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Nathan Kennedy 39
Continued attempting to contact children even after he was caught by paedophile hunters.
Continued attempting to contact children even after he was caught by paedophile hunters.
Bolton, Greater Manchester, BL1-BL7
Pleaded guilty to 20 counts of sexual assault.
Lowton Road, Sale, Greater Manchester, M33
Joshua Etchells (26/5/01) of Lowton Road, Sale has been jailed for 14 months after pleading guilty to 20 counts of sexual assault by touching. Following his release he will also be required to sign the sex offenders register for 10 years.
The charges against Etchells relate to a series of sexual assaults that occurred between 1 March 2021 and 7 March 2021 on canal tow paths along the Bridgewater Canal, the River Mersey and along the Trans Pennine Trail.
Etchells assaulted 19 women and a teenage girl across the seven day period, including nine women on one day alone.
His offending followed a similar pattern for all of his victims in that they were all either walking or running, often alone, down the tow path when Etchells would approach them from behind on a bicycle.
As he approached and began to pass the women, he would then either grab or slap their bottom and quickly flee the scene on his bike. On two occasions, Etchells approached the victim head on and cycled past them before turning around and cycling back towards them from behind. As he passed, he sexually assaulted them.
Following an assault on the Trans Pennine Trail, one of Etchell's victims along with a family member decided to drive around the local area to locate him. As they drove around they spotted a male she was confident was Etchells and she shouted out the window at him.
Ignoring her shouts, she managed to take photographs of him, which she then passed over to police.
A full investigation was launched by GMP and on Saturday 13 March, plain clothed officers were on patrol in an unmarked vehicle in Sale and noticed Etchells on his bike and identified him as the male wanted for multiple sexual assaults.
He was subsequently arrested and his bike - that matched the description of the bicycle reported to police - was seized.
Following interview Etchells was subsequently charged.
Detective Inspector Helen Bagnall of GMP's Trafford district said: "Firstly I want to extend my thanks and gratitude to all the women who came forward to report the assault. Reporting such incidents is never easy but thanks to their support during the investigation and initial detailed descriptions of Etchells we have been able to secure a conviction today.
"Etchells' twisted behaviour was nothing short of deplorable and he felt he was untouchable and would be able to flee each assault with little consequence. I'm glad we've now been able to place him behind bars where he will have plenty of time to reflect on his actions.
"I hope today also serves as a reminder that GMP will do all in its power to ensure those responsible for such disgusting behaviour are identified and face the appropriate justice. No woman should be made to feel unsafe when she walks the street and I'm glad that today we have been able to remove another dangerous individual from our community."
Paul Battersby 77
Paedophile ex vicar with shoebox full of kid's clothes back in jail for third time.
Paedophile ex vicar with shoebox full of kid's clothes back in jail for third time.
Beetham Tower, Liverpool, L3
A paedophile ex-vicar once caught with a shoebox full of kid's clothes is back in jail for the third time after watching children as young as five being raped.
Paul Battersby, 72, formerly of Liverpool, scoured the internet for the sick material and downloaded more than 800 indecent images, all while he was under a court order designed to curb his online activity.
The twice-married former Church of England clergyman, who worked for the church for 31 years, built up a sordid collection of 832 images, some of which included the rape of children aged between five and 10, York Crown Court heard.
Prosecutor Lucy Brown said some of the images featured children as young as two.
Battersby, who was a chemistry teacher in Liverpool before he took the cloth and once worked with Amnesty International, also viewed images of bestiality and tried to hide his crimes using special software.
But he was caught out for the fourth time in 13 years when police searched his new home in Skipton, North Yorkshire, in October last year.
Officers seized his computer equipment including a laptop, on which they found the offending material.
Battersby - formerly of Birkenhead, and Liverpool City Centre - was arrested and charged with three counts of making indecent images of children, one count of possessing extreme pornography including videos, breaching a sexual-harm prevention order and a further count of possessing 205 prohibited or cartoon images of children.
He admitted all charges and appeared for sentence via video link on Tuesday after being remanded in custody.
In 2008, Battersby - a former national youth officer with the Church of England who at the time was vicar of St Ambrose Church in Leyland - received a suspended prison sentence at Preston Crown Court for possessing very disturbing images of children after being turned in by his wife.
