Latest Offenders

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South Essex delivery driver jailed for online child sex offences

A delivery driver from Benfleet has been jailed after engaging in sexual online chats with people he believed were underage girls.

Keelan Cooper, 22, of Avondale Road, Benfleet, pleaded guilty at Basildon Crown Court to two charges of attempting to sexually communicate with a child and one count of attempting to cause or incite a girl aged 13 to 15 to engage in penetrative sexual activity.

In August 2025, Cooper, using the name Tom, added a decoy calling herself Jessica on the Say Hi app and moved the conversation to WhatsApp. When she said she was “nearly 13,” he told her he had a foot fetish and asked: “I was wondering if you had any bare feet pics please?”

Two months later, in October, using the name Bob, he contacted a second decoy, Olivia, who said she was 14. He again requested bare feet pictures, praised the image she sent, then asked if she ever got “horny” and talked her through performing a sex act on herself. He also asked if she had seen a penis and suggested trading genital photos. The chat lasted two days and ran to 54 pages when printed.

Both “girls” were online vigilante paedophile hunters. After the second exchange they confronted Cooper at his home and called Essex Police.

Defence barrister Alfred Underwood sought a suspended sentence, citing Cooper’s degenerative hereditary mobility condition, lack of previous convictions, and the sudden death of his father from bowel cancer in February 2025, which left him in a “particularly low place.” Cooper had lost his previous job after arrest but later secured full-time work delivering car parts. He had withdrawn from social media, and the defence argued there was a realistic prospect of rehabilitation.

Prosecutor Robert Colover outlined the facts. The probation service assessed Cooper as a medium risk of future sexual offending and of causing serious harm to female children. He denied any sexual attraction to children and offered no explanation for his actions.

Judge Shane Collery KC refused to suspend the sentence. “I have real concerns that it would send the wrong message out, that if you do this not just once but twice, the courts will be lenient,” he said. “In my judgement, it is not correct to suspend the sentence.”

He added: “We need to remember here that we are not dealing with an isolated incident. In my view, that does make a difference. There is a real public concern at such incidents and to see it on two separate occasions really raises that concern.”

Cooper was sentenced to 30 months in prison.

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A violent abuser who strangled a woman to the point of passing out has been jailed.

Stuart Benton left the woman fearing like she was going to die, and when she tried to ring 999, he grabbed her phone and smashed it.

In another incident, the 27-year-old pinned the woman down and stripped her clothes off before kicking and stamping on her.

Benton, of Peterlee, was arrested by police after the woman told her mother what had happened.

He was charged with controlling and coercive behaviour, two counts of sexual assault, and intentional strangulation.

Benton initially pleaded not guilty to the offences, but changed his plea to guilty on the day his trial was due to start.

He appeared at Teesside Crown Court on Tuesday (August 11) where he was jailed for six years and three months.

He was also handed an indefinite restraining order preventing him from contacting the woman.

A spokesman from Peterlee CID, who led the investigation, said:

“Benton is a violent and dangerous individual, who put the woman through unimaginable suffering and pain.

“We’d like to commend her for the strength she has shown throughout the investigation and subsequent court process.

“By standing up to Benton and having her voice heard, she has helped to take a dangerous man off the streets, who poses a clear risk to women and girls.”

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A GP who sexually assaulted his clients during examinations has been jailed.

Muhammad Iqbal was arrested and charged with two counts of sexual assault following the incidents in Darlington and Sunderland in late 2023.

The two victims had attended physiotherapy appointments arranged by their insurance companies following road traffic collisions and were seen by Iqbal.

In the first incident, the 64-year-old grabbed the victim’s breast whilst in the second he pretended he needed to examine the victim’s breasts saying he was ‘checking for lumps’ despite that not being the reason the victim was to be examined.

Both women were left feeling violated by the examinations and reported them to the police.

Iqbal, of Julianstown, County Meath, Ireland, was arrested but denied the offences.

A trial was held last month and Iqbal was found guilty of both offences.

