Latest Offenders

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A man has been sentenced to four years in prison for offences involving images of children.

Christopher Cefyn James, 34, of Trym Leaze, Bristol, was also ordered to sign the sex offenders register for life when he was sentenced at Bristol Crown Court on Thursday.

He admitted one count of voyeurism, two counts of making indecent photographs of children and two counts of distributing indecent photographs of children.

James, who will spend one year on extended licence after his release, was ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £120.

The court heard the offences were committed between 2014 and 2023

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A prolific sex offender who repeatedly filmed himself carrying out indecent acts across Congleton and Macclesfield has been jailed.

Lewis Spencer appeared at Chester Crown Court on Tuesday 14 May where he was sentenced to two years and six months in prison.

The 23-year-old, of Birch Road, Congleton, was also ordered to sign the sex offenders register indefinitely.

Spencer had previously pleaded guilty to five counts of sexual assault, seven counts of exposure and possession of extreme pornography.

The court heard how on Tuesday 26 December 2023; Spencer was due to start his first shift at a fast-food establishment in Macclesfield.

The victim, a 21-year-old woman, also worked at the store. She began taking a stock count at around 5.40pm that day when she noticed Spencer standing close behind her.

The victim had a feeling that Spencer was recording her, but she continued working, assuming it was nothing. She then felt Spencer touch her with something.

She turned around but Spencer apologised and put his phone away.

After their shift ended, the victim told her manager about the incident and how it had made her feel uncomfortable.

The manager checked a CCTV camera in the store which revealed Spencer had been carrying out a sexual act behind the victim, without her knowledge.

During the incident he touched her with his penis while he recorded himself on his mobile phone.

The incident was immediately reported to police and Spencer was arrested on suspicion of sexual assault at his home address on Thursday 28 December 2023.

Following examination of his mobile phone, which was seized upon arrest, officers discovered 17 videos of Spencer committing similar sexual offences against a number of women between Sunday 10 December 2023 and Tuesday 26 December 2023.

All of the videos depicted Spencer carrying out sexual acts near to or behind women of various ages, all of whom appear to be unaware of what he was doing.

Following enquiries, officers identified two women from the videos that had previously worked with Spencer.

Extreme pornography was also recovered from his phone.

He was subsequently charged with four counts of sexual assault, seven accounts of exposure, and one count of extreme pornography.

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A registered Kirklees sex offender has been jailed after pleading guilty to breaching a court order and defying a ban preventing him working with children.  

John Noel (63) from Huddersfield was jailed for thee years At Leeds Crown Court today ( Thursday May 16) after admitting breaching the terms of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) imposed on him in June 2023.  

The 63-year old also admitted a breach of a bar offence which he committed by working with children (aged from 5 to 17) as a private Maths, English and Sciences tutor, despite being banned from doing so.  

Noel was arrested by police on 5th February 2024 for concealing a device in breach of his SHPO and for the breach of bar offence, and later charged.  

He pleaded guilty to the offences at an appearance at Leeds Crown Court in April.  

The Huddersfield man had been made subject to his SHPO in June 2023 after he was convicted of making indecent photographs of children and possession of extreme pornography.  

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A Lincolnshire paedophile and former teaching assistant who used two false names to "persistently harass" a former pupil after being released from prison was today (Thurs) jailed for 21 months.

Simon Hildred, 43, from Navenby, targeted the male victim, now an adult, after being released from a nine year jail sentence for sexually abusing two other young boys.

Lincoln Crown Court heard Hildred sent the victim unsigned Christmas and Valentine's cards during a four month campaign of harassment which began in December last year.

David Eager, prosecuting, told the court Hildred also contacted a Facebook community group which was moderated by the victim's mother and visited the village where the family lived, posing as a photographer.

The court heard Hildred also set up fake Facebook accounts in the name of the victim and his mother, drove past the family's home and visited their local pub.

Mr Eager said the harassment began in December 2023 when Hildred sent an unsigned Christmas card to the victim's work address.

