception area after attempting to chat her up. He was arrested and released on conditional bail.

While still on bail, he committed a second offence in Middlewich in July. He exposed himself to a dog walker after twice crossing paths with her in a park on Sycamore Drive. He was arrested a few hours later on 8 July after police received a description of his car.

In interview, Scott claimed to Cheshire Police that he had been urinating while waiting for his girlfriend to return from work.

He will remain subject to sex offender notification requirements for seven years from the date of sentence.

Description

A man from Leeds who forced more than 100 victims into sexual activity and self-harm as part of a Com group, including them carving his online username into their bodies, has been sentenced to two years in prison after a National Crime Agency investigation.

NCA officers started an investigation into Justin Swaddle, 20, from Leeds, in January 2024.

Swaddle was first arrested by West Yorkshire Police in October 2023 for offences including possession, making and distribution of indecent images.

His digital devices were seized and his online presence was investigated. Swaddle was active across social media platforms including Snapchat, Telegram and Discord using usernames including 'Epstein', 'Rugen' and 'Moscow'.

NCA officers took over the investigation and examined the content of his phone and computer, finding hundreds of conversations, all of which involved young females and were of a sexual nature.

Investigators found Swaddle, who was 17 at the time of the offending, was operating in a Com group, a community of people online committing criminality including coercing victims to physically harm or sexually abuse themselves.

Com groups have an international membership and use online channels from messaging apps to gaming platforms to commit their crimes.

Offenders and victims are usually in the same groups, and offenders are usually not motivated by money or sexual gratification but by the status and notoriety that comes with sharing shocking content with other members.

The NCA identified a total of 117 female victims worldwide, aging from 13 to 17, and with eight in the UK that Swaddle had been in communication with.

One victim, 17, said she had met Swaddle in November 2022 through Discord before moving to Snapchat where conversations escalated to be sexual and self-harm was discussed. Swaddle requested nude images of the victim and told her to carve his username into her body.

She said Swaddle had obtained her name, address and school details. The victim stated she did what he wanted because she didn't want to upset him and that his mood changed if she did not comply.

She became aware that he had recorded calls where sexual activity had taken place and shared them with a group, and said that he had threatened to use the details about where she lived and went to school so that she would provide further images and videos.

Telegram messages recovered from Swaddle's device showed he had attempted to incite a child to sexually abuse a younger child and record it for him, threatening to leak indecent images if further content was not received.

Numerous images were found on his device showing victims with self-harm injuries, including Swaddle's aliases being carved into their skin, and indecent images of children in Categories A to C, with A being the most severe.

Officers estimated the children shown in images recovered from his devices ranged from three to 17 and several showed that the acts were directed or encouraged by Swaddle.

Using the NCA's International Liaison Officer network, investigators worked with law enforcement partners in the USA, Canada, Australia, Norway and New Zealand to speak to and safeguard victims.

Swaddle was charged with a number of child sexual abuse offences and blackmail. He pleaded guilty to all offences at Leeds Crown Court on 2 July.

He was sentenced at the same court today (10 August) to two years in prison. He will be subject to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order for 10 years and is required to sign the National Sex Offenders Register.

HHJ Kelson KC described Swaddle as 'a predatory shark preying on children swimming in the dark waters of the internet' remarking it was 'one of the more extreme cases' seen.

Danielle Pownall Operations Manager from the NCA, said:

"Justin Swaddle targeted young and vulnerable victims all over the world to abuse and scare them into carrying out shocking self-harm and sexual activity, purely to gain popularity with his peers online.

"He gained the trust of his victims, before collecting private information about them so he could threaten to share their intimate images or report them to their school or parents to incite further content.

"While the number of people involved in Com groups are relatively small, the impact it has on victims is high and long-lasting, as Swaddle's offending shows.

"We are extremely grateful for the assistance of West Yorkshire Police, our international partners and specialist prosecutors at the CPS in bringing a dangerous offender to justice.

"The NCA is coordinating the response to Com groups in the UK, working with a range of law enforcement, health and safeguarding partners to better understand pathways into offending and identify opportunities for prevention and intervention."

Description

A predator who sexually abused two girls known to him has been jailed.

Oliver Cheesmur targeted both girls, who were both under the age of 13.

The girls, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, have received support from specially-trained officers.

