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Description

On Wednesday 22 April 2026 at Bolton Crown Court, Tayumur Raja (08/06/1996) of Abbeyhills Road, Oldham, was handed nine years in jail after he was found guilty of sexual assault by digital penetration. 

He is subject of the Sex Offender Register indefinitely. 

At around 4.15am on 25 September 2021 the victim - a 17-year-old girl at the time, now a woman - left a nightclub in Oldham and walked to St Mary’s Way junction with Yorkshire Street and got into a taxi. She got out a short while later and walked to the bottom of Yorkshire Street as she did not have cash and could only pay using her mobile device. 

She contacted another taxi using her mobile phone and a short while later, a vehicle pulled up next to her. The girl got into the car believing it to be her taxi. The driver was Raja. 

Raja drove her to a carpark on Park Road, with the girl as his passenger, before he sexually assaulted her. 

The victim managed to get free from Raja and ran from the vehicle to the safety of a nearby supermarket where staff helped her. 

In a statement read in court, the victim said in part:

“Before September 2021, I was a normal 17-year-old girl. I was going to college, working, learning to drive, and spending time with my friends. I was excited about my future and had plans to become a nurse. I was starting to gain independence and figure out who I was as a person. Life felt normal, safe, and full of possibilities.  

“Before that night, I always believed things like this happened to other people; not to someone like me. But that night, he turned me into someone that bad things happen to, and everything I thought I knew about safety changed. 

“After what had been a normal night out with friends, I got into what I believed was a taxi because I just wanted to go home. I had no idea that my life was about to change completely, through no fault of my own.  

“The fear I felt in that moment is something I cannot fully put into words. It was a fear I had never experienced before, a real fear for my life. He stole my safety from me. That fear didn’t end that night. It stayed with me for almost five years while I waited for something to be done and for justice to finally happen.” 

She continued:

“Over time, I became more and more isolated. Relationships with people close to me broke down because I struggled to trust anyone. Eventually, I left home and moved into a hostel because I felt disconnected from everything and everyone.  

“The anger, pain, and confusion I felt took over my life. I pushed people away because it felt easier than trying to explain how broken I felt inside. I tried to get mental health support several times, but nothing seemed to help at the time, and I felt completely stuck, like there was no end to what I was going through.” 

Throughout the investigation Raja showed no remorse for his actions and continually denied the offence.  
At one point during his interview, he laughed when it was explained to him that the allegation was a serious one and that there was a need to ask him questions about it. He declined to comment and claimed the victim had given consent.

The detailed account bravely given by the victim along with evidence gathered by the police showed this was not the case and the jury convicted him. On 6 March 2026, at Bolton Crown Court, Tayumur Raja was found guilty of sexual assault by digital penetration. He has been sentenced to nine years in prison. 

The victim added:

“I want to thank the police for taking me seriously and for not giving up on this case despite how long it has taken. Despite everything, this process has also helped restore some of my faith in people.  

“Although he has never admitted what he did or shown any remorse, I hope the sentence he receives allows him to reflect on the damage he has caused. What he did affected years of my life, and I hope he understands that. More than anything, I hope he never does this to anyone else.

“I hope my voice encourages others to come forward and seek help. Our voices deserve to be heard.” 

Detective Constable Paul Fay, Oldham CID, said:

“I commend the bravery of the victim-survivor. Thanks to her, a dangerous sexual predator is now behind bars. 

“I hope this gives the victim a sense of justice as she looks to move forward and rebuild her life. 

“I urge all victim-survivors of rape and sexual offences to please come forward and report them to us. You will be believed and supported. We can work at a pace that suits you so we can bring perpetrators to justice.” 

Description

A dangerous sex offender has been put behind bars after our officers found he was failing to comply with his sex offender requirements.

Sebastian Pavel Baltatu was tracked down by officers from our Sex Offender Management Unit (SOMU) after routine checks revealed he had unlawfully returned to the country, having previously been deported in 2020.

