Latest Offenders

Description

A woman who was sexually abused by a rapist whilst his partner filmed her ordeal in Sheerness has seen the pair jailed.

On 18 September 2020, Indre Bruziene and her partner Vasile Radacanu invited the victim to their address, where they consumed some alcoholic drinks.

The victim became intoxicated and Radacanu took the opportunity to rape her whilst she was unable to consent and was at one point unconscious.

Abuse filmed

Whilst this took place Bruziene filmed the abuse through a window and then from inside the house. It was apparent Radacanu was aware his actions were being filmed as he gestured to the camera several times.

The victim awoke on the following morning in her own bed at home with no memory of what had happened to her.

On 15 March 2021, she received a call from Bruziene who accused the woman of breaking up her family. Bruziene also sent footage of the rape incident and demanded £5,000 or it would be sent to the victim’s husband.

Arrested

The distressed victim refused to pay the money and informed her family before contacting the police. Radacanu, who is Romanian, and Bruziene, from Lithuania, were both arrested the following day.

Investigators seized their mobile phones and, following an investigation, Radacanu was charged with two rapes, attempted rape and two sexual assaults. Bruziene was charged with blackmail.

The pair pleaded not guilty at Maidstone Crown Court and, following a trial, were convicted of the indictments on 28 January 2025.

Jailed

On Thursday 14 August, Radacanu, 33, of Charlotte Street, Sittingbourne was sentenced to 12 years and six months’ imprisonment. Bruziene, 40, of Alma Road, Sheerness was jailed for three years and three months.

Detective Constable Hollie Brown said:

‘The criminal actions of Radacanu and Bruziene were unspeakably vile as they took advantage of a vulnerable victim who was not aware of what was happening to her.

‘As soon as the victim received the video of her abuse from Bruziene she showed great courage in disclosing her ordeal to her family and then contacting the police. Detectives then swiftly secured the offenders phones and they have now, quite rightly, been brought to justice.’

Description

A drunken passenger on a Jet2 flight from Manchester to Tenerife made lewd advances towards a woman sat next to him, asking her: "Are you going to f*** me then?"

Craig Lowe, 53, had consumed six small bottles of red wine during the four-and-a-half-hour flight on November 12, 2023. After some light-hearted 'banter', Lowe began making crude sexual remarks towards the woman, suggesting: "Would you come back to my hotel room so I can f*** you?" He then groped her inner thigh, according to what was heard in Manchester Crown Court.

Lowe, from Wigan, repeated his inappropriate question before the woman excused herself to use the toilet to escape his advances. Upon her return, she covered her lap with her hoodie.

However, Lowe proceeded to touch her thigh twice more, causing her to freeze before finally telling him to 'stop', which he eventually did.

Lowe also verbally assaulted another passenger who attempted to assist him after he dropped his phone, threatening him with: "I'm going to kill you... go on... I'll have you outside", as reported in court. His disruptive behaviour persisted even after they disembarked the plane and boarded the bus to the terminal, with the other passenger's wife pleading loudly: "Can someone get this man away from us."

In a personal victim statement read out in court by prosecutor Amy Weir, the woman expressed her distress, stating: "This journey was supposed to be a relaxing trip away with my family after ten sets of shifts. I am now anxious to travel and I'll never sit on my own again."

The woman said she was a nervous flier, and the incident made her feel worse.

She continued: "There was no CCTV on board which makes me more apprehensive about travelling - it means there is nowhere to go.

"I'm just grateful that this occurred towards the end of a four hour flight."

Jason Smith, defending, said his client was battling alcoholism at the time, which 'destroyed his life' and 'ended his marriage'.

"In a bid to reinvent himself and take a holiday, he continued drinking at the airport and acted in a completely disgraceful way," he said.

"He has no excuse."

Mr Smith said Lowe had since 'turned his life around' and given up alcohol, reports the Manchester Evening News. During sentencing, Judge Timothy Smith said: "She described that for the majority of the flight there was nothing untoward about your behaviour - you were 'fun'. That came to an end towards the end of the flight.

