Latest Offenders Bedford

Description

A Bedford man has been jailed for more than five years after attempting to rape a woman.

Carlton Lancelot-Mungofa – known only to the victim as Carlito - had been at a house with a group of people in January 2021 when he sexually assaulted and attempted to rape a woman.

The victim immediately contacted her mother and disclosed what had happened. The police were informed and Lancelot-Mungofa was identified and arrested.

Following an investigation by Bedfordshire Police’s Rape and Serious Sexual Offences (RASSO) team, Lancelot-Mungofa was found guilty of attempted rape after the jury deliberated for just two and a half hours after a four-day trial.

The 27-year-old was sentenced at Luton Crown Court today (Thursday) to five and half years.

The victim described how this incident impacted her life in her victim personal statement. She said:

“When all this happened, I lost what I thought was a good part of my life surrounded by friends, going out, having drinks, and just enjoying life.

“Nights out were always full of laughter and never ended badly, until the night everything changed. After that happened, it felt like I lost all of it. The people I was closest to started seeing me differently, as if that one moment defined me.

"I will never get that time back. My life has felt like it has been on pause and I don’t know if it will ever be the same again or if I will ever fully recover from this."

Detective Sergeant Joanna Tyrrell from RASSO said:

“This was a terrifying ordeal for the victim, and I want to commend her courage in coming forward and supporting the investigation.

“Today’s sentence reflects the seriousness of Lancelot-Mungofa’s actions and sends a clear message that this behaviour will not be tolerated. We will continue to work tirelessly to ensure those who commit violent and predatory offences against women are brought to justice.

“We would encourage anyone who has been the victim of rape or serious sexual assault victims to come forward, safe in the knowledge that they will be treated with sympathy and respect and given the support they need.”

Description

A Luton man will be spending a substantial amount of time in prison after admitting to sexually abusing several children.

Damian Schisnach, 38, was convicted of number of offences relating to four different victims; both male and female, over a three-year period.

After pleading guilty on the first day of his trial in October last year, to eight charges, which included rape, sexual assault, taking and making indecent images of children and causing and inciting a child to engage in sexual activity.

Schisnach, of Ferrars Close, Luton, was sentenced yesterday (Wednesday) at Luton Crown Court to 21 years.

He was also given an indefinite sexual harm prevention order.

Detective Constable Lesley Waring from Bedfordshire Police said:

“Schisnach is a sexual predator. His offending spanned several years and was identified due to the brave victims coming forward. 

“This is the worst case of child abuse I have dealt with, and I commend the victims and their families for having the strength to come forward. I have seen first-hand the devastation and trauma that this type of crime causes to families and so thanks to the evidence, he had no choice but to plead guilty on the first day of the trial.

“We work hard to tackle all forms of abuse against children and would urge anyone who has concerns that a child is being sexually abused, or has been a victim themselves, no matter how long ago, to come forward.

“Our specialist teams carry out many investigations like this one and have successfully brought many perpetrators to justice, whilst ensuring the victim has the support they need.

“Please remember it’s never too late to speak out. When you are ready, our officers are there to listen and your voice will be heard.”

Description

A man who flew from America to Bedford after arranging to rape a child has been jailed for more than 11 years.

In February last year, Rahamim Shy, 47, travelled from his home in New York after arranging online to meet a young girl for sex.

Shy had set up the meeting after months of correspondence, however, unbeknown to him, the girl did not exist.

An in-depth investigation and operation carried out by Bedfordshire Police’s Internet Child Abuse Investigation Team (ICAIT), meant Shy was arrested when he arrived in Bedford.

He was found guilty on Wednesday (29 January) of arranging the commission of a child sex offence – namely rape and possessing indecent photographs of a child following a trial at Luton Crown Court.
He was found not guilty of possessing a prohibited image of a child.

He was sentenced to 11 years and six months.

Investigating Officer David Paton, from ICAIT, said:

“Shy is a predator who had clear intentions of raping and abusing a child.

