Search results for Chester

Description

Benjamin Magee (27/07/1992) of Shannon Road, Manchester was sentenced to 18 years at Manchester Minshull Crown Court on Wednesday 7 May 2025. He also received an indefinite sexual harm prevention order and a restraining order.

Back in August 2023, the victim had attended a Greater Manchester Police station with her friend to report sexual abuse concerns. Enquiries uncovered that Magee had met her the year before in August 2022 and in the months that followed bought her gifts, took her to roller blading and asked her to walk his dog for money. This included stating that he would pay for her future studies.

In return he used this to rape her at various locations using force, with the victim who was 15 at the time, accounting it happening on 40 to 50 occasions, most recently in May 2023, with her challenging him that what he had done was wrong and never providing consent.

After denying the offences on interview, when arrested by detectives it resulted in the confirmation of the offences.

Following a trial, he was found guilty of three counts of non-penetrative sexual activity with a girl aged 13-15, assault of a female aged 13 and over by penetration with part of a body, multiple counts of assault of a female aged 13 or over by penetration with part of a body and two breaches of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order after he was already on the register.

After a re-trial he was found guilty again of three counts of vaginal rape and two counts of oral rape.

Description

Brandon Smith (14/02/2000) of Larch Road in Denton, was found guilty of two counts of rape, two counts of sexual assault and one assault by penetration.

He was sentenced to 12-and-a-half years at Bolton Crown Court today (Wednesday 30 April 2025) for raping and sexually assaulting a woman in July 2024. Smith will then serve three years on extended licence. 

On Friday 5 July 2024, Smith launched his attack on the woman, who was not known to him, grabbed her and threatened to stab her if she made any noise.

He then dragged her down a path off King Street and Pitt Street in Hyde before he carried out a sustained sexual attack.

He told the woman he had been watching her for six months and following the attack, he made threats to harm her family if she said anything.

Following an investigation, Smith was arrested on Sunday 7 July 2024. After a trial at Bolton Crown Court, he was found guilty on all five counts on Wednesday 8 January 2025.

Brandon Smith was jailed for 12-and-a-half years.

Description

A woman has bravely spoken out after she and another victim were assaulted by a child sex offender from East Bergholt, who has now been jailed for 12 years.

The two women spoke to Essex Police in 2022 to disclose the historic offences committed by 36-year-old Lloyd Prior.

Prior, of Broom Knoll in East Bergholt, was accused of multiple sexual offences against the two women, who were children at the time of the offences, between 2005 and 2013.

He pleaded not guilty and stood trial at Chelmsford Crown Court on 20 January 2025, and a jury found him guilty of 10 charges – three counts of engaging in sexual activity in the presence of a child, three counts of causing or inciting a child under 13 to engage in sexual activity, two counts of sexual assault of a child under 13, and two counts of assault of a child under 13 by penetration.

He was sentenced to 12 years in prison at the same court on Wednesday 23 April.

Description

A convicted sex offender claimed he got a ‘bad email’ when he was caught looking at pornography on a library computer.

Keith Smith, 72, had an iPhone plugged into the computer when he was confronted by someone who saw him viewing images of semi-naked women.

He was sat next to a young girl at the time, Manchester Crown Court heard. After being confronted, he claimed he had ‘received a bad email’. He was later identified through library records and police asked him to produce the phone for analysis. Smith refused.

“He said he had borrowed his friend’s phone to take pictures of the gas and electric meters,” prosecutor Olivia Gatfield said.

Smith, from Levenshulme, admitted breaching a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) imposed in 2011 after he was caught with indecent images of children. One of the conditions stated he must show his internet history on request by the police.

His barrister, Naomi Duckworth said he didn’t own a smartphone, so used a friend’s. He was concerned police would go to his friend ‘gun’s blazing’ so refused to provide their details, she added.

Smith’s behaviour showed ‘poor judgement’, but no charges were brought against him - only for breaching the SHPO - Ms Duckworth added.

Handing him a suspended jail term, Judge Hilary Manley said: “The reason you came to the attention of the police is because you were in a library accessing pornography whilst sitting near a little girl.

“The excuse you gave for not handing over the phone to the police, I find, is not believable. Breaches like this are taken very seriously by the courts.”