"This court sees too often examples of people who misbehave and drink to excess before going on a flight. Their behaviour, in a confined space, causes fear. They see people, such as yourself, in an intoxicated state, unable to control themselves.

"You say you are disgusted in yourself and your behaviour, and so you should be."

Judge Smith said that because the sentencing hearing was happening two years after the incident, and that Lowe had taken action to tackle his problems, he felt able to suspend a prison sentence. Lowe, from Lower Green Lane in Tyldesley, received a 28-week suspended sentence after admitting to boarding an aircraft while intoxicated and committing sexual assault.

He's been ordered to complete 150 hours of unpaid work and 20 days of rehabilitation activities.

He will also be required to register as a sex offender for the next seven years.

Description

A man who sexually abused and raped a woman then tried to claim she dreamt his attack has been jailed.

Justin Saliba, 50, of Llanishen, was jailed for 11 years at Cardiff Crown Court on Monday, August 18.

The offence dates back to 2021 and happened at his flat – Saliba had preyed on his victim while she was asleep.

The victim woke to find him raping her and fleed after the attack.

She told family who then contacted South Wales Police, and a South Wales Police investigation was launched.

Saliba was arrested and charged with rape and sexual abuse, but he pleaded not guilty, claiming the victim had confused a dream with reality.

But a jury saw through his lies he was found guilty and remanded in custody following a trial.

Saliba was jailed for 11 years and will serve a minimum of two thirds of that sentence before being released on license. He will also be a registered sex offender for the rest of his life.

Detective Constable Charlotte Watkins said:

“Justin Saliba’s actions that night did irreparable damage to his victim. He denied the offence and in doing so dragged his victim through the trauma of a trial and years of waiting for justice.

“He is a dangerous predator who is now serving many years behind bars where he is no longer a threat to others.

“I do hope his victim finds some comfort knowing that and is able to begin the difficult process of rebuilding her life.”

Description

A man has been jailed after being convicted of rape offences against three women in Wakefield District.  

Benjamin Baxter, aged 38, of no fixed abode, was found guilty following a trial at Leeds Crown Court of four counts of rape. He was also found guilty of one count of controlling and coercive behaviour.  

He appeared before Leeds Crown Court again today where he was sentenced to 20 years' imprisonment with an extended licence period of five years.

Detective Constable Hannah Banks, of Wakefield District Adult Safeguarding Unit, said:

“Baxter has demonstrated that he is a dangerous sexual predator who has committed offences against multiple victims.  

“Baxter will be a known face to some in the community as he was landlord of a pub in Wakefield. We hope the prison term that Baxter has been given provides some reassurance to his victims and the wider public.  

“These women have been subjected to the most awful ordeal. While they have shown courage in reporting these offences and bravery in supporting the criminal justice process, Baxter has shown what a contemptible man he is. Not once during this process has he accepted responsibility for the harm he has caused or shown any remorse.  

“I would urge anyone who has been the victim of sexual offences or domestic abuse offences to please report it. Don’t suffer alone. We can, and will, investigate offences and build cases to ensure that perpetrators of violence and sexual violence against women are made to face justice for their actions.”

Description

A registered sex offender who was caught destroying evidence during an unannounced visit by our specialist team has been jailed.

Officers from our Sex Offenders Management Unit (SOMU) visited Dominic O'Flanagan, 44, on 7th June 2022 to make sure he was abiding by his Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO).

The SHPO was put in place after he was convicted of a number of offences including those relating to child abuse material and SHPO breaches.

During the visit, O’Flanagan’s computer was checked and officers found a system running that was deleting files. His computer and two external hard drivers were subsequently seized.

Cleveland Police’s Digital Forensic Unit carried out an examination which led to prohibited images of children being found and evidence of the file deleting software being used.

He was arrested and charged with breaching his SHPO and possessing a prohibited image of a child and he was sentenced on Thursday 12th August to eight months in prison.