He was jailed for 18 months when he appeared at Newcastle Crown Court today (August 14).

He was also placed on the Sex Offender Register for ten years.

Detective Constable Charlotte Naisby, of Durham Constabulary’s Complex Safeguarding Team, praised the women for coming forward and encouraged any others who think they might have been assaulted to do the same.

“Iqbal preyed on these women during a very vulnerable period in their lives and his behaviour was despicable," she said.

“The women should have felt safe being examined by a certified GP but instead Iqbal not only assaulted them but breached their trust in the most horrendous way and we are glad to see he is now behind bars.

“We hope these women can now begin to rebuild their lives and I’d like to praise their bravery and courage in reporting the offences and helping us to bring Iqbal to justice.”

Sergeant Kimberley Ball, of Northumbria Police, said: “As a force, we just simply won’t tolerate this type of offending and, alongside our partners, we’ll work tirelessly to bring offenders such as Iqbal to justice.

“Iqbal was in a position of trust over these two women, and to choose a time when they were seeking medical assistance to do what he has done to them is something which is truly deplorable.

“I hope both victim-survivors can now move forward with their lives, and I am grateful to their courage to come forward and make a report. I am confident they have made the North East safer now that this man’s crimes have been brought to light.”

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A 'dangerous' sex offender who groomed three young girls before raping one of them has been jailed.

Michael Lee-Ingle subjected the trio of victims to a catalogue of abuse during more than a decade of offending.

Witness impact statements read out in court described the profound impact the abuse had on each of them.

Lee-Ingle's offending had 'stolen the childhoods' of his victims, leaving them struggling with mental health issues and feeling suicidal.

He groomed one girl, of primary school age at the time, between 2011 and 2017, and raped her on at least five occasions.

The second victim was sexually assaulted by Lee-Ingle when she was also aged under 10.

The court heard the third victim had her 'innocence stolen' by Lee-Ingle when he incited her into sexual activity.

Lee-Ingle's offending came to light in September 2022 when he was confronted and fled from his home.

He was arrested and when his phone was analysed, detectives found two extreme videos on the device.

Lee-Ingle, aged 33, of Sherwood, Nottingham, eventually pleaded guilty to rape, two counts of sexual assault, two counts of inciting a child into sexual activity and two counts of possessing extreme images.

At Nottingham Crown Court on Thursday (13 August) he was handed an extended total jail sentence of 18 years.

He was also added to the Sex Offenders’ Register for life and made the subject of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order.

Detective Constable Emily Bucklow, of Nottinghamshire Police, said:

"The heartbreaking statements from our three victims reveal the ongoing impact Lee-Ingle's offending has had on each of their young lives.

"They have been subjected to appalling abuse at the hands of Lee-Ingle, who the judge has agreed is a dangerous offender deserving an extended period behind bars.

"I hope the sentence handed down at least allows the victims and their loved ones to begin the process of moving on with their lives.

"I'd like to commend them for their bravery in speaking to officers and throughout the court process.

"Considering their age and the ordeals they have been through, their courage and resilience has been remarkable.

"It is thanks to them that Lee-Ingle is behind bars and no longer a threat to other children.

"The case should also serve as a further example of how seriously our detectives investigate offences of this nature.

"Victims of abuse will be listened to and protected, and the perpetrators will end up behind bars."

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A sex offender who breached court orders following a conviction for possession of indecent images of children has been jailed.

Callum Parker, 36, was previously convicted in 2019 and given a suspended prison sentence for making and distributing indecent images of children.

This included 273 Category A images detailing the worst type of sexual abuse on children.

He was a registered sex offender and a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) was also imposed to order him to comply with conditions including notifying police of new credit cards and possession of mobile phones or electronic devices such as computers.

Following a random unannounced visit in April this year, Parker was found to be in breach of the terms of the SHPO and notification requirements as a registered sex offender.

Parker had a new mobile phone and a new internet enabled device that he had not told police about, and a further USB device which contained extreme pornographic images involving adults and animals.