A second unsigned Valentine's card followed in February 2024 but on that occasion Hildred inserted an email address which the victim contacted out of curiosity.

As the Facebook messages developed the victim and his mother realised the same person must be responsible for using two aliases.

Mr Eager said the victim had been taught by Hildred when he was a classroom assistant and realised he must be responsible.

In an impact statement which was read out in court the victim described how he was left terrified to look at his phone and did not feel safe in his own home.

His mother described how she now felt wary of trusting people after previously being heavily involved in her community.

When police went to Hildred's address they found a mobile phone which he was prevented from having by the terms of his previous sentence.

During interview Hildred admitted all the offences and he was re-called to prison to continue serving his sentence from 2013.

Hildred, of Top Farm Avenue, Navenby, admitted three charges of harassment, failing to comply with the Sex Offenders Register by using two false names and breaching his Sexual Harm Prevention Order by having a mobile phone.

Tom Heath, mitigating for Hildred, said he had rebuilt his life and obtained work in a Branston warehouse after being released from prison in December 2019.

"All this is very strange," Mr Heath admitted.

Passing sentence Judge James House KC told Hildred it was only the detective work of the victim and his mother "which brought this to an end."

Judge House said Hildred had "infiltrated" the family's lives and clearly caused them great distress.

"It is the kind of conduct that eats away at the soul," Judge House remarked.

A restraining order was made which also prohibits Hildred from contacting the victim and his mother.

The court heard Hildred, then of Northfield Road, Ruskington, was jailed for nine years in 2013 after he admitted sexually abusing two young boys and possessing over 27,000 indecent images of children on his computers.

He was also placed under a four year extended licence period which does not expire until May 2026.

At the time of his arrest for those matters Hildred was working as a teaching assistant at a school in the Sleaford area after earlier working at an after school club for the children of service personnel at RAF Cranwell.

He was also involved with a number of youth organisations including the Cub Scouts, the Army Cadets and the St Johns Ambulance Badgers.

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A Lincolnshire pensioner has been jailed after he raped and groomed a young girl over an eight-month period. Roger Faulkner, of Donington-on-Bain, appeared on trial at Lincoln Crown Court on Friday, May 10, accused of eight sexual offences against the child.

The 69-year-old of Neve Gardens denied two charges of rape on a child aged under 13 and also pleaded not guilty to six other matters of sexual assault. A jury took less than 90 minutes to find Faulkner guilty of all eight offences.

He groomed his victim with gifts and treats and will now face 17 years behind bars for what the judge described as "disgusting abuse". Faulkner will also have to serve an extended licence period for a year after his release from custody and has been ordered to register as a sex offender for the rest of his life.

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A man sexually groomed a young girl and made her watch a homemade pornographic film of himself, a court has heard. Robert Johnson also sexually abused the child then told her not to tell anyone about what he had done.

The 45-year-old from Port Talbot denied the offences saying the allegations against him were made up but he was convicted at trial at Swansea Crown Court. In a statement read to the court the victim described the devastating emotional and psychological impact of the abuse. Police have praised the bravery of the female in coming forward.

Robert Johnson, aged 45, Fairways, Sandfields, Port Talbot, had previously been convicted by a jury of multiple child sex offences including sexual activity by penetration, causing or inciting a child to watch sexual activity, and inciting sexual activity with a child when he appeared in the dock for sentencing. The defendant was sentenced to 10 years in prison, and was made the subject of a sexual harm prevention order. Johnson will be a registered sex offender for the rest of his life.

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A Welsh headteacher has been found guilty of sexual abuse involving four girls. Neil Foden, 66, who worked at a school in North Wales, was charged with 20 offences against five girls, who cannot be identified to protect their anonymity.

He stood impassively in the dock at Mold Crown Court as the jury foreman read out the guilty verdicts on 19 out of 20 indictments. The jury of seven women and five men delivered their verdicts on the defendant, of Gwynant, Old Colwyn, after a three-week trial.

