Latest Offenders

Description

A man has today, Wednesday 21 October, been jailed for eight-and-a-half years after being convicted of a rape in Liverpool.

On Saturday 23 November 2024 a woman reported she had been the victim of rape at a property in Toxteth.

Following enquiries, including a CCTV appeal, a man was arrested and charged and today Mohammed Benradi, 27, a Moroccan national, of Hatherley Street, London, appeared at Liverpool Crown Court for sentencing.

Detective Constable Andrew Littler of our specialist Unity Team said:

“Benradi is behind bars where he belongs and I hope his sentence will give his victim a degree of closure and allow her to move on with her life.

“If you or someone you know has been the victim of a sexual offence, please be assured that we have specially trained officers to guide you through the process.”

Description

A children’s gymnastics coach who was found with more than 17,000 indecent images of children has been jailed.

Aaron Strachan was arrested on suspicion of making indecent images of children in August 2024 after police received information that the 26-year-old could have indecent material on his phone.

Officers found a total of 17,147 indecent images of children on the phone, mainly of young or pre-pubescent boys.

These included 6,080 category C images, 6,028 category B images and 5,039 category A images – the most severe.

Also found on the phone were 56 group chats from a messaging app where indecent images were requested and shared, including by Strachan.

In interview, Strachan, of Robertson Way, Sapley, Huntingdon, denied any knowledge of the indecent images found on his phone.

He claimed he had no idea how the material may have got there but then suggested he may have left his phone unlocked and that someone else could have accessed it at work – despite evidence that the images were downloaded, viewed and shared at various times of the day and night over several months.

However, on the day his trial was due to begin, Strachan pleaded guilty to three counts of making indecent images of children and one count of distributing an indecent image or video.

He was sentenced at Cambridge Crown Court on Friday (16 October) where he was handed a total of three years and four months in prison.

He was made the subject of a sexual harm prevention order (SHPO) for 20 years, to monitor any future offending, and was ordered to sign the Sex Offenders Register indefinitely.

Detective Constable Matthew Walshe, who investigated, said:

“Strachan was found with many indecent images of pre-pubescent boys, while working as a gymnastics coach teaching boys of a similar age.

“While none of the children in the indecent images on Strachan’s phone have been found to be children he knew or worked with, every one of those 17,147 images represents a child who was sexually abused or exploited.

“Strachan’s own safeguarding training will have taught him the horrific consequences such abuse carries for every child.

“Despite the weight of evidence and knowledge of his guilt, he pleaded not guilty to delay justice as long as possible before changing his plea at the beginning of the trial. He is a committed paedophile who is now facing the consequences of his actions, which includes never working with children again.”

Description

A Gillingham sex offender whose phone was searched the day he was released from prison has been jailed.

Officers made an unannounced visit to Ian Foreman’s home on The Willows on 1 July 2026 and reviewed his phone as part of a previously imposed Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO).

The checks uncovered conversations in which the messaging platform’s ‘view once’ feature had been used multiple times, breaching a condition of his SHPO in which he can’t delete messages from his phone. He was charged with this breach on 5 August.

Second review

A further review of his mobile device took place during a scheduled meeting at Medway Police Station on Monday 18 August. Foreman, 40, admitted having met a woman for sexual activity, however no messages could be found between the two.

Enquiries showed the pair had been in communication for five days, identifying that he had deleted numerous messages.

Two more incidents of ‘one time view’ messages being used were also identified.

Foreman was consequently arrested and charged with two further breaches.

Court

He pleaded guilty to all three charges at Maidstone Crown Court in August, and appeared before the same court on Tuesday 13 October for sentencing.

Foreman was sentenced to 9 months’ imprisonment for the SHPO breaches with an additional year added for breaching a suspended sentence.

Investigating officer Police Constable Harriette Barraclough said:

‘Foreman wilfully disobeyed the restrictions that he was fully aware were in place through his SHPO.