In 2010, he was jailed again after police found 160 obscene images of children on his laptop which had been used to organise missions for the Church of England.
Battersby - said to have "fantasies about pre-pubescent girls"- was to serve more jail time for similar offences including in 2017 when he was jailed for 20 months at Liverpool Crown Court for downloading 1,730 indecent images of children and extreme animal pornography.
At the time of those offences, Battersby was living in a luxury flat, funded by the Church of England, in Liverpools Beetham Tower, where police also found a shoebox full of childrens clothing.
Among the sick files found on his computer equipment was a horrifying movie of a girl being bound and raped.
Battersby had also written a twisted child-sex-abuse fantasy starring himself.
After being released from that prison sentence, Battersby - who was already estranged from his two ex-wives and ostracised by his family and the Church of England - moved to Skipton where he lived alone.
The father-of-two, described as highly intelligent, was on the sex offenders register and subject to a court order designed to limit his internet activity but could not stop himself re-offending.
The protection officers who were monitoring his online activity made an impromptu visit to his home and found hundreds of vile images on his laptop, as well as cleaning software and a special browser.
Helen Chapman, defending Battersby, said the ex-ministers complicated and deeply embedded behaviour had cost him two marriages and he had no contact whatsoever with his second family.
Judge Simon Hickey told Battersby that his deliberate and calculated use of the wiping and browsing software and the vast number of images shed light on the ex-vicars determination to pursue your perversion in looking up these images.
Judge Hickey said: You say you want to change I find that difficult to accept given your deeply embedded behaviour and your deliberate flouting of court orders."
The judge said he regarded Battersby as a danger to children who presented a significant risk of committing similar crimes in the future.
Battersby was jailed for four years with an extended three year licence period upon his eventual release from custody.
He was also ordered to sign on the sex-offenders register for life and made subject to a new sexual-harm prevention order, which will also run for an indefinite period.
Keats Harvey 29
Man who abused a toddler sought out jobs where he’d have access to children.
Man who abused a toddler sought out jobs where he’d have access to children.
West Wittering, Chichester, West Sussex
A man who sexually assaulted young children and was actively seeking opportunities to offend again has been convicted of 14 counts of child sexual abuse after a National Crime Agency investigation.
Keats Harvey, a 24-year-old American national, groomed and sexually assaulted four children, the youngest of whom was a toddler.
He was arrested by NCA officers at his home in West Wittering, Chichester, in May 2020.
Harvey had a catalogue of almost 9,000 indecent images of children and 630 prohibited images on his electronic devices, which he had collated between 2015-2020. Of those were 860 category A images (the most severe), 1,290 category B and 6,984 category C.
The NCA uncovered a large number of chat logs and emails in which he had sent and received these images from other likeminded individuals, as well as admitting to having molested three young children.
Investigators subsequently identified four children who had been abused by Harvey, all of whom were under ten-years-old and have since been safeguarded.
He met his victims through other adults he knew and assaulted one of the children whilst at a party.
Harvey made multiple further attempts to meet and abuse children by befriending vulnerable adults with kids and applying for jobs at places where we knew he would have access to children, including hospitals and nurseries.
Through their investigation into Harvey, NCA officers identified another American national they suspected had sexually abused an eleven-year-old boy.
Intelligence was shared with US authorities based in Seattle and the man, a teacher, was arrested and the child safeguarded.
Yesterday (29/07/2021) at Hove Crown Court Harvey was found guilty of six counts of possessing indecent images of children (categories A-C), two counts of possessing prohibited images, two counts of taking and one of distributing an indecent photo of a child, two counts of assaulting a child under 13 by touching, and meeting a girl under 16 following grooming.
He will be sentenced at the same court on 8 October 2021.
Peter Stevens, Branch Commander at the NCA, said: "Keats Harvey was conducting very serious offending, not just online but by physically abusing young children.
"On top of this, he was actively trying to befriend adults who had children and had researched jobs on the internet, at hospitals and nurseries, all with the aim of gaining access to children.
"In my view he is an offender whose behaviour was escalating in terms of the severity of the offending he was trying to commit.
"Prosecuting individuals like Harvey who pose a sexual risk to children is a priority for the NCA. My team worked tirelessly, with support from the Crown Prosecution Service, analysing reams of particularly disturbing material to build the case against him and ensure he would face justice.