Baltatu (02/09/2001) was jailed for three years in 2019 after being found guilty of the rape of a child under the age of 13.

Following enquiries, officers confirmed Baltatu was living in Manchester and he was located after attempting to make a claim for Universal Credit.

Baltatu was arrested in March 2026 following a co-ordinated operation led by officers from SOMU.

After establishing his location, officers attended an address in Gorton, Manchester. He was arrested and taken into custody, where he remained until his court date.

At Manchester Crown Court on 17 April 2026, Baltatu was jailed for 18 months after pleading guilty to five breaches of his sex offender requirements and a breach of his deportation order. He now faces deportation for a second time.

Detective Sergeant Daniel Sanchez, from our Public Protection Department, said:

“Sebastian Baltatu poses a clear and ongoing risk to the public, particularly to children, and it was vital that he was located and brought before the courts.

“Despite having been deported following a serious sexual offence and being subject to strict requirements, Baltatu chose to unlawfully return to the UK and deliberately breach the conditions placed upon him.

“Officers are proactively reviewing sex offenders who are believed to be living overseas to ensure they have not returned to the UK.

"Where concerns are identified, swift action is taken to locate those individuals and arrest them where necessary.

“Through determined and methodical work by officers from our Sex Offender Management Unit, we were able to establish his whereabouts and ensure he was arrested safely.

“This case underlines our unwavering commitment to protecting the most vulnerable in our communities and taking robust action against offenders who believe they can evade the law.

"We will continue to work closely with partner agencies to identify those who pose a risk and ensure they are dealt with decisively.”

Description

A man has been jailed for more than 2 years for possessing indecent images of children.

Jonathan Peter Clark, 47, of  The Valley in Winchester was found to be in possession of 195 indecent images after officers launched an investigation in May 2023 after he was identified as being the user of an online account suspected to have uploaded an indecent image to the internet.

He was arrested in October of the same year, and an analysis of his phone found 195 indecent images graded from A, the most serious, to C. 

Clark was charged with possession of indecent images of children, and breach of a Sexual Offences Prevention Order and pleaded guilty at Basingstoke Magistrates Court in March 2026.

He was yesterday (16 April) sentenced to 2 years and 8 months in prison at Winchester Crown Court. 

His Honour Judge Parker KC also ordered the destruction of his mobile phone and granted Clark a lifelong Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO).

PC Neil Nancarrow, of the Internet Child Abuse Team, said: “Jonathan Clark is a repeat sexual offender who has continued to break the law, he clearly poses a serious risk to children and I am glad to see him put behind bars. 

“Hampshire and the Isle of Wight Constabulary is committed to keeping the children in our community safe and I hope this investigation evidences how seriously we take crimes of this nature. We will continue to work hard to bring offenders of these abhorrent crimes to justice.

“Online offending around indecent images of children is a crime. Each image represents a child that has been abused. If you are looking at, making, or distributing these images, we will take action.”

Description

A man, aged 41, has been jailed for 13 years after being found guilty of two counts of rape and coercive and controlling behaviour.

Aftab Zulfiqar (09/03/1985), of no fixed address, was sentenced at Manchester Minshull Street Crown Court on 15th April 2026.

Through exceptional courage, the survivor came forward to report Zulfiqar, beginning a process that required her to confront and relive deeply traumatic experiences in pursuit of justice.

The survivor was in a relationship with Zulfiqar for three years, during which she was subjected to sustained and escalating abuse that had a profound impact on her life.

Zulfiqar controlled every aspect of her daily routine, including what she wore, when she slept, what she ate and drank, who she was allowed to speak to and how she lived, isolating her from friends and support networks.

His constant demands for contact while she was at work placed significant pressure on her which resulted in her losing a job she loved, increasing her reliance on him.

During the relationship, Zulfiqar raped her on multiple occasions, exploiting the trust of their relationship and manipulating her into believing the abuse was not rape.