‘These orders are in place to lower offenders’ risk to the public in general, and he has been rightly imprisoned for his persistent breaches of this safeguarding tool.

‘We hope this sentence will make him realise he cannot do as he pleases without suffering severe consequences as a result.’

Description

A man from Chesterton has been jailed after being found guilty of a number of sex offences committed while the victim was heavily sedated.

Following a four-day trial Benjamin Warner, 28, from Heath Street, Chesterton was found guilty of four counts of rape, assault by penetration, causing a person to engage in sexual activity without consent and sexual assault.

Warner appeared at Liverpool Crown Court to on 20 October to be sentenced to 14 years in prison. He was also handed an indefinite restraining order in relation to the victim and required to sign the sex offenders register for life.

The incidents involved one woman in the Congleton area while she was heavily sedated and unable to consent.

DC Brett Oliver said:

“After refusing to provide his pin code for his seized mobile phone and also denying to interviewing officers that he had video recorded these offences, our Digital Forensics Unit were able to get into his mobile phone.

“Once in, I was able to find video recordings of him committing these heinous acts. Despite the evidence he refused to admit he had committed any crimes and refused to comment during his interview meaning we had to go to trial and the victim had to go through the ordeal of that.

“Thankfully the jury agreed with the evidence stacked against him and he is now facing a significant amount of time behind bars.

“I’d like to thank the victim for her bravery and hope that this conviction will help in some small way to her recovery from her horrific ordeal.”

Description

A “vile sex offender” who followed a teenage girl through a station and subjected her to a prolonged sexual assault has been jailed, following a British Transport Police (BTP) investigation.

Bradley Warby, 41, and of Caldecote Close in Peterborough, was sentenced at Cambridge Crown Court on Monday 5 October to one year and two months’ imprisonment, having pleaded guilty at a previous hearing to three counts of Sexual Assault.

He was also ordered to sign the sex offenders register for 10 years, and handed a restraining order that bars him from contacting the victim.

The court heard how, on Friday 25 April, Warby was in King’s Cross railway station when he noticed a 16-year-old girl standing with her mother in a queue for coffee.

He approached them and spoke to the girl briefly before she walked away with her mother. Warby then followed them through the station, at which point the girl's mother told him that her daughter was 16.

He stopped following them, but after boarding the train to Peterborough he noticed the victim was sat by herself nearby. He beckoned for her to come over and sit with him, but she moved away.

Warby followed the girl and sat next to her, repeatedly attempting to speak to her and made sexual comments towards her.

He then repeatedly sexually assaulted her before getting off the train at Peterborough, while a concerned bystander who noticed the incident reported it to British Transport Police by texting 61016.

Detectives investigating the crime report were able to identify Warby through CCTV images, and he was arrested on 5 August. In police interview he claimed the victim had lied about the encounter.

BTP Detective Constable John Severns said:

"Bradley Warby is a vile sexual predator who singled out a teenage girl and subjected her to a horrific sexual assault.

“I hope he spends his time in prison reflecting on his criminal actions, and that his conviction grants the victim some sense of closure after what he put her through.”

Description

Gabriel Brown (formerly Aaron Wright), a registered sex offender from Carlisle, has been jailed for life after murdering a man, severing and eating his finger, and setting fire to his flat.

Brown, 35, was found guilty in July 2026 of murdering 58-year-old Joseph Ernest Johnston at the victim’s home in Annan on 19 November 2024. He stabbed Mr Johnston 22 times, cut off his ring finger, cooked and ate it, carved letters into his face, and started multiple fires in the property. He was sentenced in late August 2026 at the High Court in Glasgow to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 23 years.

Brown had previously lived in Carlisle and was jailed in 2018 under the name Aaron (or Arron) Wright for child sex offences. He admitted four counts of sexual activity with a 14-year-old girl and three of causing or inciting her to engage in sexual activity, committed several years earlier in Carlisle. He was sentenced to five years, placed on the sex offenders’ register for life, and given a Sexual Harm Prevention Order. The victim later said she suffered “horrifying nightmares” and that the abuse had “knocked my confidence, and reduced me to little self-esteem.”