O’Flanagan was also made subject to a seven-year SHPO, meaning he will be managed by Cleveland's specially trained Management of Sexual or Violent Offenders Officers.

Investigating officer Detective Constable Barnes from the Paedophile Online Investigation Team (POLIT) said:

“O’Flanagan is a repeat offender who has failed to comply with his Registered Sex Offender Notification requirements and has breached his SHPO a number of times.

“He tried to hide his offending by deleting files from his computer but our officers were able to catch him in the act. I’m pleased that O’Flanagan was today given a custodial sentence so he is unable to continue his disgusting crimes.

“I’d like to thank everyone involved in bringing O’Flanagan to justice. We will continue to pursue those accessing such material and protect the vulnerable from harm.”

Description

A 44 year-old man has been jailed for 14 years after being found guilty of rape, intentional strangulation, assault and threatening a person with an offensive weapon in a private place, following a four-day trial at Portsmouth Crown Court.

Jacek Piotr Pupiec, of Newcombe Road in Portsmouth was sentenced at the same court on Friday 8 August, where he was also ordered to sign the sex offenders register for life.

Pupiec was charged following an investigation into the assault and rape of a woman aged in her 30’s, who was known to him, at an address on Eastney Road in May 2023.

DC Ellie Light from Hampshire & Isle of Wight Constabulary’s specialist Operation Amberstone team said,

“I am very happy to see Pupiec jailed for a considerable amount of time for his despicable crimes.

“I hope that this sentence, as well as the indefinite restraining order Pupiec received, will bring the victim some form of closure and a sense of justice for what she has been through.

“I would like to commend the victim for her bravery and thank her for her support throughout the investigation and court process.

“Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary take all allegations of rape and sexual assault extremely seriously and have specially trained teams that can investigate these kinds of offences and provide support to victims.

“We will not tolerate violence against women and girls in our communities, and it is our promise to anyone who comes forward to report that you will be believed and have the allegations taken extremely seriously.”

Description

A man who raped a woman in a field as she made her way home from a night out has been given an 18-year sentence.

Eugen Simion, 21, a Romanian national who was at the time residing on Praze Road, Camborne, was sentenced at Truro Crown Court on Monday 18 August having been found guilty by a jury of rape following a trial.

During the trial, the court heard how at around 1.40am on 2 February 2025 the victim attended Camborne Police Station on foot, in a distressed state with muddy clothing and no shoes.

The victim immediately disclosed that she had been raped by an unknown male 30 minutes prior in a field nearby.

She described how she had been out in Camborne town centre, before trying to get a taxi. When this was unsuccessful, she made her way home on foot.

CCTV footage showed the victim unsteady on her feet. She recalled being approached by an unknown male who tried to kiss her, but she pushed him away.

The victim told officers that the next thing she could remember was being raped by the man in a dark field.

A number of items were missing from her handbag on arrival at the police station. Some of the items were later recovered at the scene during a fingertip search.

Officers immediately set about finding the suspect and identified Simion through CCTV enquiries. He was arrested on 6 February.

In interview Simion said he too had been out with friends in Camborne but had gone home as he was too drunk.

He stated that he came across the victim who appeared to be under the influence of alcohol. Simion then claimed that the victim initiated sex before asking him to stop, which he did.

Simion said he could be seen running from the scene in footage because it was late, dark and cold and he wanted to get home. He added that he took the victim’s bank card as he thought it was his due to the darkness.

Following the sentencing, Senior Investigating Officer Detective Inspector Rob Smith from the Major Crime Investigation team said:

“This was a particularly distressing attack on a lone woman who was walking home after an evening out.

“Eugen Simion targeted her and subjected her to a violent sexual assault.

“This incident has had a profound impact on the victim, who should have been able to walk home perfectly safely. She has demonstrated immense bravery and ensured we were able to bring Simion to justice.

“I would like to thank her for remaining engaged throughout the court proceedings and I hope she is now able to start to move on with her life.