"We also worked closely with policing partners to identify offenders and safeguard victims. In this case, Sussex and Hampshire Police provided significant support to the investigation."
Martial art teacher who groomed 15 year old girl.
Firs Road, Bolton, Greater Manchester, BL5
Dennis Johnson 63
Child rapist who sexually abused three young girls over more than 20 years.
Child rapist who sexually abused three young girls over more than 20 years.
Manchester Road, Westhoughton, Bolton, BL5
Mohamed Adia 56
Sexual conversations with undercover police officers believing them to be young girls.
Sexual conversations with undercover police officers believing them to be young girls.
Quebec Street, Bolton, Greater Manchester, BL3
Horrific sex attacks on an underage girl.
Lewisham Court, Southgate Way, Barrow Hill, Chesterfield, S43
A Derbyshire child rapist refused to leave his cell at Derby Crown Court after being found guilty by a jury of a number of horrific sex attacks on an underage girl.
Judge Shaun Smith QC said sentencing James Herring in his absence was the first time he'd had to do it in 40 years working in the legal system.
A trial heard how the 51-year-old, of Chesterfield, groomed then raped the girl when she was under the age of consent "becoming her tormentor and abuser".
And on one occasion he even raped her as she fell asleep from drinking too much alcohol.
Jailing him for 20 years, Judge Shaun Smith QC said: "Until she met you she'd had a miserable life.
"You knew that and you took advantage becoming her tormentor and abuser.
"When you first raped her she was in such pain and distress she slept with a teddy bear between her legs.
"The consequence of what you did to her were laid bare when she gave her evidence.
"She ended up in prison, she took drugs and I have no doubt that happened because of the abuse she suffered at your hands.
"You gained her trust and you sexually abused her."
Herring, of Lewisham Court, Barrow Hill, was found guilty of rape, attempted rape and sexual assault on a second female victim.
Denying all of the charges meant that they had to face their abuser and give evidence against him in court.
He has previous convictions for indecent assault of a male and burglary dating back to the 1980s.
Christopher Spencer 46
Groped a 14-year-old boy on a camping trip - after grooming him with alcohol and cannabis.
Groped a 14-year-old boy on a camping trip - after grooming him with alcohol and cannabis.
Shakespeare Avenue, Radcliffe, Manchester, Greater Manchester, M26
ex-BBC producer & Serial sex offender.
Woodgate Street, Bolton, BL3
Hashim Hussain 29
Targeted vulnerable teenage girls in order to sexually abuse them.
Targeted vulnerable teenage girls in order to sexually abuse them.
South Cross Street, Bury, Greater Manchester, BL9
Hashim Hussain who targeted vulnerable teenage girls in order to sexually abuse them has been jailed.
Hashim Hussain, 24, has been convicted of a string of 'despicable and sickening' sex offences against young girls in Bury.
Hashim Hussain was sentenced to four years behind bars after he filmed a group of men engaging in sexual activity with two other girls, aged 16 and 17, on two separate occasions.
The offending took place between August 2016 and August 2017.
The court heard how Hussain would regularly meet up with a group of teenage girls in Openshaw Park, in Bury, and buy vodka for them before heading to the home of one of the girls.
Hashim's phone was seized by police after he was arrested in relation to driving offences in October 2017.
Detectives found a video showing 'a young, intoxicated female' being sexually contacted by a man, while he was cheered on by others people in a park.
The court heard a girl could be heard on the footage asking whether she was being recorded but was told “it's just a torch”.
Another video showed a young female holding onto a kitchen counter with both hands while an older male had sex with her from behind.
number of other males can be seen gathered around them, the court heard.
Hashim was identified as the cameraman due to a 'distinctive watch' he was wearing which was caught in the footage.
He was arrested at Manchester Airport in July 2019 after getting off a flight from Pakistan and replied 'no comment' to all questions asked by police.
Hashim, also of South Cross Street, Bury, was also convicted of two counts of taking an indecent image of a child, and two counts of possessing an indecent image of a child, after the four-week trial.
You were playing your part in this abuse by filming.” said the judge.
Muhammad Hussain 25
Targeted vulnerable teenage girls in order to sexually abuse them.