Police Scotland confirmed it was aware of the name change from Wright to Brown. A spokesman said public safety is a priority and that multi-agency public protection arrangements (MAPPA) ensure name changes are known, risk-assessed and recorded. Under the Sexual Offences Act 2003, Section 84, registered sex offenders must notify police within three days of using a new name (including aliases, usernames or email addresses). Failure to do so is a criminal offence punishable by up to five years in prison. Police said they proactively enforce the requirements and report breaches to the Procurator Fiscal.

At trial, it emerged Brown had never met Mr Johnston before the night of the murder, though Mr Johnston had previously been in a relationship with Brown’s stepmother. Brown claimed he was possessed by the spirit of Victorian occultist Aleister Crowley and suffering from a mental disorder, but the jury rejected this defence. Detective Inspector Graeme Robertson described the actions as “completely senseless and reckless.” Scottish court reports noted Brown’s status as a convicted sex offender but did not link the convictions to his earlier offences in Cumbria under the name Wright.

Description

Three men who preyed on a student have been sentenced to a total of more than 20 years. 

• Arjan Purewal
• Jaskaran Thandi
• Hassan Jangheer

Jaskaran Thandi, 23, of HMP Hewell, Redditch, was sentenced to six years and four months for aiding and abetting rape and two years concurrently for sexual assault. 

Arjan Purewal, 23, of Wolverhampton Road, Oldbury, West Midlands was convicted of rape, blackmail, perverting the course of justice and possession of an identification document with improper intention following a trial in March 2025. 

On Friday 9 October, at Worcester Crown Court, Purewal was sentenced to seven years and six months for rape, one year concurrent for blackmail, one year consecutively for perverting the course of justice and a further eight months concurrently for the possession of an identification document – a total of eight years and six months. 

Further charges of conspiracy to rape a female and sexual assault on a female were ordered to lie on file. Purewall must also sign the sex offenders register for life. 

Hassan Jangheer, 23, of Grenville Drive, Smethwick, West Midlands, was sentenced to six years for aiding and abetting rape and two years concurrently for sexual assault 

All three were ordered to pay victim surcharges of £228.

West Mercia Police were called to reports of a stranger rape on Vine Lane in Clent on Saturday 16 September 2023 at around 3.30am. 

The victim reported she had been orally raped and then dumped in the middle of nowhere, stating the perpetrators were in a silver-grey BMW car. 

The three picked her up in Birmingham and drove up and down Broad Street before heading to Clent Hills near Hagley. 

Purewal orally raped the woman before Jangheer forced her to perform a sexual act on him and Thandi sexually assaulted her. Purewal filmed the appalling assault on his mobile phone. 

It is also believed Purewal had hired the BMW – using someone else’s driving licence and ID documents – to target a victim and carry out the rape. 

The survivor has been given appropriate help and support following the ordeal. 

Detective Inspector Warren Matthews said:

“We welcome the result achieved at court. 

“The behaviour of the perpetrators was appalling, and it is right that they are now behind bars. Their vile and predatory actions caused significant harm to the survivor, but we hope the sentencing helps on her path to recovery. 

“I also hope this outcome provides reassurance to victims and survivors that when they come forward, they will be heard. 

“We treat all reports seriously, investigate them thoroughly, and remain committed to bringing offenders to justice while supporting those affected throughout the process." 

Description

Three men who preyed on a student have been sentenced to a total of more than 20 years. 

• Arjan Purewal
• Jaskaran Thandi
• Hassan Jangheer

Jaskaran Thandi, 23, of HMP Hewell, Redditch, was sentenced to six years and four months for aiding and abetting rape and two years concurrently for sexual assault. 

Arjan Purewal, 23, of Wolverhampton Road, Oldbury, West Midlands was convicted of rape, blackmail, perverting the course of justice and possession of an identification document with improper intention following a trial in March 2025. 