The judge His Honour Rhys Rowlands called him "arrogant and controlling" man who was used to getting his own way. He said some explanations for his behaviour "beggared belief".

The court heard concerns about Foden were raised with Cyngor Gwynedd at an earlier stage. Judge Rowlands said: “When real concerns were first raised about the defendant with the county council they were simply dismissed, pretty much out of hand.”

He said no investigation was carried out and no notes were taken. He added: “We now know he continued to offend. That’s very concerning indeed.”

Foden was convicted of sexual activity with a child, using or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity, attempting to arrange or incite sexual activity with a child by penetration, engaging in sexual communication with a child, two counts of sexual activity with a child by a person in a position of trust and possession of an indecent photograph of a child, North Wales Live reported.

He adjourned the case for a pre-sentence report to be made. Foden is due to be sentenced at Mold Crown Court on July 1. The judge told him to expect a sentence of some length.

Speaking after the verdict, Assistant Chief Constable Gareth Evans said: “We welcome the jury’s verdict following a difficult case and thank them for their diligent work.

“My thoughts remain with the victims and their families today, who have shown dignity and bravery throughout the trial and we will continue to support in moving forward.

“I will make further comment after the sentencing hearing.”

Foden’s offending came to light in September 2023 when the first victim made disclosures. As part of the investigation another four victims were identified, the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) said.

The evidence presented included the victims accounts. Those accounts were corroborated by the evidence obtained by the police in the form of mobile devices, computers seized, forensic evidence and financial enquiries. Text messages and calls linked Foden to the victims. Foden denied all charges against him and choose not to answer any question during his police interviews.

Ceri Ellis-Jones of the CPS said: “These crimes were shocking as Foden was a trusted and well-respected individual, who used that to his advantage. He abused his position of trust and targeted the most vulnerable females he was entrusted to safeguard.

“The victims are to be commended for their bravery in coming forward and giving evidence. Their support for this prosecution has been key to Foden being brought to justice.

“I would also like to thank the specialist team at North Wales Police with whom we closely collaborated from the outset. We were able to present a compelling case to the jury, resulting in these convictions".

A Cyngor Gwynedd spokesperson said: "As a council, we welcome the court's decision. We are appalled by the nature of the crimes committed and commend and admire the remarkable courage and resilience the victims and their families have displayed throughout the process.

They said: "As a result, pastoral arrangements put in place for pupils at the start of the criminal proceedings will continue for the foreseeable future. From the beginning of this case, Cyngor Gwynedd has worked closely with North Wales Police to ensure that the Wales Safeguarding Procedures have been followed in full.

"Now that the criminal process has concluded, the task of reviewing work practices and establishing what lessons can be learnt will begin. Due to the serious nature of the case, arrangements are being made to carry out an independent review in accordance with national Child Practice Review guidelines. The exact form of the review is currently being determined.

"Until all relevant investigations and reviews have been completed, it would not be appropriate...to comment further."

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A former Police Scotland officer has been jailed for seven years after subjecting a woman to constant abuse that included having sex with her without her consent.

Christopher Wylie, 47, also offered another man sexual intercourse with the victim in exchange for drugs.

Wylie throttled the woman and lunged at her while he was in possession of a knife during abusive conduct that spanned 20 months.

A judge at the High Court in Edinburgh said the conduct directed towards the victim was "appalling, sustained and humiliating".

Judge Michael O'Grady KC told Wylie: "Such behaviour is bound to attract a significant period of imprisonment."

Wylie was earlier convicted of engaging in a course of behaviour that was abusive towards and to the danger of the woman's life between April 2019 and December 2021 at a Highland hamlet and elsewhere.

During it he grabbed the victim's mobile phone from her and read her messages and continually called and messaged her.

Wylie also threatened to harm himself and sent her photographs of self-inflicted harm.

He hid the woman's car keys and phone and would get her to send him photos to prove where she was.

