Search results for Coventry

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A man has been jailed for more than 20 years after sexually abusing two girls and a woman.

Jawhir Kasir from Coventry sexually assaulted two girls between 2006 and 2008, and in 2010 he attempted to rape a third woman.

By last year, all three women had bravely come forward to speak to police about the abuse Kasir has subjected them to.

We launched an investigation and to capture the best evidence possible we video recorded our interviews with the women.

This meant that when Kasir stood trial, the videos were played to the court instead of the women repeating their statements in person.

Following the video-recorded interviews (VRI), we had enough evidence to arrest Kasir on suspicion of a string of sexual offences.

The 47-year-old was arrested at Birmingham Airport on 26 November last year and was subsequently charged.

Kasir of no fixed address was convicted of seven sexual offences including attempted rape following a trial earlier this year.

On 22 September at Warwick Crown Court, he was sentenced to 22 years in prison.

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A paedophile from Coventry who was using the internet to try to arrange to meet and sexually abuse children has been jailed for eight years.

Richard Stevenson, aged 39, is behind bars after an investigation by our Major Crime Unit (MCU).

Stevenson began chatting with someone on an online forum about his detailed fantasies of sexually abusing very young children.

He revealed how he wanted a ‘partner’ to take part in the abuse with, and sent them videos showing child sexual abuse 

But the person he was speaking to was actually a police officer, and enquiries led to Stevenson being arrested as he sat in a van in Coventry on 2 May this year.

Stevenson, of Waveley Road, Coventry, admitted attempting to arrange a child sex offence, and making and distributing indecent images of children.

At Warwick Crown Court last Friday (4 September) he was jailed for eight years. 

He will spend a further two years on licence and was given a sexual harm prevention lasting for 18 years. He will be on the sex offenders register for life.

DC John Marsh, from our MCU, said:

“Stevenson’s offending is simply appalling. 

“He was clearly determined to gain access to a child to commit sexual abuse.

“On multiple occasions, he outlined his horrific plans, and we’re in no doubt that he would have seen those plans through had he had the opportunity.

“We’re absolutely committed to safeguarding children and vulnerable people and will use all the techniques and resources we have to do that and target those who seek to do them harm.”

Description

A sex offender who went on the run to evade justice for his crimes has been convicted.

Leon Beckham groomed a teenage girl over several months in 2024.

Beckham would take the girl out on day trips and visits to places across the country where he would sexually abuse her.

After concerns were raised over their relationship, our officers began investigating resulting in 43-year-old Beckham trying to hide under a bed to avoid arrest.

Despite this, he was arrested and interviewed, providing no comment to officers

Beckham failed to answer his bail and he was tracked down to an address in Hastings, Sussex, where he was again arrested.

This time, he denied the offence, accusing the girl of blackmailing him, but being unable to explain why she would have done this or why he had apparently deleted text messages which would have supported his defence.

Beckham, of Sandilands Close, Coventry, was convicted of six counts of sexual activity with a girl aged 13 to 17 as well as abusing a position of trust.

He will be sentenced at Warwick Crown Court on 26 June and was remanded in custody until that date.

DC Craig Hall from our Eastern PPU team said:

"Leon Beckham knew his actions were illegal and wrong and went to extreme lengths to avoid being arrested including hiding under a bed and moving to a different part of the country.

"An extra thank you should go to DC Ruth Russell. Without her tireless work, we would not have been able to build the case against Beckham or secure a conviction.

"We would urge anyone who has been sexually assaulted or groomed to come forward and tell your story.

"However long ago it happened, we will work tirelessly to bring perpetrators of this kind of abuse to justice."

Description

A Coventry man has been jailed for 20 years after being convicted of sexually abusing a young girl in the city.

John Evans, aged 59, carried out the sickening campaign of abuse in the 1990s, when he repeatedly sexually assaulted the girl at an address in the city.

The abuse carried on until she was a teenager, and Evans was identified and arrested after the girl came forward as an adult to tell her story.

Thanks to her bravery in coming forward, Evans was arrested in 2023.

Asked about the abuse and confronted with the details of his crime, he offered no comment beyond the basics of the fact he had known the girl at the time.

He eventually admitted rape and indecent assault and sentenced at Warwick Crown Court on 31 March.

Evans, of Hearsall Lane, Coventry, was jailed for 20 years and will be on the sex offender register for life.

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A man from Coventry has been jailed for eight years after being convicted of sexual abuse against two girls.