“Child sexual abuse will not be tolerated in Bedfordshire and we’re committed to tackling offenders to prevent them from causing further harm. In this case the child fortunately did not exist, but the immediate threats remain the same, and we work tirelessly to identify predators who pose a risk to our society.”

Description

A man who sexually manipulated two young girls across the country has today (Friday, 23 January 2026), been sentenced to a total of eight years behind bars, and will be required to be on licence for an additional three years.

He is also to be placed on the Sex Offenders Register indefinitely, and handed a lifelong Sexual Harm Prevention Order.

Luke Williamson, 34-years-old, of Bunyan Road in Kempston, Bedfordshire, appeared at Hull Crown Court for sentencing after pleading guilty to 20 child sex offences at a previous court hearing

Williamson sent thousands of messages, including videos and voice calls, through multiple social media channels to two teenage girls all under 16-years-old, living in West Midlands and Hertfordshire, leading them to believe he was in love with them and manipulating them into doing what he wanted for his own perverse sexual gain.

Williamson was charged in July 2025 and pleaded guilty in October 2025 to 12 counts of arranging or facilitating the commission of a child sexual offence, three counts of sexual communications with a child, three counts of making indecent photographs of a child, causing a child to watch a sexual act and taking indecent photographs of a child.

Leading the extensive investigation into the scale of Williamson’s offending was Detective Inspector Cat Slaughter from our Rape and Serious Sexual Offences Unit, who said:

“Williamson is a very calculated and manipulative man who preyed on vulnerable girls and in essence, groomed them with his methods being the same each time.

“He would first ask the girls how old they were and once he knew they were underage he continued with messaging them inappropriately.  Once they were overwhelmed by his interest, he progressed on to asking them for favours which included sending photographs of their legs and feet.

“He went on to initiate a phone or video call with the girls.  If they were reluctant or refused, he offered them money, alcohol, or vapes in a devious scheme to coerce them into doing what he wanted.  He then took the next step, persuading them to meet him in person which enabled him to continue his sexual offending against them.”

The investigation commenced when Williamson’s phone was seized in May this year as part of another investigation and examined by our Digital Forensics Unit who uncovered the messages, images and videos he had been sending.

It was established during the investigation that Williamson drove significant distances across the country to meet the girls, and location tracking data analysed from his phone showed that he would wait for hours in his car to execute his plan.

On one occasion, he went to such lengths that he meticulously planned and implemented entering one of the girl’s houses whilst her family members slept to engage in sexual activity with her.

Williamson was arrested in July this year and whilst he first refused to admit involvement in any of the allegations put to him, due to the amount of significant evidence and strong case built by the detectives, he entered a guilty plea at a Pre Trial Plea Hearing in October 2025.

DI Slaughter continued:

“Even whilst on remand for a previous investigation Williamson continued to write letters to one of the girls, making false promises, and further led her to believe that he was in love with her.

“When someone has been sexually manipulated, groomed or abused, people sometimes do not want to fully engage with an investigation, as was the situation with this case, and I want to acknowledge how incredibly difficult it is and that we completely understand and respect the girls’ decision.

“We believed that Williamson was a danger to young girls, and we continued to gather as much evidence as we could to build a strong case against him.  

“Before the Judge passed her sentence today, she said that Williamson is a high risk offender and a serious risk to teenage girls, I hope the result at court today demonstrates our commitment to prosecuting offenders like Williamson and I hope it provides some reassurance to anyone who has been or is a victim of any type of sexual offence. It is never your fault, you will be believed, and we will do all we can to hold those responsible to account.

“I would urge anyone who reads this court result about Williamson’s offending and is affected by it, or if it causes you concern, please come forward and report via our dedicated Major Incident Public Portal quoting log 72 of 17 November 2025.”

Jessica Randell, Senior Crown Prosecutor for CPS Yorkshire and Humberside, added:

"Luke Williamson repeatedly targeted and groomed young girls, before subjecting them to appalling degradation. He treated his victims as sexual objects to be used and discarded, showing a complete disregard for their dignity and wellbeing in doing so.