At Lewes Crown Court on July 31, he admitted one count of possessing extreme pornography, two counts of failing to comply with notification requirements as a registered sex offender and four counts of breaching a Sexual Harm Prevention Order.

He was jailed for two years and three months for the breaches.

The court was told how officers from the VISOR team visited Parker, of Keymer Road, Hassocks, on April 27 as part of an unannounced check.

An inspection of his mobile phone found internet history did not exist for two months, suggesting it had either been wiped, or that he was using other devices.

After attempting to snatch the phone from officers, Parker eventually admitted he held another phone which he had not told police about. He told police the phone was hidden in his bed.

He was also in possession of a computer device and the USB stick, and had set up a bank account with a new bank card which he had not declared to the police.

Speaking after the case, Detective Inspector Debbie Ricks said:

“Our officers complete unannounced visits to registered sex offenders to ensure they are complying with their requirements.

“These can include notifying police of owning a new phone or computer, as well as informing us of changes such as of a new bank account.

“This case demonstrates that we will take action against those who are in breach of court orders designed to protect the public from further harm.

“Parker failed to comply with these court orders, and he is now serving a custodial sentence.”

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A victim courageously came forward and reported what happened to her after she was raped by a man who was known to her in Poole.

On two occasions in September and November 2022, the victim – a woman aged in her 60s – was raped at an address in the town.

In April 2023, the victim bravely came forward to report what had happened and an investigation was carried out by detectives.

The defendant – 63-year-old Stephen Dorris of Poole – was arrested in June 2023 and interviewed.

Both the victim and defendants mobile phones were examined and following liaison with the Crown Prosecution Service, Dorris was charged with two counts of rape.

Dorris, a British national who gave his self-defined ethnicity as white British, was found guilty following a trial at Bournemouth Crown Court.

He was sentenced on Tuesday 11 August 2026 at the same court to seven years in prison and made the subject of an indefinite restraining order.

Detective Constable Thomas Norman, of BCP CID, said:

“I would like to praise the victim in this case for coming forward and reporting what happened to her.

“Her bravery has ensured that a sexual offender has been put behind bars and will face the consequences of his actions.

“We will always thoroughly investigate a report of a sexual offence, even if it is not reported at the time when the incident occurred. We are here to support you and listen.”

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Richard Barrett, 44, of Cunningham Close, Shoeburyness, jailed for child abuse images

A south Essex man who distributed videos of child sexual abuse has been jailed after repeatedly failing to attend court.

Richard Barrett laughed while police took his mugshot following his arrest. He later breached bail on four occasions in 2025, missing hearings at Basildon Crown Court on 12 May, 29 May, 16 June and 3 November.

On Wednesday 12 August 2026 he appeared at Colchester Magistrates’ Court (sitting as a satellite court for Basildon Crown Court) and was sentenced by Judge Richard Conley.

Barrett was convicted of seven offences relating to indecent images of children. These comprised three counts of making indecent images and three counts of distributing them, plus one count of possessing an extreme pornographic image showing a human performing oral sex on an animal.

He possessed 49 Category A videos and 56 Category A images (the most serious category, involving penetrative or sadistic abuse), nine Category B videos and 52 Category B images, and eight Category C videos and 75 Category C images. He distributed seven Category A videos, one Category B video and one Category C video.

Judge Conley imposed a prison sentence of three years and two months and ordered the destruction of the devices holding the material. Barrett is barred from working with children or vulnerable adults, must register as a sex offender, and is subject to a ten-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order requiring him to register electronic devices with police and make them available for inspection without notice.

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A child rapist who also committed multiple other sexual abuses of children was sentenced to 27 years in prison at court yesterday (Thursday 13 August).

Luke Simon, 42, of Redditch, was found guilty at Worcester Crown Court of 22 child sexual offences that took place between in the past decade.

These were two counts of rape of a child under 13 and 20 sexual assaults on children under 13 for which he was sentenced to 27 years.

Simon (pictured) was also given a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) and a restraining order was also put in place.