Over three years, the survivor endured mental, emotional, physical and sexual abuse. Despite the trauma she suffered, she showed exceptional courage in reporting Zulfiqar in October 2023 through our LiveChat function, concluding in him being arrested.  

LiveChat is a great way to report crimes discreetly.

She fully supported the investigation and stood up in court to give evidence against the man who abused her.

The survivor, in her victim impact statement, said:

“My relationship with Aftab has had a huge impact on my life, more than can be put into words really. I had little confidence any way but since being with Aftab, I have none at all.

“He drilled it into me that much that I’m ugly and worthless that I believed it and now struggle with confidence, and I don’t want to meet anyone.

“I don’t think I could ever trust someone again, I gave Aftab everything and he was never nice to me.

“I was so scared of doing anything wrong. At the smallest thing, he would attack me then throw me out of his flat.

“I was always to blame for everything – he once stood on the plug of my hair dryer and then smashed my hairdryer up and physically attacked me because it was somehow my fault.

“It makes me worried for future relationships and how I’ll be because I am so deeply hurt.

“I really feel that my relationship with Aftab and everything he has put me through will stay with me forever, but I’m determined that he hasn’t won, and I can now start to live a peaceful life after being put through 5 and a half years of hell.”

Following his arrest, Zulfiqar continued to cause distress by posting about the investigation and those involved on social media, leading to his remand in custody, where he has remained since September 2024.

Detective Constable Lucy Hamilton said:

“I want to commend the survivor for the remarkable courage she has shown in coming forward and supporting this investigation.

“Reporting offences of this nature is incredibly difficult, and it is through her bravery that a very dangerous man is now behind bars.

“We want to be absolutely clear: we take all reports of rape and sexual offences extremely seriously, and we will relentlessly pursue perpetrators.

“It is also vital that people understand coercive and controlling behaviour is a criminal offence and will not be tolerated.

“I hope this outcome provides the survivor with some measure of justice as she continues to rebuild her life. Her courage has protected other women from harm, and we will continue to stand with her, and every survivor, in the fight to bring offenders like Zulfiqar to justice."

Description

A man who repeatedly raped and sexually abused his young victim over several years has been jailed for 18 years.

David Jones, 66, from Moston, began raping the girl when she was a child and continued the abuse for years, leaving her “ashamed” and feeling “dirty and disgusting”, Greater Manchester Police said.

He was arrested in 2021 after the victim came forward and was sentenced at Manchester Crown Court on Friday, April 10.

In her victim impact statement, the woman said: “After what had happened to me, I had tried to block it all out and get on with my life.

“But over the years it has been eating away at me. I felt dirty and disgusting when I thought about it and I was ashamed to tell people. During everyday life, I can’t eat properly or sleep, because I am overthinking about my past, and how this now affects me with other people, it is hard for me to shut my brain off.

“I have to try and do things to keep me busy, so I don’t focus on what happened and to try and control my anxiety. I just want justice for what happened to me so I can try and make things better for myself, get my confidence back and try and leave what happened in the past so I can move forward with my life.”

Jones was found guilty of five counts of rape, sexual intercourse with a girl under 13, sexual assault and indecent assault. He was also given a lifetime restraining order against the victim.

Detective Constable Nicola Woods, of GMP’s Online Child Abuse Investigation team, said: “I would firstly like to commend the bravery of the victim who has shown immense courage and strength during this investigation.

“David Jones preyed on her innocence and repeatedly subjected her to multiple rapes and sexual assaults which continued for well over a decade. He is now behind bars, and I hope that this will give her the chance to begin to move on from this horrific ordeal.

“No matter the age of when abuse happened, if you have gone through this or have witnessed such incidents, please come forward. You will be supported, listened to, and we will do everything in our power to bring offenders to justice.”

Description

A convicted sex offender offered cash to have sex with an “11-year-old girl” unaware he was messaging an undercover police officer posing as the child’s aunt.