“To build this case, we dissected thousands of text messages between Williamson and his victims. This allowed us to build a comprehensive picture of the extent of his offending and ultimately secure guilty pleas to 20 counts of child sexual abuse.  

“Working closely with Humberside Police, we have been able to ensure that Williamson is rightfully imprisoned for his crimes and cannot subject any more victims to his disturbing patterns of behaviour. The CPS is determined to tackle child sexual abuse in all its forms and to help stop the devastating impact of these crimes on victims.”

Description

A man who travelled to Swindon with the intention of sexually abusing a child has today been jailed (23/1).

Mark Bellas, 54, from Harebell Gardens, Houghton Regis, Dunstable, Bedfordshire was arrested in Swindon in October last year having travelled from his home address. He thought he was meeting a girl under the age of 13 who he was intending to sexually abuse. Instead, he was met by officers from the South West Regional Organised Crime Unit (SWROCU).  

At the time of his arrest, Bellas was on bail for distributing indecent images of children following an investigation by Bedfordshire Police. 

Today, at Swindon Crown Court, he was sentenced to 12 years with a five-year extended licence, given an indefinite Sexual Harm Prevention Order and will be required to be on the Sex Offenders’ Register indefinitely. 

Bellas pleaded guilty to two counts of arranging orfacilitatingthe commission of a child sex offence,attemptingto cause or incite the sexual exploitation of a child and five counts of distributing indecent images of children. He has been remanded in custody since his arrest by SWROCU last year. 

DI Dave Wells from SWROCU said:

“Due to the strength of the evidence gathered by the police, Bellas had no option but to plead guilty. He is a dangerous individual who preys upon children to fulfil his sexual desires, and I welcome the sentence handed down to him today. 

“Specially trained officers are all across the internet rooting out and prosecuting individuals’ intent upon sexually abusing and exploiting children. We worked in collaboration with our colleagues at the Metropolitan Police and the Eastern Region Special Operations Unit (ERSOU) to bring Bellas to justice.”

Description

A 78-year-old man from Luton has been sentenced after sexually assaulting and abusing multiple women and girls over a period of 30 years. 

Barry Tatum, of Regis Road, came to the attention of Bedfordshire Police in August 2017 after one of the victims reported that she had been sexually abused by him.   

Following this disclosure, an investigation was launched by the Protecting Vulnerable People (PVP) team, and Tatum was arrested. 

As the investigation progressed, seven further victims of varying ages came forward, reporting abuse dating back to the late 1980s. 

Tatum was subsequently charged with 23 offences and following a five-week trial at Luton Crown Court in August, he was found guilty of 16 offences: five counts of indecent assault, six counts of sexual assault, three counts of sexual assault of a child under 13, and two counts of making indecent images of a child.  

Today (Thursday) he was jailed for 10 years with an additional three years on licence. He was also handed a restraining order and a Sexual Harm Prevention Order after the judge described his actions as a campaign of abuse that he had shown no remorse for.

Detective Constable Matt McCarthy from the PVP team said:

“For three decades Tatum groomed and abused the trust of many innocent women and girls, acting in a persistently predatory manner and subjecting them to wholly inappropriate sexual abuse.

“This verdict is a testament to the bravery and resilience of the victims who came forward and shared their experiences.

“Their courage has ensured that a dangerous offender has now been brought to justice. We hope this outcome brings some measure of closure and reassurance to them and to the wider community. 

“We work hard to tackle all forms of sexual abuse. Please remember it’s never too late to speak out. Our specialist teams carry out many investigations like this one and have successfully brought many perpetrators to justice, whilst ensuring the victim has the support they need. 

“When you are ready, our officers are there to listen and your voice will be heard.” 

Lawyer Paul Robson from the Crown Prosecution Service said:

“The strong testimonies of the victims were central to our case and to securing Tatum’s conviction.

“Not only did these women come forward to report him, but they also showed great courage by giving their accounts in court, despite everything they had been through. As a result, Tatum will now serve time in prison for his crimes.