David Iles had pleaded not guilty to multiple sexual offences against children with one incident dating back over three decades.

The 80-year-old’s offending came to light when one of his survivors reported to a family member she had been abused by Iles between January 2022 and August 2023. 

A thorough investigation began with officers also being notified of another woman who had been abused by him dating back to 1994. 

An investigation found the woman, who was a child at the time, had been abused by Iles between October 1994 and October 1995. 

Iles appeared at Warwick Crown Court on 13 March after being found guilty of sexual assault on a girl under 13, inciting sexual activity on a girl under 13 and indecent assault on a girl under 16.  

He was jailed for eight years and will serve four years on extended licence. He was also ordered to abide by a Sexual Harm Prevention Order indefinitely. 

Detective Constable Ruth Russell, of our Public Protection Unit, said:

“We take every single report of abuse extremely seriously whether it happened yesterday or decades ago. 

“Because of the woman and girl’s bravery in this case we have been able to put Iles behind bars for his crimes and protected other children. 

“I want to thank them for their courage and strength in coming forward and working with us throughout this whole process. 

“I hope this shows other survivors that we will always do all we can to investigate and get justice for anyone who reports sexual offences to us.”

Description

A man has been jailed for sexually assaulting two women on board Hampshire to London trains, following a British Transport Police (BTP) investigation.

Esosa Eguakin, 31, and of Courtelle Road, Coventry, pleaded guilty to two counts of Sexual Assault at an earlier hearing and was sentenced to two years’ imprisonment on Tuesday 10 February at Guildford Crown Court.

He also received a five-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) which prohibits him from doing a number of things, including sitting or standing next to or opposite any lone women.

The court heard how on 21 August last year, Eguakin was on board a service from Fratton to London Waterloo on the early morning commute just after 7.15am. Eguakin intentionally sat behind a woman in her 30s and sexually assaulted her.

Then on 6 October shortly after 6am on board a service from Eastleigh to London Waterloo, Eguakin sexually assaulted another woman. When she confronted him, he claimed he was trying to retrieve his phone that he had dropped.  

He refused to move away from her, and an off-duty police officer intervened to escort him off the train at Woking.  

The officer arrested Eguakin and kept him at the station until officers arrived and took him to custody.

A subsequent investigation into both offences led by BTP detectives resulted in Eguakin being charged with two counts of sexual assault.

BTP Detective Constable David Stewart said:

“Eguakin’s behaviour was predatory and deeply distressing for both victims. No one should feel unsafe or be subjected to such violations as they travel.

“I want to thank the women involved for their courage in supporting our investigation, as well as the offduty officer whose swift actions prevented further harm. This sentence, along with the SHPO, sends a clear message that we will pursue offenders and ensure they are held to account.”

Description

A convicted child sex offender who refused to give us the PIN to his mobile phone after we received information that he had sexual images of children on it has been jailed for two years.

Stanley Heames, aged 41, was arrested when we carried out a warrant at his home in September, acting on information that he was accessing child sexual abuse material.

A phone was hidden underneath a windowsill at his property, but he repeatedly refused to hand over the passcode.

We obtained an order from a judge, known as a Section 49 notice, which meant that he had to reveal his PIN to us within seven days.

He still refused, and so was charged with failing to comply with the order.

Heames, of St Columbas Close, Coventry, admitted the offence in December and was sentenced at Warwick Crown Court on Tuesday (3 Feb)

He was also given a sexual harm prevention order for 20 years, banning him from contacting, associating with or befriending girls under 16, and ordering him to hand over phones and PIN codes to any of his electronic devices when asked by police.

Heames was jailed for six years in 2017 for a series of sexual assaults on a girl under 13.

PC India Meredith, from our Online Child Sexual Exploitation Team (OCSET), said:

"We had information that Heames was accessing indecent images of children and so it was really important that we accessed his phone, especially given his previous convictions for sexually assaulting a young girl.

"This case goes to show that to bring predators and criminals to justice is the main responsibility of policing and the use of all legal and lawful means to do so will be explored to the full extent of the law to ensure that the public are protected.

"Heames is now behind bars, and has strict conditions on him for the next two decades which will protect the public and support police in monitoring his behaviour and actions.

"We have advanced digital forensic techniques which are always evolving. This case shows we will pursue all available means to ensure criminals face justice."

Description

A man’s been jailed for 26 years for raping a child in the late 90s in Batley.  

Anthony Restall aged 59 of Manhatten Way, Coventry was found guilty of six offences after a trial at Leeds Crown Court in August.