On Friday 9 October, at Worcester Crown Court, Purewal was sentenced to seven years and six months for rape, one year concurrent for blackmail, one year consecutively for perverting the course of justice and a further eight months concurrently for the possession of an identification document – a total of eight years and six months. 

Further charges of conspiracy to rape a female and sexual assault on a female were ordered to lie on file. Purewall must also sign the sex offenders register for life. 

Hassan Jangheer, 23, of Grenville Drive, Smethwick, West Midlands, was sentenced to six years for aiding and abetting rape and two years concurrently for sexual assault 

All three were ordered to pay victim surcharges of £228.

West Mercia Police were called to reports of a stranger rape on Vine Lane in Clent on Saturday 16 September 2023 at around 3.30am. 

The victim reported she had been orally raped and then dumped in the middle of nowhere, stating the perpetrators were in a silver-grey BMW car. 

The three picked her up in Birmingham and drove up and down Broad Street before heading to Clent Hills near Hagley. 

Purewal orally raped the woman before Jangheer forced her to perform a sexual act on him and Thandi sexually assaulted her. Purewal filmed the appalling assault on his mobile phone. 

It is also believed Purewal had hired the BMW – using someone else’s driving licence and ID documents – to target a victim and carry out the rape. 

The survivor has been given appropriate help and support following the ordeal. 

Detective Inspector Warren Matthews said:

“We welcome the result achieved at court. 

“The behaviour of the perpetrators was appalling, and it is right that they are now behind bars. Their vile and predatory actions caused significant harm to the survivor, but we hope the sentencing helps on her path to recovery. 

“I also hope this outcome provides reassurance to victims and survivors that when they come forward, they will be heard. 

“We treat all reports seriously, investigate them thoroughly, and remain committed to bringing offenders to justice while supporting those affected throughout the process." 

Description

Three men who preyed on a student have been sentenced to a total of more than 20 years. 

• Arjan Purewal
• Jaskaran Thandi
• Hassan Jangheer

Arjan Purewal, 23, of Wolverhampton Road, Oldbury, West Midlands was convicted of rape, blackmail, perverting the course of justice and possession of an identification document with improper intention following a trial in March 2025. 

On Friday 9 October, at Worcester Crown Court, Purewal was sentenced to seven years and six months for rape, one year concurrent for blackmail, one year consecutively for perverting the course of justice and a further eight months concurrently for the possession of an identification document – a total of eight years and six months. 

Further charges of conspiracy to rape a female and sexual assault on a female were ordered to lie on file. Purewall must also sign the sex offenders register for life. 

Jaskaran Thandi, 23, of HMP Hewell, Redditch, was sentenced to six years and four months for aiding and abetting rape and two years concurrently for sexual assault. 

Hassan Jangheer, 23, of Grenville Drive, Smethwick, West Midlands, was sentenced to six years for aiding and abetting rape and two years concurrently for sexual assault 

All three were ordered to pay victim surcharges of £228.

West Mercia Police were called to reports of a stranger rape on Vine Lane in Clent on Saturday 16 September 2023 at around 3.30am. 

The victim reported she had been orally raped and then dumped in the middle of nowhere, stating the perpetrators were in a silver-grey BMW car. 

The three picked her up in Birmingham and drove up and down Broad Street before heading to Clent Hills near Hagley. 

Purewal orally raped the woman before Jangheer forced her to perform a sexual act on him and Thandi sexually assaulted her. Purewal filmed the appalling assault on his mobile phone. 

It is also believed Purewal had hired the BMW – using someone else’s driving licence and ID documents – to target a victim and carry out the rape. 

The survivor has been given appropriate help and support following the ordeal. 

Detective Inspector Warren Matthews said:

“We welcome the result achieved at court. 

“The behaviour of the perpetrators was appalling, and it is right that they are now behind bars. Their vile and predatory actions caused significant harm to the survivor, but we hope the sentencing helps on her path to recovery. 