“Anybody who has been the victim of rape and sexual violence is encouraged to report it to us immediately. They will be supported every step of the way by our specially trained officers.”

Description

A man who sexually assaulted a woman and told her she looked "disgusting" when blood dripped down her head from a wound he inflicted has been jailed for more than seven years.

Saul Rajski, 49, was verbally abusive to the woman and also assaulted her from December 2023 onwards.

The case was opened at Preston Crown Court earlier this month but Judge Ian Unsworth adjourned sentencing so he could consider the proper sentence.

A further hearing also had to be adjourned.

Julian Goode, prosecuting at Preston Crown Court earlier this month, said the victim was left with a black eye on one occasion.

Mr Goode continued by saying that on November 24 last year, police received a report from the victim of the defendant hitting her.

When they arrived, Rajski had left the area, but was stopped in his vehicle a short time later and arrested on suspicion of assault.

Officers noticed swelling around the victim's eye, which she told them was a result of Rajski hitting her two days before.

She also told them Rajski had hit her on another occasion and told her to "shut up".

The victim also disclosed that Rajski would often grab her breasts to the point it would cause bruising, and on one occasion, he sexually assaulted her, telling her to "shut up and enjoy it".

On another occasion he punched her in the head, and when he saw blood running down her head from a cut he caused, he told her she looked "disgusting" and to "wash it."

Rajski was arrested again and denied he caused the injury.

Rajski, 49, of Chequers, Clayton-le-Moors, pleaded guilty to sexual assault, assault occasioning actual bodily harm and battery.

Appearing in the dock at Preston Crown Court again today (August 18), Rajski was jailed for seven years and two months, and also ordered to sign the sex offenders register for life and made subject of an indefinite restraining order.

The victim said in an impact statement:

“This statement has not been an easy thing for me to provide as it involves a time in my life that I would rather not think about or even remember.

"he abuse that he subjected me to is extremely difficult for me 

"I have lost count of the sleepless nights I have had since Saul was arrested and remanded to prison.

"I have been overwhelmed by all sorts of feelings – sadness, fear, disbelief, shame, guilt, the list goes on. I have had no choice but to seek help from my doctor in relation to this.

 “The abuse that Saul subjected me to has had really negative effects on all other relationships in my life. I have been argumentative with friends and family and have pushed them away at times when really everyone has just wanted to help me.

"I have not had the tolerance for it, and I have just felt incredibly emotional and frustrated. I still struggle with flashbacks to this day. I dream about what has happened, and I wake up feeling down and full of fear. This happens on most nights, and I long for the day when I hope that it will stop.”

DC Claire Scott, from Lancashire Police's east rape and serious sexual offences (RASSO) investigation team, said:

“Rajski’s behaviour was completely unacceptable, demeaning and has had a long-lasting impact on her. It is not something that will be tolerated by Lancashire Police or society as a whole.

“I hope she can now begin to move on with her life, knowing that Rajski has been held accountable for what he has done.

“If anyone finds themselves in a similar situation, I would urge them to contact the police, knowing we will listen to you and we will do everything in our power to put the abuser before the courts.”

Description

A man who committed a string of sexual offences against children has been jailed for two years and six months.

Matthew Marvill of Dorothy Avenue in Skegness was sentenced for his crimes when he appeared at Lincoln Crown Court on Thursday, 14 August.

The 41-year-old sent images of his genitals, engaged in sexual talk and performed a sexual act in front of his victims over a three-year period, the court heard.

The offences took place in the Chapel St Leonards area.

Marvill pleaded guilty to the offences at an earlier hearing.

Charges in full

• Engage in sexual communication with a child
• Exposure - SOA 2003
• Engage in sexual activity in presence of a child under 13 - offender 18 or over
• Assault a girl under 13 by touching - SOA 2003
• Assault a girl under 13 by touching - SOA 2003
• Engage in sexual communication with a child
• Sexual assault on a female
• Engage in sexual communication with a child
• Exposure - SOA 2003
• Assault a girl under 13 by touching - SOA 2003
• Sexual assault on a female
• Engage in sexual activity in presence of a child 13 to 15 - offender 18 or over

Detective Constable Carla Sutton said:

“Marvill acted in a wholly inappropriate manner and performed appalling acts in front of young children.