Ms Gatfield earlier told the court that on October 28, 2023, a woman was at the Arcadia Library in Levenshulme using a computer, when her attention was drawn to Smith’s screen. On the screen was a woman with her breasts concealed by a plant, she said.

“The defendant was seen scrolling over several photos which were clearly of a sexual nature," the prosecutor said. "He was sitting next to a girl."

The woman confronted Smith. He denied the images were explicit and left. When he was later arrested and interviewed he told officers that while taking pictures of his gas and electric meters he got a ‘sudden urge’ to search for an adult film star.

The court heard he had three convictions for 21 offences, the majority of which were for sex offences.

Defence counsel Ms Duckworth said her client suffered with anxiety and depression. “The defendant explained he did not give the police details of where he got the phone from as he was concerned the police would go in ‘gun’s blazing’,” she added.

A presentence report prepared by the probation service found he had not been open about his behaviour and sought to ‘make excuses’.

Smith, of Stanhope Street, Levenshulme, was handed an eight month jail term suspended for 18 months. He must complete an accredited programme, 15 days of rehabilitation activity requirements and pay £150 court costs.

Description

A man has been jailed for six years after attacking and sexually assaulting a woman who had been enjoying a night out socialising with friends in Middleton. The victim will also have an indefinite restraining order against her to protect her, and he will be subject to indefinite sex offender notification requirements.

Dewan Gazi (12/07/1980), of Croxdale Walk, Blackley, had previously been found guilty of two counts of sexual assault and one count of section 47 assault at Manchester Crown Court.

Shortly after midnight on Sunday 28 July 2024, the woman was walking home when she was suddenly confronted by Gazi, who grabbed her by the arms and began to touch her over her clothes.

The woman feared for her safety and began to shout for help, as well as punching the offender who continued his attack, including pulling at her shorts.
He then pushed his victim into nearby bushes with a low metal barrier, which she struck and caused her considerable pain.

Around this time, a man and woman in a nearby address heard the commotion and came out to find the man holding his victim on the pavement. After intervening and questioning Gazi, who claimed to be providing help, he ran off and the woman was assisted by the couple.

The man chased Gazi down the street and away from the area, before returning to help.
She was taken to hospital with pain and bruising – as well soreness to her fist where she had punched her attacker.

Following CCTV checks, Gazi’s vehicle was identified as being in the area around the time of the incident, and was later seized by officers as part of their enquiries.

Further CCTV footage showed Gazi working in a takeaway in Middleton, watching his victim walk past, before he ran out to his vehicle and followed her in his car shortly before launching his attack.

He was later arrested and charged with his offences by officers within Rochdale CID.
The man and woman who assisted the victim have since received a bravery award from GMP for their actions, and the judge commended their ‘neighbourhood spirit’ in coming to the victim’s aid and chasing away the attacker.

Description

A Winchester man who had more than 300 indecent images of children on his mobile phone, has been jailed.

Phillip Peach, 35, was arrested at his home address on Drayton Street on 25 June 2024 after police received information that he had been accessing indecent images of children.

Following his arrest, police examined his digital devices where 308 images were recovered with 43 being graded as Category A – the most serious category.

A further 24 were graded as Category B and 241 as Category C.

Peach had served prison time for similar offences and had previously been handed a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) by the courts. During the investigation it was found he had breached his SHPO by continuing to communicate with children, deleting data and having electronic devices not registered with police.

He was subsequently charged with three counts of making indecent photographs of children and six counts of breach of a sexual harm prevention order.

Appearing at Winchester Crown Court on 3 March, Peach admitted all of the charges and was sentenced to two years and eight months in prison.

Description

A "callous and prolific" child abuser who used his flat and cafe to groom and then rape vulnerable and underage girls has been jailed.

The attacks 56-year-old Ajaz Ahmed inflicted on his five victims were discovered as part of a Greater Manchester Police (GMP) investigation into historical sexual abuse in Rochdale.

In January 2016, detectives identified the first of his victims when a woman disclosed she had been raped by several men at a party at Ahmed's flat on Drake Street in the town when she was aged 13.

Ahmed, of no fixed address, was sentenced to 28 years in prison at Manchester's Minshull Street Crown Court.
He was convicted of 23 offences, including the rape and sexual assault of children, following a trial.

When officers first spoke to Ahmed about the rape at his flat, he admitted he owned the property but said he did not know who his tenants were at the time, GMP said.