“I also hope this outcome provides reassurance to victims and survivors that when they come forward, they will be heard. 

“We treat all reports seriously, investigate them thoroughly, and remain committed to bringing offenders to justice while supporting those affected throughout the process." 

Description

Sentenced at Bolton Crown Court following a campaign of rape and controlling and coercive behaviour against three different women between 2018 and 2025.

Amar Manzoor (28/10/1983) of Bolton has been sentenced to 22 years in prison after a jury found him guilty on 12 counts, including:

• Rape x3
• Controlling and coercive behaviour x2
• Assault x3
• Non-fatal strangulation x1
• Perverting the course of justice x2
• Stalking x1 

Manzoor also got lifetime restraining order for all three victims and also life time on sex offenders register.

The first survivor met Manzoor in July 2018 and over a prolonged period, she was subjected to sustained abuse, including rape, assaults and controlling coercive behaviour.

The second survivor met Manzoor in September 2023, where he carried out a course of behaviour amounting to stalking, causing serious alarm and distress to the victim.

A third woman was later involved with Manzoor and subjected to a range of abusive behaviours during the time she knew Manzoor, including rape, assaults, and CCB.

Whilst in custody following an arrest for non-fatal strangulation in November 2025, Manzoor made repeated attempts to contact the third victim from prison.

He tried to persuade her to withdraw her statement and also attempted to force her to create false contact details in an effort to avoid detection.

The survivor bravely disclosed this to police, and we were able to secure further charges against him for perverting the course of justice.

One survivor shared following sentencing:

''I have had to change so much in order to protect myself. So much so, that I don't even recognise myself anymore.... I didn't live with you, I tried to survive, and now I am merely existing.''

Another added:

''I know I am a much stronger person now... but I’m not completely healed, and I don't believe I ever really will be''.

DC Rachel McMahon from our Criminal Investigation Department said:

"This has been a complex investigation with a number of victims involved. I'm immensely proud of all three women and I would like to commend their continued bravery throughout this investigation and the court proceedings.

"Manzoor manipulated each of these women, took advantage of them and subjected them each to numerous forms of domestic and sexual abuse.

"I appreciate it hasn’t been easy for any of them, but their assistance has been invaluable, and despite moments of uncertainty, their patience and courage led to a strong outcome and Manzoor behind bars.

"Protecting our communities is a key priority, and I hope this sentencing highlights the lengths our officers will work to ensure justice is served for those who engage such behaviour. 

"Domestic abuse can take many forms and I urge anyone who may be seeing the signs to please come forward and report. You will always be taken seriously"

Description

A man accused of raping a child multiple times and perverting the court of justice has been found guilty by jurors.

Leon Burton, previously of St Mary’s Crescent in Stow, had denied three charges of rape and one of perverting the course of justice at a five-day trial at Lincoln Crown Court last week.

But the 37-year-old was judged to have committed the offences by jurors on Friday, 16 October.

Burton had already pleaded guilty to one charge of sexual activity with a child and a separate charge of perverting the course of justice.

The charges relate to a single victim and took place in the Stow area, starting in 2025 and into 2026.

Burton is set to be sentenced later this year on 11 December.

The court heard how police divers and dogs were deployed to locate two mobile phones that officers suspected Burton had disposed of.

These phones were never located but one is believed to have been thrown in the water in Stow and the other Burton admitted to destroying himself.

Burton was arrested and subsequently remanded until he appeared before court officials on Monday, 12 October for trial.

DC James Lindsay, who was in charge of the investigation, said:

“Burton abused a child in the most despicable way and did his best to evade justice.

“But thanks to the bravery of the victim at the heart of this case and the tenacity of the teams involved, Burton was arrested and brought before jurors who saw through his lies.

“The safety and wellbeing of children is at the heart of everything we do, and we’ll leave no stone unturned in our investigations to ensure they get the support they need.