“This behaviour won’t be tolerated in Lincolnshire or society at large and thanks to the courage and strength of the children involved, he won’t be able to abuse anyone else.

“We would encourage anyone who has been abused in this fashion to contact us. We’re here to listen and our specially trained officers will provide as much support as possible.”

Description

A man who was fixated on harrowing baby and toddler sexual abuse has today been jailed.

Ryan Lee Rowland Smith, 23, from Stockton has been convicted of nine offences, including three counts of distributing indecent images of children, three counts of making indecent images of children, possessing a paedophile manual and possessing extreme pornography- including bestiality, possessing prohibited images of a child.

Today, Monday 18th August, Smith was sentenced to four years in prison plus four years on extended licence. He has been placed on the Sex Offenders Register for life and has been made subject of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order for ten years, meaning he will be managed by Cleveland's specially trained Management of Sexual or Violent Offenders Officers.

Over 4,000 child abuse images and videos were discovered on his mobile phones which included 13.5 hours of video time, eight hours of which were category A, the worst grade of footage.

Leading investigator, Paedophile Online Investigation Team (POLIT) Constable Barnes, said:

“I have managed sex offenders and investigated sexual offences for over 10 years and Ryan Smith is, by far, the worst offender I have dealt with in relation to this type of crime. Every minute of footage on his phone showed a baby or child suffering extreme abuse.

“The horrific content he was accessing, and sharing, was very specific and mainly involved babies and toddlers. The content was so harrowing, our team went as far as to warn defence to be cautious as this is some of the most horrific content we have been exposed to.

“Smith was accessing this content, in the main depicting pain and suffering, for his own satisfaction and nothing more. Smith's offending is abhorrent; in my eyes, he has committed the most horrendous crimes imaginable.

“When our team arrested Smith in October 2024 it was 6:30am and he had already been on his device accessing vile content. Since then, officers from the team have gone above and beyond to gather evidence against Smith. At times it was extremely difficult for the team, as they had to view everything which Smith accessed; the tenacity and expertise of the team as a whole secured the convictions against Smith.

“Smith has shown no shame or remorse for the crimes he has committed, even answering ‘no comment’ when interviewed, for this, he deserves to spend a long time behind bars where he cannot cause further harm.”

Description

An online sex offender who was caught trying to groom someone he believed to be a 13-year-old girl has been jailed.

Giampiero Franchi was actually speaking to an undercover police officer in a chat room when he engaged them in sexual communications on 9 July 2024.

When the incident was passed to Nottinghamshire Police they arrested the 70-year-old and seized his mobile phone and other devices.

A series of indecent photographs, including 18 of the most serious Category A images, depicting the most severe abuse, were discovered.

There was also evidence Franchi had previously incited young children to engage in sexual activity online.

When he was interviewed by officers Franchi admitted he ‘needed help’.

Franchi, of Kingswood Road, Nottingham, pleaded guilty to inciting a girl under 13 to engage in sexual activity, three counts of making indecent images of children, attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child and possessing an extreme pornographic image.

At Nottingham Crown Court on Thursday (14 August) he was jailed for a total of five years. He was also made the subject of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order and must sign on the Sex Offenders’ Register indefinitely.

Police Constable Summer Smith, of Nottinghamshire Police, said:

“Franchi thought he was talking to a young girl but was actually in conversation with a police officer.

“When the case was taken on by our detectives we uncovered the extent of his offending.

“Behind the disgusting images on his devices are real children who have been subjected to degrading abuse.

“Protecting children is of paramount importance to the force and we have teams of officers working on cases like this to protect victims and bring offenders to justice.

“I hope this case also serves as a warning to other parents about the danger people like Franchi can pose to their children via the internet.”