Police spoke to another woman who said she had been in a coercive and controlling relationship with Ahmed at the age of 15, and he had raped, sexually assaulted and assaulted her on several occasions.

The force said Ahmed subjected her to a "horrific and sustained" period of control and physical and sexual abuse.

A friend of the first victim also told police Ahmed sexually assaulted her the first time she met him, just before her 16th birthday.

Fearing for her safety, she never reported it at the time, police said.

'Vulnerable'

A third woman also reported she was raped by Ahmed.

She met him at a cafe he owned and he offered her one of his flats in exchange for work at the cafe.

Police said he sexually assaulted her whilst she was in the kitchen.

Ahmed also took the vulnerable girl to nightclubs and bought her alcoholic drinks. When she returned home, he took her into the basement of the Drake Street property and raped her.

A fourth victim, aged 15, was also identified during the inquiries.

Ahmed, who she knew as AJ, offered her a room in his Drake Street flat and would let himself in unannounced. She said he regularly raped her.

She said one night Ahmed laughed as he raped her in front of several men he had invited over for a drink.

'Abhorrent'

A fifth victim told officers she met Ahmed when she was 17.

He offered her a place to stay as it was late but said she would have to give the men something in return.

She refused and he took her back to his flat, where he sexually assaulted her.

Det Con Ann Cooper Poole praised the victims' bravery for helping to put Ahmed behind bars.

She said: "It took just one brave survivor to come forward and detail her abuse and it opened up an entire case which resulted in us obtaining evidence that Ahmed was a callous and prolific sex offender.

"These girls had their childhoods and teen years tainted in the most abhorrent way, and they experienced what no one should ever experience."

Description

A CONVICTED sex offender failed to comply with a court order because he didn’t want to miss a shift as a pizza delivery driver.

Dominic Middleton, 28, was previously jailed at Carlisle Crown Court in 2016 after he admitted one charge of sexual activity with a child.

Colchester Magistrates’ Court heard on Tuesday that Middleton, who has since moved to Essex, was subjected to notification requirements for life as part of that sentence.

It means he is required to inform police within three days if he changes any personal details such as his name or address, or opens a new bank account.

Entering the dock with a large Puma holdall, Middleton admitted one charge of failing to comply with notification requirements for sex offenders.

Lucy Osborn, mitigating, said Middleton, of Windmill Court, Colchester, was unable to get to the police station in time to register new personal details because he had to catch an early bus to get to work.

She said: “He accepted he was a day late and explained he was working as a motorcycle delivery driver for Domino's, working very long shifts from 11am to 11pm.

“He would take the S1 bus, a university route – but because it was the summer holidays, he could not get a bus until 9.20am which would get him to work in time for 11am.

“He asked his boss if he could start later but was refused this – his employer stated if he was late attending, it would be referred to HR and he would be dropped from a number of shifts.

“He felt he had no option but to go to work.”

Ms Osborn said: “He felt he was in an impossible position between not wanting to damage his employment prospects and not being entirely forthcoming about the reasons why he wanted time off work.”

District Judge Christopher Williams said breaches of a sexual harm prevention order or notification requirement are serious because “it means someone is at risk of sexual harm”.

Judge Williams imposed a six-week prison sentence, suspended for one year, and ordered Middleton to pay £299 in costs.

Description

A detective who sexually assaulted a police officer and staff member has been brought to justice for his abhorrent behaviour towards his colleagues after they bravely came forward and supported prosecutions.

Detective Sergeant Richard Mills, aged 42, of Rochdale was sentenced to 18 months in prison at Liverpool Crown Court today (Friday 7th February 2025). Mills has also been placed on the sex offender registry for ten years.

This comes after he was found guilty of two counts of sexual assault in December last year by a jury verdict and released on bail pending today’s hearing.

The convictions involved two incidents of forceful sexual touching in 2016 and 2020 while Mills was based in GMP’s Oldham district and in our Crime Coordination Unit at Nexus House.

Now criminal proceedings have concluded, gross misconduct proceedings will take place.

Detective Superintendent David Jones, within our Professional Standards Directorate, said: “DS Mill gravely abused his position of trust and authority within the force when he assaulted his female colleagues for his own perverse gratification.