He was convicted of four counts of indecent assault on a girl under the age of 14 years, one rape of a female under 16 and a further rape but on multiple occasions.

The offending took place between 1998 and 2003.

Detective Constable Sally Porritt of Kirklees Child Safeguarding Team said:

“I would like to praise the bravery and resilience of the woman in this case.

“Restall has finally had to face the consequences of his abhorrent crimes he committed on a young child.

“I hope today’s significant sentence can bring her some comfort and closure on what has been a harrowing ordeal for all these years.”  

“If you have been a victim of a sexual offence and haven’t yet reported it, we have specialist teams who will listen to you and support you throughout the process, it will be treated with the utmost sensitivity and professionalism.”  

Description

A Coventry man has been convicted of rape and sexual assault against a young girl in the city.

Brendan Dalton subjected the girl to horrendous abuse on a number of occasions between 2002 and 2013.

He was identified after she bravely came forward to tell her story.

The abuse began back when the girl was a young child, with Dalton assaulting her on a number of occasions at an address in Coventry.

In 2022, Dalton then communicated online with someone he believed to be a 13-year-old child.

This was a decoy, however, and Dalton was arrested by officers from Coventry LPA.

Examining Dalton's phone, officers found indecent images of children, including several Category A images - the most extreme classification.

Dalton, 57, was charged with a series of offences including rape, indecent assault and making indecent images, as well as sexual communication with a child.

Dalton, of Coundon Road, Coventry, was convicted on 2 October at Warwick Crown Court.

He will be sentenced on 5 December and was remanded in custody until that date.

Every day our officers across the West Midlands investigate rape and serious sexual assaults.

No matter how long ago the offences took place, we promise to listen to survivors and investigate all reports we receive.

By coming forward and sharing your story, you could be helping secure justice for other survivors of sexual offences.

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A Coventry man has been convicted of serious sexual offences against a young boy.

Jonathan Philp pleaded guilty to rape and other sexual offences.

The boy came forward and reported the abuse, and Philp went on to admit the offences.

Philp, of The Monks Croft, pleaded guilty at Birmingham Crown Court on Monday and was remanded in custody until sentencing later this year.

We know that reporting rape, sexual assault or another sexual crime like indecent exposure or upskirting can be daunting.

We're here to support you whether you're ready to report it to us or if you'd prefer to talk to someone else.

If you want to talk it through before deciding whether to report to us, you can talk to a Sexual Assault Referral Centre (SARC), an Independent Sexual

Violence Advisor service (ISVA) or another support service.

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A Coventry man has been jailed for raping a woman while she slept.

Leslie Mangwa was sentenced today after he attacked the woman, who was sleeping after a night out in January last year.

On the night of the attack, the woman was asleep when she awoke to find Mangwa sexually assaulting her.

She screamed and made him leave the room.

Shortly after the rape, the woman reported her story to the police.

Thanks to her bravery in coming forward, officers identified and arrested Mangwa, 33 and charged him with rape.

In interview, Mangwa denied rape, claiming what happened had been consensual.

Despite this, he was found guilty at trial on 4 August and sentenced on 29 August.

Mangwa, of William Hillman Court, was jailed for eight years, along with being given a restraining order and a Sexual Harm Prevention Order.

We would encourage anyone who has suffered sexual abuse to come forward and tell their story.

We know that reporting rape, sexual assault or another sexual crime like indecent exposure or upskirting can be daunting.

We're here to support you whether you're ready to report it to us or if you'd prefer to talk to someone else.

If you want to talk it through before deciding whether to report to us, you can talk to a Sexual Assault Referral Centre (SARC), an Independent Sexual Violence Advisor service (ISVA) or another support service.

Description

A man has been jailed for seven years for non-recent sexual offences against three women.

In 2022, our Child Abuse, Trafficking and Exploitation Team launched an investigation into 67-year-old Graham Cockerill of Elwy Circle, Ash Green, Coventry.

Cockerill was reported to have sexually assaulted three women. The first victim, (then under 13), reported assaults by Cockerill taking place in the Coventry area between 2016 – 2022. Another victim made themselves known to investigators and reported offences by Cockerill throughout the 1970s, between the ages of nine and 14, in the Meriden area.

Through the course of the investigation, a further victim was identified who was aged in her 40s at the time. She sadly passed away in 1995 and had never reported the offences to police.