Cheesmur, aged 50, was found guilty after a trial of seven counts of sexual assault by touching and one count of causing or inciting a girl under the age of 13 to engage in non-penetrative sexual activity.

At Brighton Crown Court on 3 August, he was sentenced to six years in prison.

The court was told how Cheesmur, formerly of Kemps, Hurstpierpoint, carried out the abuse over a three-year period against the girls.

One victim described the ongoing impact the abuse had, leaving her coping with daily panic attacks.
Meanwhile the mother of the other girl described how her daughter has become more isolated and described Cheesmur as a “predator”.

Cheesmur is now a registered sex offender, and the court imposed a Sexual Harm Prevention Order for ten years, as well as a restraining order not to contact the victims which also lasts for ten years.

Speaking after the case, Detective Constable Brenda Meyer said:

“I would like to commend both girls for their bravery coming forward to report their experiences to the police.

“We take reports of sexual abuse extremely seriously, and this case demonstrates our determination to both support victims and ensure offenders are brought to justice.

“We continue to encourage all victims of sexual abuse to report their experiences to the police.”

Description

A man from Bradford who admitted to a number of child sex offences has been jailed for six years.

Rehan Ali aged 24 of Falsgrave Avenue admitted two counts of inciting a girl under 13 to engage in sexual activity, making an indecent photograph of a child, attempt to incident a girl aged 13 -15 to engage in sexual activity and attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child. 

The offences happened between October and November 2024 when Ali used snapchat to befriend two girls who were seven and eight years old. 

Ali then contacted a child he believed to be a girl aged 13, on Facebook and then WhatsApp. He engaged in sexual communications making attempts to incite the child into sexual activity. This was a decoy profile operation by an online child abuse group.

Today (10 August) he was sentenced at Bradford Crown Court to six years in prison, given a sexual harm prevention order and made to sign the sex offenders register. 

PC William Metcalfe of the Bradford’s Online Child Abuse Investigation Team said:

“We welcome the sentenced handed down to Ali today. Ali used social media to target and exploit children. 

“He deliberately contacted underage girls online for his own sexual gratification. 

“As a police force, we remain committed to safeguarding children and would encourage parents and young people to report any concerns about suspicious online content to us.”

Description

A registered sex offender has been jailed for three years after breaching a Sexual Harm Prevention Order.

Alex Smith, 33, of Queens Drive, Swindon, was originally convicted of rape of a child under 13 in 2006 and has several further convictions between 2006 and 2026 for breaches of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order/ notification requirements and possession of indecent images of children.

Due to these breaches, Smith is subject to a lifelong Sexual Harm Prevention Order and notification requirements.

On July 7, Smith was arrested for breaching the SHPO after being found using a private web browser.

Following the arrest, Smith was remanded and was sentenced at Swindon Crown Court on August 7 and jailed for three years.

PC Katie Owers said:

“Smith has continued to breach the orders imposed by the courts over a prolonged period of time so I am pleased that the courts have on this occasion given a custodial sentence, reflecting the serious nature of the offending.”

Description

Following a Thames Valley Police investigation, a man has been convicted of multiple sexual offences.  

Goodness Sokoh, aged 35, of North Street, Leighton Buzzard, Bedfordshire, was found guilty by a unanimous jury of three counts of rape, two counts of sexual assault, two counts of sexual assault by penetration, two counts of causing a child to watch a sexual act and one count of inciting a child into a sexual activity, at a hearing at Amersham Law Court, on Tuesday (4/8).

Between 31 October and 17 December of last year, Sokoh communicated with four girls, aged in their teens, via Snapchat, under the username handle 'GWDY_SXNGS'. 

Sokoh met with the victims, in Pitstone, Buckinghamshire, under the pretence of giving them free vapes and cannabis.  

After meeting the girls, Sokoh sexually assaulted and raped them. 

Following an investigation, Sokoh was arrested on 17 December 2025 and subsequently charged two days later (19/12).   

Investigating officer Detective Constable Natalie Palmer of the Child Abuse Investigation Unit said:

"I would like to begin by personally thanking each of the victims in this case for the immense courage they have shown in coming forward and reporting these offences to us.  

"Throughout the investigation, they engaged fully with police enquiries and demonstrated remarkable resilience, strength and determination during what has undoubtedly been an incredibly difficult period in their lives.  