During the abuse Wylie lunged at the woman and struggled with her while he had a knife, resulting in her falling to the floor.

He also seized the woman by the neck and squeezed, restricting her breathing, and covered her mouth and nose with his hands.

Wylie, who joined the police in 2009, had sex with the woman without her consent and offered another man intercourse with her in return for drugs.

He denied the offences at an earlier trial at the High Court in Inverness but was found guilty by jury.

Police Scotland Det Con Emma Ellis said: “I hope this sentence provides some measure of closure for his victim.

"Sexual abuse has no place in our communities and we would encourage anyone who is experiencing abuse, or know someone who is, to get in touch."

Defence counsel Brian McConnachie KC said Wylie maintained his position throughout although the jurors clearly rejected his account.

Mr McConnachie said Wylie was to all intents and purposes a first offender but was abusing alcohol at the time of the offending.

The defence counsel added that Wylie was assessed as posing a low level of risk of further offending.

He said that during his time in custody he has been transferred from Inverness jail to prison in Dumfries and that his work as a police officer meant that "his period in custody will be more difficult for him than an ordinary person".

Mr McConnachie said: "He fully accepts only one sentence is available and that is a custodial sentence."

Wylie has also been placed on the sex offenders register.

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A perverted sex offender who forced a young girl to endure a serious ordeal of the "grossest" abuse has been jailed after a jury "saw through" his lies with "no difficulty".

Gary Phelan pretended that the girl had made up "wicked lies" against him but she had told the truth and she had suffered nightmares and "heartbreaking" problems, Hull Crown Court heard. Phelan, 40, of Cogan Street, off Hessle Road, west Hull, denied sexually assaulting the girl but he was convicted by a jury in April. He had been on bail during the trial but he was remanded in custody after his conviction.

The girl's mother said in a victim statement that her daughter started having nightmares because of what happened and, some nights, she would have between one and three nightmares. "It was heartbreaking to see her like this," she said. The girl could be "so angry at times" and did not know how to deal with this.

"My ears have heard so many heart wrenching things, it has turned our world upside down." She added that she would never forgive Phelan for what he had done.

Michele Stuart-Lofthouse, mitigating, said: "There is very little that can be said after a trial in terms of mitigation, if anything at all." Phelan had no previous convictions and he had worked in the past to the best of his limited ability. He had a good work ethic but he had suffered personal difficulties.

Judge Graham Robinson said that Phelan had claimed that the girl had "made up her wicked lies" but this was not true. The offences came to light through another person, not the girl herself.

Phelan "grossly abused" the trust of the girl. "You stood your trial," said Judge Robinson. "Had you pleaded guilty at the earliest available opportunity, on the basis of the clearest of evidence, which the jury had no difficulty accepting, I would have been able to reduce your sentence by one third.

"You didn't. You ran your trial and the jury saw through your lies so there is no discount for a guilty plea. You have never been in trouble before. That counts in your favour. You have worked hard throughout your life despite your difficulties."

Phelan was jailed for four years. He was given an indefinite sexual harm prevention order and he must register as a sex offender for life.

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A shameless paedophile who sexually abused schoolboys in a cupboard has refused to apologise for his sickening crimes.

Richard Gaines was back at Isleworth Crown Court on Tuesday, May 14, after a seventh victim bravely stepped forward and reported him to police after reading newspaper articles about his offending - MyLondon reports.

In 2019, the 79-year-old former geography teacher at St Martin's Preparatory School, in Northwood, North West London, was convicted and jailed for five years and two months for a string of offences against six boys dating back to the 1970s.

The predator's modus operandi was to offer sex education, show them porn mags, then take them into a storage cupboard where he would sexually abuse them.

On Tuesday, the court also heard about allegations of 'recent internet offences', but there was no update on the police investigation. Outside the courthouse, a reporter from one of our sister titles, MyLondon asked Gaines if he wanted to explain the so-called 'circumstances' at the time of the abuse.