“I’d like to thank the victim who has made a real difference and helped expose a predator who will soon be jailed, ensuring no one else will suffer at his hands.

“And I’d also praise the work of everyone involved in this investigation – their determination and professionalism helped get us here.”

Description

A man from Widnes has been jailed after he admitted engaging in online sexual communications with children.

Ryan Caine appeared at Chester Crown Court on Friday 16 October where he was sentenced to five years and four months in prison.

The 23-year-old of Deacon Road, Widnes, had earlier pleaded guilty to six counts of causing a girl to engage in sexual activity, five counts of engaging in sexual communication with a child, five counts of causing a child to look at an image of sexual activity, one count of possessing indecent images of children, and three counts of making indecent images of children.

In addition to his prison sentence, Caine was also made subject to a 30-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order and a 10-year restraining order.

The court heard that Caine’s offending first came to light after he contacted a 12-year-old girl through Roblox and later communicated with her via WhatsApp. During the messages he engaged sexualised communications with the child and sent her multiple explicit images and videos. He also encouraged her to engage in sexual activity.

Caine was subsequently arrested on 16 April 2025 following a warrant at his home in Widnes where officers recovered two mobile phones.

During an analysis of the devices, officers discovered messages between Caine and five other children, who were all aged between 13 and 16.

Again, within the messages Caine shared indecent images of himself and encouraged them to engage in sexual activity.

Officers also found 86 indecent images of children on his devices, ranging from Category A to Category C.

In his interview, Caine refused to answer any questions put to him by officers.

Despite his silence, he was later charged with the offences.

Detective Constable Luke Chadwick said:

“I welcome the sentence handed to Caine, who was left with no choice but to plead guilty to all of the charges as a result of the messages and indecent images that we discovered on his devices.

“He was well aware that his victims were underage, and as a 23-year-old man he knew what he was doing was wrong, but despite this he continued with his deceitful actions.

“Through the use of social media, he specifically targeted young girls, plying them with sexualised messages and indecent images in order to fulfil his own sexual desires.

“Thankfully, as a result of the evidence we gathered, he has now been held accountable for his actions and is facing a significant time behind bars where he can reflect upon his actions.

“I hope this case acts as a reminder for all parents and guardians to warn their children of the dangers of communicating with people via social media, to check that they are using it safely and to keep an eye out for any warning signs of sexual exploitation.”

Description

A registered sex offender who raped two teenage girls has been jailed for 17 years.

Kieran Chadwick-Tattersall targeted the victims, who are from Maidstone, between June and September 2024 when they were both 15 years old.

He started talking to both girls separately over social media before he used his car to regularly take each victim to secluded locations where he would rape them and force them to engage in sexual activity.

He used cash and gifts to groom each victim, and also threatened one girl, telling her he would contact her parents if she stopped meeting him.

Arrest

Chadwick-Tattersall was arrested in Nottingham in November 2024 in connection to a separate incident, and as part of that investigation officers analysed his mobile phone where his Kent offences were uncovered and he was later arrested.

He was subsequently charged with numerous offences including rape, false imprisonment, sexual activity with a child and sexual communications with a child.

The 34 year old, of Standen Grove, Sittingbourne, admitted the charges and was sentenced at Maidstone Crown Court on Monday 19 October 2026.

He was handed a 17 year prison sentence and upon release will serve 4 years on licence. He was also handed an indefinite Sexual Harm Prevention Order.

Investigating officer Detective Constable Joseph Parrish said:

‘Chadwick-Tattersall has shown time and time again how much of a danger he poses to young children and he has shown total disregard for the law and went onto target two vulnerable teenage girls where he subjected them to a horrific timeline of abuse.

‘The victims’ courage and bravery has helped to ensure he is locked up and cannot harm any other children. I want them to know they are not to blame, and I hope that this result can help them move forward and put this chapter of their life behind them.