In June, following a trial at Warwick Crown Court, Cockerill was found guilty of:

• Three counts of sexual assault on a girl under 13 by touching
• Two counts of indecent assault on a girl under the age of 14
• One count of indecent assault of a female over 16 years of age

On Tuesday last week (5 August), he was sentenced to seven years’ imprisonment at Warwick Crown Court. He was also given a 10-year restraining order for one of the victims, a 15-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) and will also be on the Sex Offenders’ Register for life.

Det Con James Manders, formerly of our CATE team, commented:

“This case demonstrates that in certain circumstances, a victim need not necessarily even be alive for us to obtain a conviction.

“Despite 30 years having passed since her death, and having never reported the crime to the police, we worked tirelessly to gather evidence to ensure we could bring Cockerill to justice. Thankfully, the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) decided to progress with this case thanks to statements from living witnesses about the victim and the offender disclosing details of the crime to them.

“I’d like to thank the CPS lawyer who decided to authorise this charge and allow a jury to make up their minds about Cockerill’s guilt.

“The victims and witnesses in this case are amongst the most extraordinary people I have had the pleasure of knowing during my policing career. They showed great strength and courage throughout the process. As always, the service we provide to victims will always be at the forefront of any investigation, whether living or deceased.”

Description

A man who went on the run to avoid being arrested for rape has been jailed.

Scott Salisbury attempted to flee after an investigation into accusations of raping a young girl in Coventry.

Salisbury raped the girl, who was a teenager at the time of the offences, on a number of occasions over a four year period.

The matter was reported to us after she bravely told the police her account.

The 39-year-old from Coventry became aware he'd been reported and attempted to evade capture.

Following a 10-day search, officers arrested Salisbury with the help of our Dogs and Drones units in December 2024.

Salisbury was interviewed by officers from our Rape and Serious Sexual Assault (RASSO) team, providing no comment to the questions put to him.

Our investigation involving helping the female find the right support to empower her to face Salisbury in court.

Now an adult she courageously took to the witness stand at court to provide a personal statement.

Salisbury pleaded guilty to rape and causing a child to engage in sexual activity.

Salisbury, from the Tile Hill area of Coventry, was sentenced in his absence to 22 years and six months in prison at Warwick Crown Court on 3 July.

He was also given a lifelong Sexual Harm Prevention Order and a restraining order against the woman for life.

She was thanked by the judge in court, who also said Salisbury's absence from court for sentencing was failing to do the one decent thing he could do.

Temporary Detective Sergeant Evie Griffiths, from the Eastern RASSO team, said: "This was a truly horrendous case, and the fact Salisbury went on the run to try and avoid facing up to what he had done speaks volumes.

"Thanks to her bravery in coming forward to tell her story, and put her trust in the police and criminal justice system, we have taken a truly dangerous sex offender off the streets.

"In the RASSO team, we investigate all reports of rape and sexual abuse, no matter how long ago they took place.

"We would encourage anyone who has suffered sex offences to come forward and tell their story."

Description

A Coventry man has been convicted of indecent exposure and sexual assault following an incident in the city this week.

Ranjit Sadra appeared before magistrates today (24 April) where he pleaded guilty to the charges.

The 45-year-old approached a woman in War Memorial Park in Cheylesmore, exposed himself and then undressed while other members of the public were nearby, including young children.

He also touched another woman inappropriately elsewhere in the park.

Officers were called to the park where they arrested Sadra and charged him with indecent exposure and sexual assault.

At his hearing today, Sadra pleaded guilty and was remanded in custody before his sentencing at Coventry Crown Court on 22 May.

Description

A man has been sentenced to 17 years in prison having been found guilty of sexual offences, including child sex offences, in Southampton and Coventry.

David Blackstock, 57, of Harnall Lane West in Coventry, appeared at Southampton Crown Court on Friday (24 January) for sentence having previously being found guilty by a jury of rape, attempted rape, sexual assault and four counts of indecent assault.

The court heard how in August 2020 the victim, who is now in her 40s, contacted police to report that Blackstock had raped her when she was just 13 and he was 29-years-old. The woman reported that Blackstock had lied about his age when she first met him in 1996, telling her that he was 19, however within a matter of months she realised his true age when he began receiving 30th birthday cards. The court was told how the victim went on to be subjected to controlling, abusive and violent behaviour at the hands of Blackstock.

Blackstock pleaded not guilty to the offences he was charged with, however a jury found him guilty on August 19 2024 following a trial at Southampton Crown Court.

He has now been sentenced to 17 years in prison. He was also made subject of an indefinite Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) and a restraining order in relation to the victim.