Latest Offenders Doncaster

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"This was a particularly sinister case and the strong sentence reflects the severity of his offending," said Police Constable Kevin Sibley A 'depraved' Doncaster man performed sex acts in front of an undercover cop he believed was a 12-year-old girl. Mark Harrigan, 35, of Halifax Crescent, Doncaster pleaded guilty to attempting to incite a girl aged under 13 to engage in sexual activity, and attempting to engage in sexual activity in the presence of a child. He was jailed for four years on Friday, November 19. Sheffield Crown Court heard how he communicated online with someone he thought was a 12-year-old girl and performed sexual acts in front of her. Unbeknown to the offender, he was communicating with a police officer, as part of an investigation by South Yorkshire Police and the South Wales Regional Organised Crime Unit. South Yorkshire Police have confirmed there was never a real-life victim. Police Constable Kevin Sibley from the Sheffield Reactive CID team, said: This was a particularly sinister case and the strong sentence reflects the severity of his offending. "This was a successful operation between South Yorkshire Police and the South Wales Organised Crime Unit that ensured Harrigan was brought to justice. It also shows the lengths of depravity that he would go to. Detective Constable Russell Jones, from the South Wales Regional Organised Crime Unit, said: This forms part of our continued priority to protect children from sexual exploitation from those who seek to do them harm. "Law enforcement operates across the internet, and we will relentlessly seek to bring to justice individuals who use the web to facilitate the abuse of children. If anyone has been a victim of child sexual abuse, I would urge you to report it to your local police force via 101. We will always follow up allegations of abuse, no matter when they occurred. Victims can talk in confidence to experienced investigators and we can also help them get access to a range of other support services. If you have concerns about your use of the internet or inappropriate thoughts or behaviour about children, or if you are worried about how someone you know behaves around children or are worried about their use of the internet, then the Lucy Faithfull Foundation provide a free, anonymous and confidential Stop It Now! helpline on 0808 1000 900 for advice, support and information.

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A sex offender exposed himself to an underage girl, then claimed he did it because he suffered from erectile dysfunction.

Ian Maiden, 48, groomed and sent sexual messages to the girl, who cannot be named for legal reasons.

Prosecutor Aisha Wadoodi told how Maiden exposed himself: “He had his trousers down around his knees and was playing with his genitals.”

She described the sexual messages sent by Maiden to the schoolgirl.

She said: “He has called her beautiful and said he was jealous when she mentioned other boys.

“He told her in one message that she had the best bum she had ever seen and wouldn’t mind being pinned down by her.”

The girl’s mother found the messages on her daughter’s phone, including a photograph of Maiden’s private parts.

The mum took screenshots and reported the matter to the police back in December 2017.

In police interview, Maiden denied he was performing a sex act in front of the girl, and claimed he was fondling touching his genitals because as he had erectile disfunction.

“He said he didn’t do it for sexual reasons, he did it because he was bored,” said Miss Wadoodi at Teesside Crown Court

Maiden, formerly of Hartlepool, now of Blenheim Road, Doncaster, later admitted sexual activity in the presence of a child and engaging in sexual communication with a child, his first conviction.

Stephen Constantine, defending, said: “He is somewhat at a loss to explain why he behaved as he did.

“There is grooming-type behaviour.

“Clearly you’re dealing with a man of good character, married with children himself.

“There have been consequences as far as his family are concerned. They are no longer a family because of Mr Maiden’s behaviour.

“He’s obtained any help he could to reduce any risk of this ever happening again.

“There is work that can be done and he has expressed the willingness and desire to engage with it.”

He added there had been a delay of more than two years in the case as Maiden was interviewed two days after the offence but not charged until two years later.

Judge Paul Watson QC told Maiden: “You, and the victim’s family, have had to wait a considerable period of time - far too long - for this matter to end up here today.

“You did all you could, and so I take into account very much the delay in this case.”

Sexual activity in the presence of a child carries a maximum sentence of 10 years.

But under sentencing guidelines, unemployed Maiden’s offence would see him jailed for just four months, of which he would serve two.

“That clearly wouldn’t provide any time whatsoever for any sexual offender treatment programme of any sort,” added the judge.

“You’d be released fairly soon from that sentence.

“You are not considered a danger to the public.

“It seems to me to be better for the public that you receive the benefit of a sex offender treatment programme.”

A one-to-one programme was part of a four-month jail term suspended for two years given to Maiden, with 25 days’ rehabilitation activity.

He was given a sexual harm prevention order banning unsupervised contact or communication with under-16s and governing his use of the internet, devices and social media, and will be on the sex offenders’ register, all for 10 years.

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A MAN from Doncaster who had sex with a 14 year old girl in the late 1980s and early 1990s has been placed under supervision for one year. Neil Bolton, of Norfolk Avenue, Bircotes, was also given 150 hours of unpaid work and was placed on the sex offenders register for one year when he appeared at Lerwick Sheriff Court on Wednesday. He previously pleaded guilty to using lewd, indecent and libidinous practises and behaviour towards the girl at a Lerwick address on various occasions or between 14 March 1989 and 13 March 1990, and repeatedly sexually penetrating her. Procurator fiscal Duncan Mackenzie previously told Lerwick Sheriff Court that the complainer was 14 when she began a relationship with the man, who was aged 21-22 when the offences were committed, and is now 50. They were aware of each others ages, he said, adding that the relationship developed a sexual element. It ended a couple of months after the man was caught with the girl by his own mother, who expressed concern about the age difference. The offences came to light in 2015 when Bolton initially denied knowing her at all. At the court on Wednesday, defence agent Tommy Allan said a social work report prepared after his clients plea noted that there had been nearly 30 years since the offence. The solicitor said the report recommended that a period of supervision could be a suitable sentence. Sheriff Philip Mann said it was not an isolated incident as Bolton had a conviction for a similar offence committed not long after. But this was a consensual activity, so there was no element of coercion, he said. The sheriff said after taking into account the time since the incident and Boltons lack of offending since, he was persuaded that jail wasnt the only option.