Richard Smith, 35, of Nixon Phillips Drive, Hindley Green, Wigan, told the officer: “Money isn’t a problem.”

The 35-year-old, who was subject to strict notification requirements at the time, first contacted the officer on the Chat IW website last August using the username “Whitestick”. The officer used the name “AuntofLil”, which denotes a female child to those in the know, Bolton Crown Court heard.

Smith claimed in his profile to be a 28-year-old from Aberdeen. He asked: “Oh hello, go on how old is she?” Told the “nieces” were 11 and 14, he moved the conversation to the encrypted app Teleguard, known to be used by paedophiles.

He asked for pictures of the girls, where they lived, and whether they were “innocent and naive”. When told they were in London he replied: “Oh it said Greater Manchester lmao fair enough tho I can travel to London.”

After a phone call discussing dates and money, Smith chose the £180 option and later offered £250 to “secure the slot” when told another client had already booked the Sunday. He described the 11-year-old as the “opportunity of a lifetime” and asked about a long-term arrangement. He responded with “a great deal of enthusiasm” to a Snapchat image of children’s underwear.

Smith did not finalise the meeting and was arrested a week later.

He pleaded guilty to arranging or facilitating a child sex offence and breaching notification requirements by failing to disclose his social media aliases.

The court heard he had been convicted in 2018 of engaging in sexual activity in the presence of a child after performing a sex act during a FaceTime call with a girl under 16, witnessed by her mother.

Defence barrister David Toal said Smith accepted sending the messages but stressed his “voluntary desistance”. “He drew back and that’s the reason why there’s no actual serious harm committed by him. He stopped because he chose to stop,” he told the court.

Recorder of Bolton Judge Nicholas Clarke KC sentenced Smith to six years’ imprisonment, imposed a sexual harm prevention order and ordered him to sign the sex offenders’ register for life. The judge described it as “quite alarming that such websites and facilities are available”.

Description

A 45-year-old man has been sentenced to 11 years in prison for one count of attempted rape and two counts of sexual assault after a court found him guilty following a trial earlier this year.

Michael Modlinsky (06/10/1980) from Salford, appeared at Bolton Crown Court yesterday (07/04/2026) for sentencing following an investigation led by our Salford Criminal Investigation Department (CID).

He will serve an additional three years on licence upon release, while also being subject to a lifetime restraining order.

In August 2025, the victim first met Modlinsky and after a few encounters with one another over the course of four weeks, the offender initiated more contact and began making overtly sexual comments towards her. Despite repeatedly telling him there was nothing between them, this continued.

On one evening, Modlinsky began grabbing the victim and forcing himself on to her while also threatening to rape her - the victim bravely managed to push him away and leave the room before reporting the offence to police.

In his police interview, Modlinsky denied ever making such comments and denied the assault on the victim. A jury, however, found him guilty on all three counts.

Detective Constable Chloe Catterall from our Salford CID said:

"This was an incredibly frightening incident for the victim, and her courage throughout this investigation and the court proceedings has been remarkable. I hope today's sentencing offers her some sense of closure and reassurance.

"This case demonstrates our commitment to thoroughly investigating reports of sexual assault and violence, and ensuring offenders face the full consequence of their actions.

"I urge anyone who may have gone through this or witnessed such incidents to please come forward - you will always be listened to, supported and taken seriously."

Description

A 74-year-old man was sentenced after pleading guilty to one count of rape of a woman 16 years or over, and one count of sexual assault.

Stephen Biggs (04/03/1952) of Furness Square, Bolton appeared at Bolton Crown Court on Thursday 2 April, and was sentenced to nine years in prison.

In late March 2025, a woman befriended Biggs and he invited her alone to his address. Biggs gave her a unknown substance, which led to her feeling drowsy and later falling unconscious in the offender's home.

When she awoke, some of her clothing had been removed, and she found Biggs on top of her. The victim was struggling to gain full consciousness and passed out once again. After waking up, she found the offender still on top of her with his trousers unzipped and she managed to push him off her.