However instead of apologising he repeatedly refused to explain or say anything to his victims, and then called the reporter a "really rather persistent little so-and-so'.

Prosecutor Edmund Fowler told the court the latest victim broke their silence after reading about the case, recognising the 'almost identical' abuse. The victim recalled being asked to look at pornography in the cupboard, along with younger and smaller boys, before Gaines abused them for around 30 minutes on two occasions between 1973 and 1977, the court heard.

Mr Fowler said it left the victim so traumatised and racked with guilt that they struggled to make friends and felt they could only work in solitary jobs. At a pre-trial hearing, Gaines admitted two counts of gross indecency with the child, bringing his total number of convictions for the historic abuse to nine, and his known victims to seven.

Mr Fowler explained the maximum penalty for the specific offence at the time, in the 1970s, was two years, but these days it would fall under laws against sexual activity with a child, which could earn a sentence of around six years. The prosecutor argued Gaines fell into the highest level of culpability under current laws due to the grooming, abuse of trust, and disparity in age.

'Fun for all'

Gaines - who still "shows very little remorse" - accused his victim of looking for a payout and even described his sickening abuse as "fun for all" during an interview with a probation officer. Defence counsel Richard Davies interpreted his 'very little remorse' as 'some remorse' as he called for a suspended sentence and a doorstep curfew.

The barrister said his client had already served a sentence, and argued, accounting for the legal principles of totality and concurrency, the jail term in 2019 would not have been much longer for an identical offence.

Mr Davies said: "The real point I can put forward in mitigation, is the fact he has served a prison sentence previously for other boys in the same circumstances."

Mr Davies also said Gaines was needed at home to care for his sick wife and had suffered from cancer himself. He added: "This is someone who could be dealt with in the community, but monitored to make sure it does not happen again in his life.

'Repulsive observation'

Sparing him custody, Judge John Robins said his "hands are tied" by the previous conviction and five-year sentence Gaines served from 2019. The judge concluded his sentence would "not have been much longer" had the latest offence been added to the indictment before the previous judge, and therefore it did not warrant another immediate jail term.

Judge Johnson told Gaines: "Your pre-sentence report shows very little remorse, and your perversion was demonstrated when you described your offending as 'fun for all'.

"Your remark that this man came forward for compensation is a repulsive observation... Having said those things, in many ways, my hands are tied by what has happened to you since this offending."

"I have to sentence you as the facts are and the law is before me, and it gives me no pleasure that you will not be returning to prison. The victim may be disappointed in this, but he will appreciate the law.

"I was appalled to see in your license report that it is alleged you were still committing internet offences when police visited you... Those alleged offences took place relatively recently."

Suspending his 18-month sentence for two years, the judge added: "I cannot think of a worse case of this type of offending, taking into account the ages of the victims and the abuse of trust... I hope you are thoroughly ashamed of yourself for this offending."

Gaines was also ordered to complete the Horizon sex offenders programme and to do 30 days of rehabilitation activity requirement. He will also pay costs of £1,000. The court also heard a civil action is apparently underway, which may allow victims to receive compensation. Legal firm Irwin Mitchell previously said it had been instructed by one victim to help them access specialist support.

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A sex offender has been jailed for nearly 20 years after subjecting two children to vile abuse.

Samuel Anifaloba sexually abused the children separately at an address in Rainham between 2004 and 2006.

The offences were reported to police on April 30, 2018, and he was arrested on June 25 of the same year.

Anifaloba, of no fixed address, was charged and later found guilty of rape and six other sexual offences involving a child, following a trial at Maidstone Crown Court.

The 49-year-old was jailed for 17 years at the same court yesterday (May 14).

His Honour Judge Branston described Anifaloba as a selfish and self-centred man and added him to the Sex Offenders Register for life.

He will also be subject to an indefinite Sexual Harm Prevention Order.

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A man from South Wales who travelled to Swindon to meet with a child has been jailed for multiple sexual offences.