“It was through their brave disclosure that we built a strong prosecution case.

“Cowardly, Mills denied any wrongdoing. Notwithstanding he has been held accountable for the harm he caused after the victims endured a two-week trial and testified in front of a jury.

“Their tenacity and strength shown throughout our investigation and legal proceedings is commendable and should be recognised as the driving force behind reaching today's outcome, whereby Mills is starting a jail term as a convicted sex offender.

“He is unfit to serve the public and has been barred from policing. We will now be writing to the Deputy Mayor of GM to appeal for Mills to lose his right to a police pension.

Description

A man who groomed and raped or sexually assaulted 11 children has been brought to justice after detectives in Salford uncovered his offending spanning over two decades from 2002 to 2023.

Carl Jones (aged 57) of Little Hulton has been sentenced to life in prison with a minimum term of 25 and a half years.

He sentenced at Minshull Street Crown Court for 47 offences, which include multiple counts of rape of a child under the age of 13, oral rape of a child under the age of 13, sexual assault of a child under and over the age of 13, engaging in sexual activity in the presence of a child, causing a child to engage in sexual activity, and indecent assault.

Jones pleaded guilty to all charges on 9th September 2024 and was placed on the on the sex offender’s registry indefinitely.

Description

A "depraved predator" who exposed himself, chased and sexually assaulted students and schoolgirls in broad daylight in a city-centre underpass has been jailed.

Police said Robert Emmerson, a previously convicted sex offender, targeted women and girls as young as 13 in Manchester between 2023 and 2024.

The 40-year-old, from Wythenshawe, was convicted at Manchester Crown Court of five sexual assaults and on seven counts of indecent exposure.

Speaking after Emmerson was jailed for four years and six months, Detective Constable Tamsyn Muller said his victims "held a genuine belief that this man was going to go on to rape them or kill them".

'Long-term psychological impact'

The court heard Emmerson targeted students heading through an underpass on Cambridge Street, under the Mancunian Way.

He was also convicted of assaulting two girls, aged 13 and 16, in the Baguley and Wythenshawe areas of the city.

Det Con Muller said Emmerson "picked [his victims] up in a bear hug-style grip before taking them to the ground and groping them over their clothing".

She said he "targeted lone women and was so brazen that he attacked them in the daytime, not caring if people passing by could hear or see him committing his crimes".

The detective said Emmerson's crimes had left a long-term psychological impact on the women and girls.

She said they "still feel like they can't relax in public, and always have to look over their shoulder".

'No regard for women'

CCTV footage showed Emmerson arriving in Manchester city centre after catching a bus from Wythenshawe.

After attacking his victims, he was seen walking round before jumping on a bus back to Wythenshawe.

Following Emmerson's arrest, an identity parade was organised, where five of his victims recognised him as their attacker.

When officers then searched his home they discovered the coat he had worn during the attacks.

They also found his details on the police database, reading that he had been arrested in 2015.

Det Con Muller said Emmerson chose to wear a t-shirt reading "nope, not today" when she was interviewing him.

"He tried to stare me out while I was asking questions and answered no comment," she added.

She described Emmerson as "a dangerous sexual predator who had no regard for women".

Description

A "disgusting and manipulative" rapist who abused a woman so she "feared for her life" has been jailed.

Amaniel Tewelde threatened and coerced his victim over several years and ignored her pleas to stop sexually assaulting her, Greater Manchester Police said.

The 37-year-old, from Collyhurst in Manchester, was found guilty in November of two counts of rape, controlling and coercive behaviour, and perverting the course of justice.

Tewelde has been sentenced at Manchester Minshull Street Crown Court to 15 years in prison, given a restraining order, and placed on the sex offender register for the rest of his life.

'Feeling trapped'

The court heard Tewelde first met the woman in the Salford area in 2014 and then sexually assaulted her.

On another occasion, police said Tewelde ignored her pleas for him to stop touching her and went on to rape her.

He continued with controlling and coercive behaviour in the months that followed, threatening not to see her or care for her if she did not have sex with him.

Detectives said the woman feared for her life if she did not listen to him.

The court heard that, during a visit to Blackpool, Tewelde raped her again.

Det Sgt Graham Parry said: "Tewelde's disgusting and manipulative actions led to a woman feeling unsafe and with nowhere to turn to, leaving her isolated.