His offences, which were against more than one child, were brought to light in 2023 and sparked an investigation by West Mercia Police’s Protecting People Unit (PPU) which resulted in yesterday’s sentencing.

Detective Sergeant Izabela Majchrzyk from PPU said:

“We would like to pay tribute to the survivors of Simon’s vile predatory actions for their courage in coming forward and giving us the evidence that has led to this successful conviction.

“We hope today’s sentencing will help them to move on with their lives and that it encourages other survivors of sexual abuse to come forward.

“Our message to anyone who has suffered similar abuses is we will always listen to you and act where appropriate no matter how long ago the offences took place.”

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A Wigton man has been jailed for making and distributing indecent images of children and breaching the notification requirements of the sex offenders register.

Craig Mason, 34, of Fell View, Wigton, was sentenced at Carlisle Crown Court on Wednesday 12 August to five years in prison.

Mason was subject to sexual offender notification requirements following convictions for indecent image offences committed between 2018 and 2024.

During a home visit by officers from Cumbria Police's MOSOVO (Management of Sexual Offenders and Violent Offenders) team, Mason told officers he did not have a mobile phone or any social media accounts. Under the terms of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order, he was required to notify police of any online accounts and usernames he used.

Officers subsequently located a mobile phone in Mason's bedroom. Examination of the device uncovered several social media accounts and indecent images of children.

Mason was also ordered to sign the Sex Offenders Register for ten years.

DC Andrew Minnion, of the MOSOVO team, said:

“Mason was fully aware of the conditions of the Sexual Harm Prevention Order imposed on him but chose to lie to officers.

“MOSOVO officers play a vital role in safeguarding communities by rigorously managing registered sex offenders, ensuring compliance with legal requirements, and holding individuals accountable for their actions.

“We take a zero-tolerance approach against anyone found to breach the terms of their requirements or committing any further offences.”

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A Crowborough man who advertised himself on a childcare website and sexually abused a young girl has been sentenced to five years in prison.

Andrew Evans, 40, is already serving more than 14 years for sexually abusing four children linked to two investigations in 2022. The latest sentence will run consecutively.

The court heard that in March, 2022, Evans advertised himself as a childminder on a childcare website and was contacted by a woman who hired him to stay overnight at her home and look after her two small children.

At that time Evans was on police bail while being investigated for a separate matter with conditions which included having no unsupervised contact with children.

On 20 March, 2022, he was seen in public with the children by a person who knew of his bail conditions and reported him to police.

He was arrested the next day, and subsequent checks of his mobile phone revealed indecent images of the seven-year-old girl he had been hired to care for. The victim later disclosed she had been sexually abused by Evans.

She and her family were supported by specialist officers while Evans remained in custody.

He was charged with two counts of assault by penetration of a girl under 13 and causing a girl under 13 to engage in sexual activity, without penetration.

At Lewes Crown Court on Friday, 10 July, 2026 Evans pleaded guilty to both charges.

Today (Thursday, 13 August), Evans was given a further prison term:

• Count 1 – five  years imprisonment plus one year extended licence. This is to run consecutive to his current 14yrs four months sentence which had a five year extended licence.
• Count 2 – 40 months to run concurrently.

Evans has also been issued with a restraining order, to have no contact with the victim or her family.

The father of the victim told the court:

“The hardest part is knowing that my daughter has to live with what he did to her.

As her father, I wish I could take her pain upon myself.  I cannot describe how deeply it hurts to know that I cannot change what happened or erase those memories for her.

“There is no question the man who committed these offences has not only harmed my daughter, he has changed me as a person.  I feel anger unlike anything I have ever known. It is an anger that comes from knowing that someone deliberately preyed on my little girl who should have been safe.

“Alongside that anger is heartbreak. I cannot stop thinking about what my daughter went through whilst under his care. 

The effect of his offences did not end when the abuse stopped. They continue every single day for my daughter, and they continue every single day for those of us who love her.

“This man’s actions have left permanent scars on my daughter.  They have also left lasting scars on me.  I believe I will carry the weight of his crimes for the rest of my life.”