Matthew Pritchard, from Bettws in Newport, was arrested in January 2024 after travelling to Swindon to meet what he believed was a girl aged under 13.

Instead, Pritchard was met by police officers who had been working with the undercover Online Investigations Team at the South West Regional Organised Crime Unit (SWROCU).

Appearing before Swindon Crown Court on May 13, 34-year-old Pritchard pleaded guilty to five sexual offences and one charge of animal cruelty.

These include arranging a child sex offence, two counts of causing a child under 16 to look at an image of sexual activity, attempting to meet a girl under 16 following grooming, attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child, and causing unnecessary suffering to an animal.

The sex offender was sentenced to four years in prison and concurrent sentences.

“Pritchard set out in January with the intention of meeting a young girl to sexually abuse. He clearly poses a high risk to children," said Detective Inspector David Wells, who led the team.

“Law enforcement agencies are constantly across the internet working to identify anyone looking to abuse or exploit children. Pritchard’s arrest was part of this ongoing work.”

Pritchard’s dog that he abused has now been happily rehomed.

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A predatory paedophile who silenced his victim for 25 years by using threats of suicide as a warped form of 'moral blackmail' is finally behind bars.

Mechanical engineer Howard Grieve attacked the girl around 1999 in Poynton, Cheshire when she was a minor and he 44, but then vowed to kill himself if she went to police saying: 'I won't be here anymore.'

The woman eventually plucked up the courage to go to the authorities more than two decades on, but Grieve falsely accused her of faking the attack. 

She was then left destitute and frozen out by relatives, and had to 'rebuild' her life both emotionally and financially, the court heard.

Despite suffering severe financial hardship, PTSD and other mental health issues including anxiety and depression, the victim gave a statement to police and bravely endured cross-examination in court to help convict her tormentor of one charge of indecent assault.

It emerged Grieve assaulted the victim in her home following a night out at the pub. 

At Chester Crown Court, Grieve, now 69, and of Enfield, Herts, was jailed for four years after Judge Steven Everett branded him a 'selfish man'

The judge said: 'He was forever blackmailing her, threatening to commit self-harm, and suicide, whilst at the same time really controlling her. There was a lot of moral blackmailing going on and his behaviour destroyed her life, destroyed her teenage years and adult years and she suffered with complex PTSD and other mental health issues, anxiety and depression.

'She was seeking support, seeking therapy, there was self-harm, she regularly suffered from panic attacks, insomnia, stress, feelings of isolation, difficulties with relationships. She talks about how he pretended to be the victim. When she gathered the courage to make the complaint, he made false allegations against her.

'Financially that caused problems and she had to rebuild her life financially. The effects on her have been significant, there has been significant psychological harm. One can only hope that she will get some sort of closure. This is something she may well live with for the rest of her life.

'I do not wish to understate the huge effects it had on her. She is worried that he will track her down.'

The judge told Grieve: 'Your selfish desires have had a huge effect and you have ruined her life. It is clear to me that you have absolutely no understanding or empathy - it is all about you.

'You destroyed her teenage years and her adult life, giving her all sorts of mental health issues that she would have not have suffered otherwise.

'Her personal statements made truly awful reading. They are the longest and most detailed I've ever seen. They talk about the complex PTSD that she is suffering and other mental health issues including anxiety, depression, support, therapy, issues of self-harm, fatigue, and insomnia.

'She suffered stress, isolation and relationship difficulties.

'Right at the end when she had the courage to tell police you told a pack of lies about her. You wanted her to be prosecuted as some sort of smoke screen to prevent you from being prosecuted. But you were prosecuted and she had the courage to stand up to cross-examination. That would have made this so much worse for her.

'I saw you sitting in the dock rather smugly, thinking that you had pulled the wool over the jury's eyes. Well, they saw through you and rightly so. Even now she is worried that you will track her down.

'The very fact that she was not able to tell anyone for 25 years shows the psychological harm that she suffered. Because she has suffered so much psychological harm I am satisfied that she has suffered severe psychological harm.'