“We would like to thank the victims for their support through this process. We also recognise the outstanding work of the police, barristers, and other professionals who ensured justice was served.”

Description

A Bedford man has been jailed for grooming a girl into sexual activity in exchange for money and drugs.

Robert Brookes, 37, gave the victim cocaine and cannabis on a regular basis before offering to pay her cash if she engaged in sexual activity with him. 

He also befriended a friend of the victim over social media and attempted to groom her in the same way.

Brookes came to our attention when a relative of the victim saw the messages that he had sent to her.

After a lengthy investigation, Brookes was found guilty of two counts of causing/inciting a girl to engage in sexual activity, two counts of supplying a Class A drug and two counts of offering to supply cocaine.

He was sentenced today (Wednesday) at Luton Crown Court to six years and three months.

Detective Constable David Widdicombe from our Protecting Vulnerable People team said:

“Brookes is a vile individual who took advantage of a young girl in the worst possible way, so I am pleased he has received a custodial sentence.

“The victim was very brave telling us what happened, and I hope she is now able to move on from this chapter in her life.

“Combatting violence against women and girls is a huge focus in policing. We are working tirelessly to put abusers behind bars and this case should serve as a warning to other perpetrators that we will do whatever it takes to bring a case to court and get justice for victims.

“Sadly, we are seeing an increase in reports of grooming – these predators build a relationship with the victim either in person or online to gain their trust before taking advantage of them.

“Grooming can happen both in person and online, often by a stranger, but it can also be someone your child knows. It can be difficult to tell if your child is being groomed – the signs aren't always obvious and may be hidden  - therefore we are encouraging parents or carers to familiarise themselves with some of the signs to look out for and to talk to their children and let them know they can come to you if something happens to them that doesn’t feel right.”

Description

A man has been jailed for raping a girl he met in Luton last year.

Samad Ali, 34, was found guilty of raping the victim after supplying her with cannabis.

An investigation was launched by Bedfordshire Police’s Rape and Serious Sexual Offences (RASSO) team, and Ali was arrested.

Following a four-day trial, Ali of Bury Park Road, Luton was found guilty of rape.

He was sentenced yesterday (Thursday) to a total of 17 years; 11 years for rape and six years for the drug offences, with an extended licence of five years due to dangerousness.

Detective Constable Olivia Phillips from the RASSO team, who investigated, said:

“This was a complex and sensitive investigation, so I’m pleased that Ali has received a significant custodial sentence and is no longer a danger to any other women or girls.

“The victim in this case has showed enormous courage coming forward and speaking to officers to help ensure Ali was caught quickly and served justice.

“We take all reports of rape and sexual assault seriously, and it is never too late to report. We have several specially trained victim engagement officers who work closely with victims, supporting them throughout the investigation and justice process, as well helping them to move forward.”

Description

A man from Bedford has been sentenced to 15 years in prison for raping a young woman over several years.

Roger Foster began to abuse the victim when she was a child by making sexual comments and sending inappropriate text messages.

The 49-year-old was found guilty of three counts of rape, one count of sexual activity with a child and one count of making indecent images of children, after an investigation was launched by Bedfordshire Police’s Protecting Vulnerable People team.

The victim, who was praised by the judge for her courage in coming forward, detailed in her impact statement how this has affected her life.

She said:

“I have been left with crippling anxiety. I struggle to sleep due to night terrors every night where I dream that I am back there reliving the abuse.”

Foster of Laxton Way, Bedford, was sentenced on Tuesday 20 May at Luton Crown Court for a total of 15 years, plus seven years on an extended licence.

He is also the subject of a full sexual harm prevention order and a restraining order until further order.

Investigation Officer Lauren Shelley said:

“Foster is a dangerous offender who has shown no responsibility for his vile actions.

“I commend the victim’s bravery in coming forward to report this horrific ordeal. Her courage has been instrumental in securing justice.

“All women deserve to feel safe and that is why we continue to be relentless in pursuing perpetrators such as Foster, and put them behind bars.