Targeted vulnerable teenage girls in order to sexually abuse them.
South Cross Street, Bury, Greater Manchester, BL9
Remorseless Muhammad Hussain who targeted vulnerable teenage girls in order to sexually abuse them has been jailed.
Muhammad Hussain, 20, has been convicted of a string of 'despicable and sickening' sex offences against young girls in Bury.
Muhammad Hussain was sentenced to six years and two months in prison after a jury found him guilty of raping a 14-year-old girl and sexually assaulting another girl, also aged 14.
The offending took place between August 2016 and August 2017.
The court heard how Hussain would regularly meet up with a group of teenage girls in Openshaw Park, in Bury, and buy vodka for them before heading to the home of one of the girls.
Muhammad was just 16 himself when he raped his 'extremely vulnerable' victim in August 2016.
Prosecutor Henry Blackshaw said the girl, who was known to social services and deemed at 'high risk of child sexual exploitation', invited Muhammad to a house party at her friend's house.
Alcohol was being consumed and the pair kissed before they were encouraged to go upstairs together.
Once in an upstairs bedroom, the girl initially engaged in consensual sexual intercourse with Muhammad.
But the court heard she then repeatedly asked him to slow down as it was 'hurting her'.
However, Muhammad pushed her head down into the pillow and carried on having sex with her.
The girl then started crying and told him to get off her, said Mr Blackshaw.
When she managed to move away from him and started to get dressed, the court heard Muhammad called the girl a f****** bitch and told her finish me off.
She left the room but, feeling under pressure, returned and asked Muhammad what she had to do.
He threatened to tell her on-off boyfriend that they had had sex if she did not comply.
Muhammad later contacted the victim to apologise and 'begged her to send pictures of her bottom', which she refused to do.
On another occasion, between March and May 2017, Muhammad filmed the girl and her friend performing oral sex on him.
The court heard the victim wanted 'to shut the incident out' and it was eight months before she told a social worker she had been raped.
She was interviewed by police in February 2018 as part of an operation - codenamed Burgos - into child sexual exploitation in Bury.
On another occasion, in August 2017, the girl and a friend - aged 14 - were in Openshaw Park with Muhammad Hashim and another man when Muhammad approached the friend and put his hand down her leggings.
The court heard he then 'yanked up her underwear' and grabbed her bottom with such force it caused pain and left 'a number of fingernail shaped impressions'.
When interviewed by police, Muhammad admitted having sex with the first victim, but claimed it had been 'consensual'.
He denied using his phone to record the girl and her friend performing oral sex on him, or sexually assaulting the girl in Openshaw Park.
Hashim's phone was seized by police after he was arrested in relation to driving offences in October 2017.
Detectives found a video showing 'a young, intoxicated female' being sexually contacted by a man, while he was cheered on by others people in a park.
The court heard a girl could be heard on the footage asking whether she was being recorded but was told it's just a torch.
Another video showed a young female holding onto a kitchen counter with both hands while an older male had sex with her from behind.
number of other males can be seen gathered around them, the court heard.
Hashim was identified as the cameraman due to a 'distinctive watch' he was wearing which was caught in the footage.
He was arrested at Manchester Airport in July 2019 after getting off a flight from Pakistan and replied 'no comment' to all questions asked by police.
Following a trial, Muhammad, of South Cross Street, Bury, was found guilty of two counts of rape, as well as one count of taking an indecent image and another count of sexual assault.
Sentencing Muhammad, Recorder Jeremy Lasker said he had taken advantage of the extremely vulnerable victim and given no indication of regret of remorse.
He added: What started as consensual sexual activity between the two of you became something very different.
She may have initially consented to penetration but when she asked you to stop because it was hurting her, you simply ignored her and carried on regardless.
It was a clear example of you putting your own sexual gratification before giving and real or genuine consideration to the feelings of others.
Sexually abusing 11-year-old Bolton girl.
Hughes Street, Bolton, Greater Manchester, BL1
A BOLTON man has been jailed for three years after he admitted sexually abusing a young girl.
Andrew Walsh, 55, who was known to his victims family, sneaked into the girls bedroom and touched her while he thought she was asleep.
Bolton Crown Court heard similar abuse occurred over a two-year period.