Detective Constable Rebecca Wilde said:

“Andrew Evans is a prolific child abuser who deliberately placed himself in childcare settings in order to groom and exploit young children.

“We acted swiftly as soon as we became aware Evans had breached his bail conditions to ensure he posed no further risk to the public.

“Evans is safely behind bars and, thanks to the bravery of his victims, will no longer have access to children.

“This type of offending causes lasting damage not only to the direct victims, but also to families and communities, and it will not be tolerated.

“If you are a victim of sexual offending or have concerns about someone else, please report to us online or via 101. Always call 999 in an emergency.”

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A registered sex offender has been jailed after indecent images of children and extreme pornography were found on devices belonging to him.

Frazer McDonald (pictured) was given a sexual harm prevention order in 2017 for making indecent images of children.

As part of that order, McDonald was subject to visits from Lancashire Police while living at an address in Pilling. 

In August last year, officers arrested McDonald after receiving information he was in possession of indecent images of children.

Devices were seized from him on that occasion and on subsequent visits.

Examination of those devices found child abuse images involving very young children, and extreme pornography.

McDonald was also found to have breached his sexual harm prevention order by failing to make a smartphone available for inspection and using an online name without registering it with police.

During one of the monitoring visits, he was also found in possession of crystal meth, a Class A controlled drug.

McDonald, 56, formerly of Glenfield Leisure Park, Smallwood Hey Road, Pilling, appeared at Preston Crown Court last week (August 6th) for sentence.

He had pleaded guilty to offences of making indecent images of children, possessing prohibited images of a child, possession of extreme pornography, breaching a sexual harm prevention order, failing to notify under terms of sex offender requirements and possession of crystal meth.

The judge jailed him for three years, made him subject of sex offender notification requirements and imposed a 10-year sexual harm prevention order.

Detective Constable Adam Weaver of our Monitoring of Sexual Offenders and Violent Offenders (MOSOVO) West team, said:

“Frazer McDonald displayed a total disregard to the sexual harm prevention order and sex offender notification requirements.

“He was found with indecent images of children on the devices he held, and extreme pornography – images which are abhorrent and sickening.

“This was a joint investigation involving MOSOVO West and the sexual exploitation team at Lancaster, supported by digital forensics.

“As a result of that work, a high-risk individual has been taken off the streets of Lancashire and sent to prison.”

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A man who took indecent images of an unknowing teenage girl has been sentenced by a court.

Liam Bryan (pictured) zoomed in on intimate areas of the girl’s body and had videos and still images on his phone.

He knew the girl and the images were taken in a social setting without her being aware she was being filmed and photographed.

Our investigation began in July last year after Bryan had posted sexual remarks on a Reddit account.

Officers arrested Bryan in Accrington on September 18th and seized his phone.

When the phone was examined, the images of the girl were found.

The images were close-ups of different parts of her body when she was wearing jeans and a vest top.

When officers told the girl about the images found on Bryan’s phone, she was horrified.

Bryan, 26, of Worston Close, Accrington, appeared before Blackburn Magistrates Court this week (August 11th) after pleading guilty to making indecent images of a child.

He was given a 12-month prison sentence suspended for two years, was ordered to sign the sex offenders register for 10 years, made subject of a five-year sexual harm prevention order and given a lifetime restraining order regarding his victim.

Bryan was also given an alcohol abstinence order for 60 days.

In a Victim Personal Statement read to the court, the girl said:

“Once the police went through Liam's phone, they later came to tell me Liam had actually taken photographs of me when I was not looking and focused on my bum and chest area, I felt really upset and embarrassed.

“After this day I started to process what Liam had done and as time went on my mental health took a toll.

“I didn't want to leave my bedroom for weeks. I didn't want to talk to anyone or be involved in family activities. I didn't want to be seen in public. I thought everyone was talking about me. The area where I live is a small community news travels fast.”

Detective Constable Beth Turner of the Internet Child Exploitation Team, said: “Liam Bryan’s actions caused a huge amount of distress for his teenage victim.