Following his arrest, Biggs was interviewed by officers, where he admitted to raping and assaulting the victim whilst she was unconscious.

The victim bravely shared in her interview: "Being older, this has really taken a toll on me. It’s ruined my confidence. I’m struggling within my own relationship with my partner. It’s destroyed me.”

Detective Constable Jordan Brown from our Bolton CID said:

"This was a horrific assault that happened to the victim all without her consent and without her knowledge at the time.

"She has been immensely brave coming forward to report this and supporting the investigation and I would like to thank her for her continued strength and courage during this difficult time.

"We remain committed to supporting victims of sexual violence and bringing offenders to account, no matter how long it takes.

"I urge anyone who may have gone through this to please come forward and report. You will always be treated with respect and your reports will always be taken seriously." 

Description

A second Registered Sex Offender has been locked up after being caught by Live Facial Recognition (LFR) technology.

Officers were alerted to Phillip Loxam (28/01/1969), of Edgeley, Stockport, when the vans were deployed in the town centre on 12 February this year.

When approached by officers, he was questioned and detained for a number of offences, including having software on his phone to conceal its internet history.

He was also found to have a concealed second unregistered mobile phone, which was located on his person after his arrest.

Loxam was jailed for 20 months when he appeared at Minshull Street Crown Court on Friday (13/3/26) when he admitted three breaches of his Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO).

He was previously sentenced to a 20-month prison sentence in July 2024 for seven breaches of his SHPO.

Description

Marvyn Thomas (28/03/1987), of Belmont Street Old Trafford, has today (16 March 2026) been sentenced to thirteen-and-a-half-years in jail following a two-week trial at Manchester Crown Court.

On 3rd February 2026, Thomas was convicted of three counts of ABH, two counts of non-fatal strangulation, two counts of criminal damage, sexual assault and rape.

The court heard how he was abusive, controlling and violent towards his victim over a sustained period. On a number of occasions throughout the summer of 2023 until March 2024, Thomas raped his victim.

During one incident following a verbal argument, he followed the victim into their bedroom where he grabbed them by the throat, slammed them against the wall and threatened to kill them, continuing to verbally and physically assault the victim.

The pressure that Thomas applied to the victim’s throat completely restricted their ability to breathe, they momentarily broke free before he grabbed them by the throat for a second time, this time forcing their pants down and telling them he will have sex with them ‘whenever he wants’.

The assault continued with him then raping them.

In October 2023, the victim sustained serious injuries and was hospitalised following a prolonged and violent attack by Thomas.

In March 2024, the violence continued. On Mother’s Day, the 38-year-old punched his victim in the face, knocking them unconscious and causing them to receive severe swelling and bruising to their eye.

Following a period of no contact, Thomas re-appeared in the victim’s home area, turning up in the same place they were on numerous occasions, including one incident where the victim and their family had to barricade themselves in a business premises, with staff members preventing him from entering the building.

Detective Constable Nicola Hughes from our City of Manchester CID said:

“Thomas inflicted a sustained campaign of violence, intimidation and abuse over a significant period of time. The level of harm he caused was deeply traumatic, and no one should ever be forced to endure what this victim went through.

“Their decision to come forward, to speak openly about the horrific abuse they have suffered, and to place their trust in our officers has taken extraordinary bravery. The whole process has been extremely difficult for the victim in this case, but their strength throughout the investigation has been remarkable, and today’s sentence is a testament to their courage.

“We hope this outcome brings some measure of reassurance and demonstrates that we will not hesitate to take decisive action against those who commit such offences. We remain absolutely committed to supporting victims, challenging perpetrators, and ensuring that those who cause harm are brought to justice.”

Description

A migrant rapist who ripped off a woman's jeans in the woods and told her to moan like she enjoyed it has been found guilty, a court heard. Gift Oladele, 24, was convicted by a Mold Crown Court jury of rape and sexual assault on a 19-year-old in Wrexham last September.