David Toal, prosecuting, said Walshs crimes were uncovered when his 11-year-old victim told a friend what had been happening in June 2019.
Phone messages describing the abuse were then shown to the victims mother, who confronted Walsh about the allegations, he told the court.
He said he didnt remember doing it but that he was sorry.
A day later she confronted him again and secretly recorded their conversation in which he admitted the offences and blamed them on his heavy drinking.
He also asked her not to get the police involved but Walsh, of Hughes Street, Bolton, was arrested on June 8.
The girl told police that Walsh came into her room and touched her over her pyjamas while performing a sex act on himself.
When she woke up he offered to get her some biscuits with the victim telling officers the same thing had happened every month for two years.
She also said he had taken the girls mobile phone, put it in the waistband of his shorts and asked her to grab it.
Mr Toal added that Walsh, who pleaded guilty to two counts of sexual assault on a child under 13, had no previous convictions.
Michael Goldwater, defending, said Walsh had lost his job as a breakdown recovery driver after the allegations became public.
He now lived at home with his elderly parents. Mr Goldwater told the court.
Above all he is very sorry for this, added Mr Goldwater. He can barely understand it but accepts it is a result of his excessive consumption of alcohol.
The drink caused him to behave in ways that he did not otherwise imagine he was capable.
Sentencing Walsh, Judge John Edwards, said: You were drinking heavily which doubtless numbed your inhibitions to indulge yourself in this dreadful way.
It has left your victim anxious and confused at a pivotal time of her life and any child should be completely safe in their bedroom
"It should be a place of happiness.
Ian Beeby 72
Paedophile scoutmaster back in jail after trying to hide internet devices from police.
Paedophile scoutmaster back in jail after trying to hide internet devices from police.
Blackhorse Street, Blackrod, Bolton, BL6
Christopher Nolan 32
Peadophile caught with homemade explicit images of children.
Peadophile caught with homemade explicit images of children.
Farden Drive, Manchester, M22 8LB
A man caught with sick images of children as young as one 'can't explain' why he had them, a court heard.
Such images 'revolt' and sicken' Christopher Nolan, his barrister said.
But Nolan, 26, was found to have downloaded 63 indecent images, with more than 20 being of the most serious category.
Nolan, from Wythenshawe, admitted he'd 'brought shame' on himself and his family.
He had 'time on his hands' and had been drinking as well as using cocaine and cannabis, Manchester Crown Court heard.
"There is some issue as to what motivated the defendant," his barrister Richard Vardon said.
"I cannot explain satisfactorily how these offences occurred, nor perhaps can the defendant.
"All I can point to is there is nothing in his history which suggests he has a predilection as far as children are concerned."
Mr Vardon said there 'may be other reasons which are not sexual which perhaps explain his motivation'.
Nolan, who has previous convictions including for domestic violence, denies that he had any interest in 'child pornography' and said it 'revolts and sickens him'.
Police went to his home after receiving information that he had been accessing indecent images.
A Samsung phone was seized after a warrant was executed, on March 24 last year.
Officers found 22 category A images, the most serious type, as well as 13 category B and 28 category C images.
"The majority of the images related to five to 10-year-old children, however the ages of the children ranged from between one and 12-years-old," prosecutor Neil Fryman said.
He said 'virtually all' of the images had been deleted, except one.
Nolan made no comment to all questions during his police interview, except confirming a mobile phone number was his.
Mr Vardon said Nolan's actions were at the 'lower end of offences of this nature', while saying the defendant recognised it is 'not a victimless crime'.
He pleaded guilty at first opportunity and no longer drinks, uses drugs or goes on the internet, the barrister said.
Sentencing, Judge Hilary Manley told Nolan: "You rightly described to me in your letter you have submitted to me, that you have brought shame on yourself, your friends and your family for the offences you have committed.
"Such images are of victims of sexual abuse.
"You have observed and watched children who are being sexually abused.
"There can be no excuse ever for viewing and accessing such images."
The judge said she could avoid sending Nolan to prison, given he has a prospect of rehabilitation and because of his remorse.
He was sentenced to 12 months in jail, suspended for two years, and was ordered to complete the Horizon programme.
Nolan, of Farden Drive, must sign the sex offender's register for ten years.
He admitted three counts of making indecent images of children.