“Unknown to her, he had taken the indecent images, and it was such a shock to her when she learned what had happened.

“She is a teenage girl who is entitled to go about her life feeling safe and not have someone taking images which she had no idea about at the time.”

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Our Police Online Investigation Team (POLIT) and colleagues have ensured a Basildon man is jailed after he was caught trying to arrange to rape children.

Stuart Ross, 50, of Orlando Drive in Basildon, first spoke to a woman called Louise on social media on 15 November 2020.

Ross quickly turned the conversation to describing the sexual acts and abuse he wanted to act out on Louise and her two young daughters, aged four years old and four months old, and how soon he would be able to visit them.

Over the course of 11 days he exchanged dozens of messages with Louise and had phone calls confirming times and dates he would travel to her address in Yorkshire.

The two daughters were not real, and ‘Louise’ was an undercover police officer based in the Yorkshire and Humberside Regional Crime Unit.

Arrested, charged, pleading not guilty

On 26 November 2020 our POLIT officers – specialists in tackling online child sex offences – arrested Ross, taking him into custody and seizing his electronics.

Searches for travel times between his and the officer’s address, as well as dozens of searches for abusive material, were found on the devices.

He was charged with attempting to arrange or facilitate the commission of a child sex offence, and publishing an obscene article.

While he pleaded guilty to the lesser charge, after appearing at Basildon Crown Court for a three-day trial a jury found Ross guilty of attempting to arrange a child sex offence as well. He was remanded in custody and today, Thursday 13 August, was sentenced to nine years in prison, with a further two years on an extended licence, at the same court. He will have to serve at least two-thirds of his custodial sentence in prison.

He was also given a 15-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order which tightly controls what access he can have to internet-connected electronic devices, and will remain on the sex offenders’ register for life.

'Ross is a sexual predator'

POLIT Detective Constable Sally Keddy, the investigating officer in the case, said:

In interview he tried to claim his messages were just a fantasy. At court he pleaded not guilty. In reality, Ross is a sexual predator.

He is a danger to children and now he is spending time in prison for his offences, children are safer.

It is right that he now serves a long sentence for his abhorrent offending.

We are fully committed to ensuring those who pose a threat to vulnerable children are brought to justice, working closely with our colleagues nationwide as we did with the Yorkshire and Humberside Regional Crime Unit in this case.

We work across borders to stop these crimes and protect our communities. Those committing these offences should expect to be brought to justice.

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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.

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Martin Connelly, 45, of Unity Street, Bristol, was jailed by Bristol Crown Court on Wednesday 5 August after he was found guilty of assault by touching following a trial at the same court in June.

A man has been sentenced to more than three years in prison for the non-recent sexual assault of a child.

Martin Connelly, 45, of Unity Street, Bristol, was jailed by Bristol Crown Court on Wednesday 5 August after he was found guilty of assault by touching following a trial at the same court in June.

He was sentenced to a custodial sentence of three years and four months, and he will be the subject of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) for the rest of his life.

The charge relates to an offence where he assaulted his victim under clothing.

The victim read a statement outlining the impact the offending had on her in court, which said:

“There are songs I can no longer listen to, films I cannot watch, and people I struggle to look at because they remind me of you. You have shrunk parts of my world, but you have not brought me down to your level.

“While this has been one of the worst experiences of my life, it has also taught me grace. It has shown me that you truly never know what someone else is carrying. A younger me would’ve never imagined I could say that I stood up and defended myself.

“You have had years to show genuine remorse and to admit responsibility, yet you continue to hide behind excuses and self-delusion. I genuinely believe you have convinced yourself that you are something other than what you are.”

DC Kimberley O’Leary, from our specialist child protection team, said:

“The complainant did not choose for this to happen, but has shown incredible strength and courage to support this investigation, in part to prevent this trauma from being experienced again.

“I thank them for the bravery and resilience they have shown throughout this process, and I hope this will empower other victims of sexual assaults to come forward, because they will be believed and supported.”