"By alternating between caring and controlling, Tewelde left the woman feeling trapped and I am glad he is now finally behind bars where he belongs."

He said after years of abuse the woman was "finally allowed a voice" in court after an "incredibly tough journey" and officers were "thankful for her perseverance".

Description

A man has been jailed for 16 years after being found guilty of rape, sexual assault, and causing a child under 13 to watch / look at an image of sexual activity.

David Houghton (20/04/1978), of Milton Close, Stretford, was found guilty in November following a trial at Manchester Crown Court. He had been remanded in custody until his sentencing today (29 January 2025), which was a 15-year custodial sentence, with an additional 12 month licence period.

In 2019, a teenage girl made a disclosure that she had been the victim of sexual abuse over a period time by Houghton, beginning in around 2013, in the Trafford area. The girl was approximately nine-years-old when the abuse started.

Houghton, who abused his position of trust with his victim, carried on with his disgusting actions on a regular basis, threatening the girl that she couldn’t tell anyone else.

Once the girl bravely came forward, Houghton was first interviewed by police in 2019.

Following a thorough investigation, he was charged with the offences, all of which he was found guilty of at trial. He will also have to sign the sex offender’s register for life.

Description

Officers who monitor the risk posed by sex offenders secured a prison sentence for a man who repeatedly breached a court order and attempted to engage a child in sexually charged conversations.

In October last year, Alastair Dixon, 35, was found to have sent sexualised messages and images to an online decoy posing as a 14-year-old boy.

He committed this serious offence despite being the subject of a 10-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO), imposed at Ipswich Crown Court in August 2023.

These orders place limits and monitoring conditions on offenders’ use of electronic devices and day-to-day activities.

Our Management of Sexual Offenders and Violent Offenders team (MOSOVO) are focused on ensuring these stringent court orders are adhered to and any breaches swiftly detected.

These officers work alongside the probation service to prevent and deter further offending.

The team was able to link Dixon to a number of offences.

In another breach, we received a report he was in possession of an unauthorised smart phone.

Subsequent investigation found he had installed deletion software on computers at his home.

It was further found Dixon attempted to pervert the cause of justice by creating an email address in an innocent man’s name, before sharing a link containing indecent images of children.

He was arrested, charged and admitted a range of offences including:

• Attempting to incite a child to engage in sexual activity.
• Attempting to engage in sexual communications with a child.
• Seven breaches of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order.
• Failing to comply with notification requirements.
• Perverting the course of justice.

Dixon, of Pilborough Way, Colchester, admitted each charge due to the evidence gathered against him and appeared for sentence at Ipswich Crown Court on Wednesday 22 January.

Judge Emma Peters said he committed “sophisticated, serious offences” and sentenced him to five years’ imprisonment.

Dixon was made the subject of a lifelong SHPO and will be subject to notification requirements for the rest of his life.

In 2024, MOSOVO made 125 arrests, secured 286 charges and solved nearly 370 investigations.

Description

A registered sex offender who was serving a suspended sentence has been jailed after pleading guilty to online child sex offences.

David Kay, 62, of Seaforth Avenue, Atherton, appeared at Bolton Crown Court on Tuesday, January 21, where he was sentenced to four years in prison.

Kay was issued with a sexual harm prevention order back in August 2024, following a conviction for attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child and attempting to engage in sexual activity in the presence of a child under 16 as part of an investigation led by Greater Manchester Police. 

The conditions of the order prohibited Kay from having any contact with a child under 16 years old or engaging in any chat online, concerning the sexual abuse of a child. 

Just a month after his conviction, Kay was arrested after detectives from Regional Organised Crime Units in the North West and South Wales gathered evidence that showed he had breached his order by interacting with someone who he believed was a 12-year-old child, sending explicit images and videos of himself.

Detective Constable Adam Cronshaw from the NWROCU said: "As a registered sex offender, Kay was required to adhere to a number of conditions to deter him from reoffending. 

"Kay was fully aware he was talking to someone he believed was just 12 years old, and yet he sent her incredibly graphic images and videos of himself. 

"We work with police forces across the region, and beyond, to ensure that dangerous individuals such as Kay are identified and brought to justice. Kay failed to demonstrate he could be trusted whilst at large in the community and must now reflect on his failure whilst behind bars.’