The 6ft 4in predator, who called himself “big Mike” and ran a cleaning business, put a hand over her mouth, pushed her into woods, struck her six or seven times, ripped off her jeans, and raped her.

Oladele ordered her to "moan like you are enjoying it," said he liked to be “dominant,” and told her to “pretend this never happened.” The victim said Oladele claimed she liked it: “As if justifying it in his head.” She told police: “It felt as if he had done it before. The way he did things and the way he handled me made it feel like it wasn’t the first time.” She added: “What I went through I wouldn’t wish it on my worst enemy. I was scared for my life.”

In a video-recorded interview, the teen said Oladele approached her and a friend in Wrexham; her friend left by taxi, but she walked with him after he claimed his cousin lived nearby. They had “a laugh with each other,” but she grew uneasy. Prosecutor James Coutts said: “When she got home, the youngster woke her parents and police were called.” Officers found her phone, ripped belt, and knickers at the scene.

Oladele, staying at his cousin’s Wrexham home, later Googled “Wrexham rape after club.” He claimed the teen led him down the path and was “cunning,” insisting: “There was nothing predatory about the previous attack and I have changed since then.” He said he was trying to be a “good role model and good partner.” The jury found him guilty; he was cleared of one rape allegation.

Judge Simon Mills remanded him in custody for a danger assessment, warning: “I will be passing a long prison sentence upon you. This is a very serious case.”

This follows a 2022 conviction where Oladele, then 21 and from Manchester (having moved to the UK from Italy at 12), was jailed for two years for false imprisonment after pouncing on a lone woman who feared rape but escaped. Prosecutors called it a “disturbing and terrifying attack” and him “predatory” and a “danger to women.” Judge Conrad KC said: “You have inappropriate attitudes towards women with a sense of entitlement.”

Description

A convicted sex offender who showed "no understanding" or "remorse" for his crimes will not return to prison.

Jonathan Turkentine, 68, of Mersea Road, Colchester, had been remanded since February. He met with probation on Friday morning before appearing at Ipswich Crown Court, where he admitted possessing an indecent image of a girl and breaching a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO).

The SHPO was imposed in 2022, when Turkentine was jailed for possessing 251,386 indecent images and videos of children. He breached it again last year by deleting photos and messages.

In July last year, during a routine visit, an officer found the image on his phone and noted 33 deleted items from his Safari history.

Despite pleading guilty, Turkentine told officers he was "totally bamboozled" as to how the offending occurred and "completely in the dark."

His defence barrister claimed Turkentine was remorseful, but Recorder Richard Leiper KC found the probation report "troubling" and remained unconvinced.

"You have shown no understanding of your offending, no remorse and you have sought to minimise your responsibility for it," Recorder Leiper told him.

Due to the deleted history, the judge said there was no way to confirm what Turkentine had accessed but surmised the image was linked to his online activities.

Recorder Leiper imposed a 10-month prison sentence, suspended for 18 months.

"I have, with great reluctance concluded there is a realistic prospect of rehabilitation within the community," he said. "You should be extremely grateful for the submissions of your counsel."

Description

A man is set to be sentenced after he was found guilty of multiple counts of rape.

Aaron Furnival, of Hunter Street, Chester, was convicted of four counts of rape at Chester Crown Court on Monday 9 March.

The 31-year-old had previously pleaded guilty to one count of controlling and coercive behaviour.

He will be sentenced at Chester Crown Court on Friday 1 May.

The female victim in this case contacted police to report violent behaviour, emotional abuse and sexual abuse committed by Furnival.

The woman reported Furnival would take advantage of her while she was asleep, and she would awake to find him raping her.

He would also ignore the victim whenever they were having consensual sex and she withdrew her consent. She would ask him to stop and he would refuse.

Furnival was controlling and jealous. He transferred money from the victim’s bank account, threw water over her while she was asleep, and monitored her movements with constant phone calls and messages.