“It is never too late to report. Our specially trained victim engagement officers provide dedicated support throughout the investigation and justice process, helping victims move forward and begin to heal.”

Description

A man from Bedford has been jailed after he was caught grooming and sending sexualised messages and videos to a teenage girl.

Shane Gibson, 37, was arrested after Bedfordshire Police received a report that he had been sending messages to the victim, asking her if she would have sex with him if he paid for a taxi to his address. He also sent her explicit videos of himself through Facebook.

A number of indecent images of children and extreme pornography were also discovered following an investigation into Gibson’s devices.

Gibson, of Wadsworth Court, Bedford, pleaded guilty to one count of causing a child to watch a sex act, one count of arranging/facilitating the commission of a child sex offence, three counts of making indecent images of children and one count of possessing extreme pornography.

He was sentenced to a total of seven years on Friday (25 April) and is subject to a restraining order and a sexual harm prevention order.

Investigation Officer Michela Zasada from Bedfordshire Police’s Internet Child Abuse Investigation Team said:

“Gibson had clear intent to sexually abuse a child as he showed a total disregard for the victim’s age and continued to groom her into having sex with him.

“Sadly, any child can become the victim of grooming, no matter what their gender, ethnicity or background. Groomers will build a relationship with the victim to gain their trust before talking to them in a sexual way or asking them to send nude pictures or videos.

“We are seeing an ever-increasing number of reports of this type of crime, particularly online, we would like to take this opportunity to remind parents and guardians how important it is to look out for the signs and to ensure their children know how to keep themselves safe and that they know to tell someone if something doesn’t feel quite right.” 

Description

A man who sexually assaulted a teenage girl in a park in August last year has been jailed for 14 years.

Naresh Kumar, 50, saw the girl in Addison Howard Park in Kempston on 26 August when he intercepted her and took her into a nearby obscured area and sexually assaulted her.

A couple walking their dog saw something was happening and shone a torch towards them which caused Kumar to let go of the girl and she was able to run to them for help.

Following extensive enquiries involving CCTV and phone work, he was identified and arrested, and an investigation was launched by Bedfordshire Police’s Protecting Vulnerable People team (PVP).

Kumar, of Manor Close Kempston, was found guilty of six different sexual offences and was sentenced at Luton Crown Court on Friday (21 March) to 14 years. He will also be subject to a deportation order after his sentence is served.

In a victim impact statement, the victim said:

“I’d like to thank the police for their determination to bring this man to trial. It has given me faith in moving forward with my life, and he is no longer able to harm anyone the way he harmed me.”

Detective Inspector Rachael Foy from Bedfordshire Police’s PVP team said:

“This has been a very distressing time for the victim and so I commend her for her bravery and strength in giving her evidence in court and ensuring that this predator is punished for his actions. 

“Women and girls deserve to be, and feel, safe when they are out in public places, and we will always pursue justice against those who threaten that safety.”

Description

A man, who sexually assaulted a teenage girl whilst giving her a lift in his car, has been jailed for seven years.

On the evening of 14 August 2023, Errol Brown, 55, offered the victim, who was known to him, a lift in his car where he began to touch her legs.

Later he tried to kiss her and stopped at a local shop to buy her alcohol before driving to a layby on a country lane and sexually assaulting her in the back of the car.

The victim was able to disclose to those close to her what had happened, and she reported it to the police.

An investigation was launched by Bedfordshire Police’s Protecting Vulnerable People (PVP) team and Brown was arrested.

After a trial at Luton Crown Court last month, Brown of Bents Close, Clapham, was found guilty of two counts of sexual activity with a child.

He was sentenced on Friday 7 March to a total of seven years, and will now be on the sex offenders’ register for life.

Detective Constable Rebecca Crowley from the PVP team said:

“Brown took advantage of this young girl who trusted him as an adult to keep her safe and did the most despicable things.

“I highly commend the victim for coming forward and reporting what happened to her and for enduring a trial to ensure that Brown was punished for his actions.

“Child sexual abuse is one of the most monstrous of crimes and we work tirelessly to support the victims through an investigation and bring these perpetrators to justice.