‘If anyone else is affected by this case and is contemplating reporting similar offences, I want them to know we have specially trained officers who are there to help you. We take all reports seriously and will ensure justice is done for all victims’.

Description

A 51-year-old man has been jailed after being found guilty of multiple child sex offences against two victims.

John Fordham, of no fixed abode but from Bury St Edmunds, appeared at Ipswich Crown Court on Friday, 16 October, where he was handed an extended licence totalling 26 years, made up of 19 years’ imprisonment and seven years on licence.

Extended sentences are handed to those who are convicted of serious violent or sexual offences, where an additional period of post-release supervision is required to protect the public.

Fordham had denied the charges against him but was found guilty by a jury following an eight-day trial of the following:

• Four counts of sexual assault of a child under 13 years
• Three counts of rape
• Three counts of causing or inciting a child under 13 to engage in sexual activity
• Two counts of sexual activity with a child

The offences involved two victims – two girls.

The court heard that Fordham repeatedly sought opportunities to isolate his victims to sexually assault them and that the abuse was carried out separately to each other.

In addition to his sentence, Fordham was made subject of an indefinite Sexual Harm Prevention order and lifetime restraining orders in respect of his victims. He will also be placed on the Sex Offenders’ Register.

PC Karen Hammond, who was the officer in charge of the case, said:

“John Fordham has taken no responsibility for his actions or shown any remorse. He is a dangerous sexual predator who manipulated and abused his victims, causing profound and lasting harm.

“The victims had their childhood stripped from them and while no sentence can undo the trauma they have endured, I hope this sentencing result provides them with a sense of justice and helps them to move forward with their lives.

“I would like to pay tribute to the immense bravery shown by the victims throughout the investigation and court proceedings. It is because of their courage that Fordham has been brought to justice and will now spend a significant amount of time behind bars.

“I would urge anyone who has experienced sexual abuse to please report it. We will always listen to you and take appropriate action, no matter how long ago the offence took place.”

Description

A man has been jailed for 12 years after sexually assaulting two girls over several months.

Matthew North, 67-years-old of Pilgrim Avenue in Immingham was found guilty by a jury of four counts of assaulting a girl under 13 by touching and inciting a female under 13 to engage in sexual activity. He appeared at Grimsby Crown Court today (Tuesday, 20 October 2026) and has been sentenced to 12 years behind bars with a further 4 years on licence and handed a sexual harm prevention order.

Our Force Control Room received a call on Wednesday, 8 April 2026 by a woman who states her daughter and her friend had been sexually assaulted by a man called ‘John’ over four months whilst trying to earn pocket money through carrying out jobs in the community such as cleaning and car washing.

The name ‘John’ was later found by detectives to be an alias and was identified as Matthew North.

This started in September 2025 and on multiple occasions he had asked the girls to give him oral sex and touch their body whilst doing so. The girls disclosed they feared North and he would refer to them both as his girlfriend’s whilst trying to put his hand up their tops and trousers. He would then proceed to threaten to come to the girl’s house and that he knows their address and where they go to school. He would tell them he would ‘make their life hell’.

On one occasion in April 2026, North made one of the girls come into his home and refused to let her leave until she eventually managed to run out the house.

North was arrested at his home address on Thursday, 9 April 2026. When interviewed by detectives he denied all allegations, insisting it was the other way round and the girls came on to him.

Leading the investigation Detective Constable Amy O’Dwyer said:

“Matthew North took advantage of two young girls wanting to earn some pocket money by sexually assaulting them.

“He made them fear for their life so that they wouldn’t tell anyone.

“I would like to commend the bravery of both victims and their courage whilst North denied all allegations and made them endure the duration of court proceedings.

“Whilst it does not take away the trauma they’ve suffered, I hope the result seen in court will play some part in helping them move forward with their lives.

“It can be daunting to take the first step in reporting offences of this nature, but through these reports, we are able to gather evidence to build a strong case and ultimately help eradicate this abhorrent behaviour from our communities.”