Furnival used foul and abusive language towards her, made threats to kill her and even wrote degrading words on her skin in marker pen.

Offices arrested Furnival on suspicion of the offences but during interview he denied the allegations against him.

Following an investigation, he was charged.

Detective Sergeant Andy Manson said:

“Firstly, we would like to recognise the bravery of the victim in this case for reporting what happened to her. We hope the conclusion of this trial will provide her with some sense of closure, knowing that the jury saw through his lies.

“Furnival’s cruel and abusive behaviour showed how he clearly had no regard for the welfare of his victim, instead doing whatever he wanted, no matter the consequences to her.

“He then put the victim through the stress of a trial after he refused to accept what he had done. Thankfully, he was found guilty of these crimes, and he will no doubt be facing a considerable length of time behind bars.”

Description

A man has been jailed for nine-and-a-half-years after being found guilty of the rape of a vulnerable girl in Stockport.

Mohsen Farjam (02/05/1982), of no fixed abode, was jailed for five offences at Manchester Crown Court on 5 March – two counts of rape, two counts of sexual assault, and one of sexual assault by penetration.

Due to the nature of the case – which occurred in July 2018 – considerable time and effort has been put in by officers to achieve the end result.

This includes extensive work by detectives and continued support and engagement with the victim.The case required comprehensive reviews as officers worked closely with both her and necessary partners.

The girl, who has a neurodevelopmental condition and was 15-years-old at the time, was on her own in Stockport, when she was approached by Farjam, who had seen that the victim was upset and in need of help.

Farjam then convinced the girl to get food nearby and charge her devices, telling her that he was currently homeless and pretended to offer her sympathy and support. He was in fact grooming and exploiting her.

After leaving, Farjam plied the girl with vodka at a tent in which he was living in on the outskirt of centre, at which point he began to inappropriately touch her – even stating to her that she looked nervous.

Farjam then sexually assaulted and raped the girl.

The girl was able to leave the tent following the attack and bravely told a relative, who then informed the police. Farjam was arrested just hours later.

Farjam completely denied the allegations put to him and showed no remorse. 

He told police that he saw the victim in a vulnerable state and had taken her back to the tent for a massage. He additionally claimed to be seeking help for the homeless community.

Officers have worked through tens of thousands of pages of relevant material as part of their investigation which saw Farjam finally sentenced on Thursday 5 March. 

In addition to his sentencing, he has been placed on the sex offender's register for life.

Detective Sergeant Rob Griffiths, from GMP’s Stockport Complex safeguarding team, said:

“I firstly want to commend the victim in this case, who endured this horrific crime aged just 15-years-old. They have been incredibly brave throughout the court process and are getting continual support by professionals – I hope that they can continue to heal following this awful ordeal.

“Farjam exploited vulnerabilities for his own sickening gratification, and it is utterly grim that he tried to disguise his intentions by pretending to want to help a child in need. Instead, he got her drunk and exploited her as part of his vile actions.

“I am glad that he is now finally behind bars for his crimes."

Description

This is the moment a registered sex offender was identified by Live Facial Recognition (LFR) technology.

John Thompson was on our watchlist and spotted by one of the LFR cameras in Piccadilly Gardens on 28 January.

When he was approached by officers following the alert, Thompson admitted having an extra mobile phone in his possession, which breaches his Sexual Harm Protection Order (SHPO) and led to his arrest. 

Thompson, (10/06/1982), from Manchester, was in court this week after admitting to a total of 35 breaches of his SHPO and a breach of his sex offender notification requirements.

He was jailed for 16 months when he appeared at Manchester Crown Court on Tuesday (03/03/2026). He was also ordered to pay £187 costs.

Without LFR, this level of noncompliance could easily have gone unnoticed, leaving both the risk and Thompson's behaviour hidden.

We have been using LFR since October 2025, with 20% of arrests being for registered sex offenders and three-quarters of suspects being charged with offences.