“Please remember, it’s never too late to report a crime and you are helping us to put these dangerous perpetrators in prison.”

Description

A 22-year-old man from Houghton Regis has been jailed for 12 years after raping a girl in a park last year. 

William Ward, of Parkside Close, approached the victim and her friend in a park in October 2023 and engaged them in conversation.

The victim’s friend, who felt uncomfortable by Ward’s presence and was suspicious of his intentions, messaged some of their other friends to come and meet them.

Ward, on the pretence of helping the victim find something she had lost, managed to lure her away from her friends and into a wooded area where he raped her.

When her friends found her, she was distressed and disclosed that Ward had raped her.

The group challenged him, but he denied it and left shortly afterwards.

However, the victim’s friends had managed to take a video of him which was later used to help identify and arrest him.

Ward was found guilty of rape of a child under 13 and assault by penetration and was sentenced on Friday (8 November) at Luton Crown Court to 12 years. 

Detective Sergeant Joanna Tyrrell from Bedfordshire Police’s Rape and Serious Sexual Offences team, who investigated, said:

“Ward took advantage of this young girl in the worst possible way. He targeted her when she was with her friend and lured her away into woods.

“Despite her trauma, the victim showed how brave she was throughout the investigation, and I hope she feels a sense of justice now he’s behind bars and can’t do this to anyone else.

“I also want to commend her friends as they obviously realised Ward was behaving oddly and their quick thinking and actions led to his timely arrest. It’s important to remember that if something doesn’t look or feel right it usually isn’t.

“Tackling perpetrators of male violence against women and girls is a significant focus for us and we will continue to pursue these types of offenders, as well as working closely with our partners to support and improve women’s safety across the county.”

Description

A registered sex offender has been sentenced to more than 20 years’ jail for raping a child and making her film indecent videos for him.

Jamie Thacker, aged 34, who has been previously convicted of possessing indecent images of children, had messaged the victim via WhatsApp and given her instructions to film indecent videos of herself.

The videos were discovered by a family member of the victim, and further disclosures were made that she had been previously raped by Thacker.

Thacker, who previously lived in Everton, near Biggleswade, pleaded guilty to 10 different counts, including rape, assault by penetration, and causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity and breaching his sexual harm prevention order.

He was sentenced at Huntington Crown Court last Thursday (17/10) to 21 years in prison with a further five years on licence due to the danger he poses.

Description

A former Bedfordshire Police officer who targeted vulnerable teenage girls over social media for sexual gratification has been jailed for over three years today (Wednesday 16 October).

Elliot Wright, aged 29 from Henlow, Bedfordshire, was working as an officer in the collaborated Roads Policing Unit when he arranged to meet a teenage girl who was at risk after finishing a shift on 21 March this year.

The girl, from Hertfordshire, was subject to a deprivation of liberty order for her own safety. Staff at her care home contacted police when they saw her getting into a car, and officers were able to track down Wright’s vehicle near his home in Bedfordshire a short time later and arrested him.

The victim told officers Wright had asked her to delete his messages before he was stopped. Following his arrest by Hertfordshire Constabulary officers, detectives traced potential further victims on his social media including a 16-year-old girl who he had paid in return for sexual images.

An investigation into Wright, led by Hertfordshire Constabulary, showed he had been aware she was vulnerable and often needed money to buy food. He offered her £3 on one occasion for images.

He was soon charged and was immediately suspended by Bedfordshire Police at the time of his arrest. He had his vetting removed and was dismissed from the force in July.

Wright pleaded guilty to three counts of inciting the sexual exploitation of a child, arranging the sexual exploitation of a child, abduction of a child in care, paying for the sexual services of a child and perverting the course of justice. A further charge of misconduct in a public office, which he denied, was ordered to lay on his file.

He was sentenced by a High Court judge to a total of 42 months at St Albans Crown Court, and will serve half his sentence in prison and the second half on licence. Wright was also granted an indefinite Sexual Harm Prevention Order.