"It takes extraordinary courage to support an investigation of this nature through to its conclusion. Their willingness to do so was instrumental in securing this conviction and ensuring that the defendant was held accountable for his actions.   

"The impact of these offences has been felt far beyond the four teenage girls at the centre of this case. Incidents of this nature inevitably have a profound effect on those closest to the victims.   

"Their families have endured this ordeal alongside them, providing unwavering love, support and reassurance throughout. The strength shown by both the victims and their families throughout this process has been truly commendable.   

“I am pleased that the jury came to their conclusion and that Sokoh has been convicted. His actions were pre-meditated and cruel. He groomed vulnerable young girls and violated their trust.  

"Thames Valley Police remains dedicated to tackling violence against women and girls by identifying and relentlessly pursuing those who commit these crimes.  

“The force is keeping an open mind to further offending by Sokoh and would encourage victims and anyone with information to come forward to us.  

“For victims of sexual assault, we understand that speaking to the police is incredibly difficult, but we urge anyone who has been a victim of sexual assault, or knows of someone who has, to get in contact.  

“Our dedicated officers, who are specialised in investigating sexual offences, will listen to you, protect your anonymity and support you through every stage of the process.” 

Description

A man has been jailed after grooming and raping a 13-year-old girl in Nottinghamshire.

Abdul Khan, aged 28, arranged to meet the girl about a week after adding her on the social media messaging app Snapchat.

Khan, who posed online as a 14-year-old boy, met the girl for the first time on the evening of 14 May last year, when she was taken into woodland near Clifton and raped.

Khan had believed his victim to be only 14 years old at the time of the offence.

By chance he was arrested the same day by officers from Derbyshire Constabulary investigating other sexual offences for which he was later jailed.

Nottinghamshire officers linked him to the rape by a mobile phone seized during his arrest and interviewed him at HMP Nottingham whilst he was on remand.

During his police interview on 10 July last year, Khan claimed to be a 15-year-old boy with a different name.

Even when confronted by damning DNA evidence linking him to the offence, he claimed not to have met the victim or to have visited the offence location.

He also said he'd never used Snapchat before and also suggested that his mobile phone could belong to somebody else – despite it having multiple images of him saved on it.

During a second interview on 18 February this year, Khan claimed to be another person entirely, and again denied any link to the victim or any of the multiple witnesses who picked him out during an ID procedure.

Detectives were eventually able to prove his identity after finding an image of an Afghan national ID card on his phone.

After a three-day trial at Nottingham Crown Court this week, Khan, of no fixed address, was found guilty of the following offences:

• Two counts of rape
• One count of engaging in sexual activity with a child
• Engaging in sexual communication with a child
• Meeting a girl under 16 following grooming
• Perverting the course of justice.

He was sentenced today (Monday 10 August) and was jailed for nine-and-a-half years. He also faces automatic deportation on completion of his sentence.

Detective Constable Madeleine Johnson, of Nottinghamshire Police, said:

"Khan is an opportunistic and predatory offender who poses a clear risk to teenage girls and other young women.

"As his previous grooming conviction demonstrates, he was absolutely determined in his ambition to strike up sexual relationships with young girls.

"The victim in this case was particularly vulnerable at the time of this offence and has unsurprisingly suffered a great deal as a result of what Khan did to her.

"It is thanks to her bravery and the compelling evidence she was able to give that this man is now off our streets for good."

Description

A rapist who attacked a teenage girl has been jailed for more than nine years.

Steven Coulson, 32, got into bed with the girl in the early hours of 8 January 2024 in Cambridge.

He began touching her and she asked him to stop but he continued to touch her.

When she tried to get out of the bed Coulson pulled her back and raped her.

Police were informed and Coulson handed himself in at Parkside Police Station on 10 January.

In interview, he denied raping the victim.

However, on Thursday (6 August), at Cambridge Crown Court, Coulson, of Newton Close, Cottenham, South Cambridgeshire, was jailed for nine years and nine months, having been found guilty of rape and assault a female 13 and over by penetration with part of the body.

Coulson was also handed an indefinite sexual harm prevention order and restraining order as well as being placed on the Sex Offenders Register for life.

Detective Sergeant Molly Halksworth, who investigated, said:

“Coulson is a dangerous man who took advantage of the victim so I’m glad he’s been brought to justice.

“I would also like to pay tribute to the victim’s bravery in coming forward and supporting us with a prosecution.”