Description

A 22-year-old man has been jailed for five years after being found guilty of a sexual offence following a seven day trial at Portsmouth Crown Court.

Rene Blankson of Ernest Road in Fratton was arrested and subsequently charged after a 16-year-old girl was attacked in Fratton early on Saturday 20 July last year.

The teenager was walking along Fratton Road at around 01:15am when a man she did not know started talking to her. He then assaulted her in St Mary’s churchyard. The girl managed to run away and asked a member of the public for help.

On Thursday 1 May 2025 Blankson was found guilty of assaulting a female aged thirteen or over by penetration with a part of the body by a jury at Portsmouth Crown Court. He was sentenced at the same court on Thursday 14 August to five years in prison, an additional three year extended license period, and is subject to a restraining order for life.

Following the trial Blankson was found not guilty of other offences including sexual assault, and non-fatal strangulation.

Officer in the case Detective Constable Amy Thatcher said:

“This attack has continued to have a significant impact on the victim both physically and mentally. Her bravery in speaking to us and reliving the most traumatic moments of her childhood is to be commended and I truly hope this court result assists her recovery.

“We take all allegations of rape and sexual assault extremely seriously and have specially trained teams that can investigate these kinds of offences and provide support to victims. If you have experienced these kinds of offences, it is our promise to you that you will be heard and listened to. We are determined to put victims first and relentlessly pursue offenders, especially when investigating these kinds of cases”

Description

A man has been locked up for sexual abuse dating back to the 90s after the victim bravely came forward.

Carl Chapman, aged 61, was sentenced last week after officers launched an investigation into reports he had sexually abused a girl for nearly 10 years.

The offences took place from 1996 when the victim, who was known to him, was just 9-years-old until 2004 when she was 16.

Chapman would bribe her and even threatened to kill her family.

The girl, now a woman, bravely came forward to report the non-recent offences and following an investigation by officers he was arrested and hauled before the courts for his crimes.

Chapman, of Birmingham, appeared at Wolverhampton Crown Court on 8 August following a trial in April this year where he was found guilty of 19 counts including indecent assault on a girl under 16, incite a girl under 16 to commit an act of gross indecency, incite a girl under 14 to commit an act of gross indecency and incite a girl aged 13-15 to engage in sexual activity.

He was jailed for 17 years and will also be on the sex-offenders register for the rest of his life.

Detective Sergeant Chloe Collins, who investigated the case, said:

“I want to commend the courage and bravery of the victim in coming forward and reporting Chapman’s deplorable crimes to us.

“She showed so much bravery not only in reporting but showed her strength throughout the investigation, trial, and the sentencing.

“We would not have been able to put Chapman behind bars without her courage and I thank her for that.

“I hope the jail term handed out gives her some closure and serves as a reminder to other victims of crime to come forward and make a report – it’s never too late.”

Description

A man from Telford has today (Friday 15 August) been sentenced for sexually assaulting two women.

Christy McCleary, of Wrekin View, Madeley in Telford, appeared at Shrewsbury Crown Court via live link from prison, having pled not guilty and was sentenced to six years for the sexual assaults and four months for assaulting an emergency worker.

The 32-year-old sexually assaulted a woman in July 2017 and another woman in September 2019.

Both the victims were asleep when McCleary abused them.

Detective Sergeant Richard Cowley said:

“I must start by commending the bravery and fortitude of the victims who have remained strong through what has been a long process due to the pandemic.

“We welcome the sentence given to McCleary and I hope this court result will encourage other victims of rape or sexual assault or those who know of such crimes to come forward and report such crimes.

“We will always listen to you and act where appropriate to bring predators like McCleary before the courts with the aim of securing justice and custodial sentences as in this case.”

Description

A rapist is behind bars after jurors found him guilty of carrying out a series of sexual assaults on three young girls in Fife.

James John Dorans, 56, preyed on the children at locations in Glenrothes and Kirkcaldy, between August 1995 and September 2018.