Earlier, Prosecutor Simon Parry said: 'The complainant's mother was at home clearly unaware of what was going on. In the aftermath the defendant told her that if she said anything "I won't be here anymore."'

Grieve's barrister, Justin Hugheston-Roberts, said his client continued to maintain his innocence and added: 'He will not cope with custody well. He is a man who has to face up to what happened at a point decades ago.'

Grieve was also made subject of a lifetime restraining order and will sign on the Sex Offenders Register for life. He will be barred from ever working with children under the terms of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order.

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A CHRISTCHURCH man who raped and sexually assaulted a child has been jailed for five years.

Darren Marsh (22) of The Strete, committed the offences against the youngster, aged under 13, in New Milton last April.

He was sentenced at Southampton Crown Court on Friday after previously pleading guilty to rape and two counts of sexual assault.

On his release he will serve a 12-month extended period on licence and will be subject to a sexual harm prevention order. He was also ordered to sign the sex offenders register for life and banned from contacting the victim.

Speaking after the case, detective constable Dawn Capper, of the child abuse investigation team, said: I am so pleased for the young victim that justice has now been served for them and their family, and that Marsh has now been placed behind bars, where he belongs.

While I know this result wont rid them of the memories of what Marsh did, I truly hope it allows them to move forward with their life, safe in the knowledge that he can no longer harm any other children.

She added: I also hope this sentence will reassure other victims that they will be listened to when reporting similar incidents.

We encourage other victims to come forward and speak to us. We take allegations of this nature extremely seriously and work hard to bring offenders to justice.

This should also be a very clear message to other offenders out there that we will always work tirelessly to ensure you are brought to justice.

I would also like to thank everyone else who assisted in getting this conviction.

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A "lonely" pensioner who exposed himself to two teenagers after following them home in a New Forest park claims he was “tricked”.

Brian Curtis indecently exposed himself to the two boys having followed them from a park in Blackfield.

Southampton Crown Court heard how in May last year, the boys, aged 11 and 13, had been in the park with their friends playing and hanging around.

As the group of friends began to leave, they spotted the then-86-year-old walking nearby, and approached him and asked him to take a selfie.

As the group were leaving, Curtis asked the boys if he should follow them – with one replying no but another jokingly saying yes, prosecutor Keely Harvey told the court.

He followed them and once they realised this, the court heard the boys started to “panic a little”.

They then stopped an unknown lady in the street who told them to take a different route.

After some time of not seeing him, they then returned to see if the man was still there. Curtis then told them to “put the cameras away”.

After this, the court heard the man “unzipped his trousers and showed his penis”, then telling the boys “you have to do the same”.

Ms Harvey said: “They were both very young, 11 and 13, and they walked away again and Mr Curtis followed still.

“When they asked him why he was following them he said it was on his way back home.”

The boys then approached another lady walking by and warned her of what had happened.

Curtis allegedly claimed to her that "the boys offered to show their penis if he showed his first", Ms Harvey said.

The police were called after this, and the court was told how Curtis claimed he had “been tricked”.

Mitigating, Audrey Archer, told the court the now 87-year-old “wishes to stress to the court that the boys had approached him and wanted photos with him".

She continued: "He made no attempt to approach them first.

“He crossed boundaries that day and behaved in a way that was entirely inappropriate.”

Ms Archer said that in her discussions with Curtis, who lives on his own at Hampton Lane in Blackfield, has always been “quite frank and candid” and what happened to him had an effect on him.

However Judge Brian Forster KC said: “Whatever occurred in the conversation there can be no justification for what you did. Children are children. Adults have to own the responsibility.”

He added: “Your behaviour was shocking. Your behaviour must not be repeated.”

Curtis was handed a 15-month imprisonment sentence suspended for two years and will be required to register on the sex offenders’ list for 10 years as well as carry out 45 days of rehabilitation.

He was also given a two-year exclusion banning him from returning to return to the park.