Latest Offenders Essex

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Jack Harrison, 22, of Beeches Road, Chelmsford appeared at Chelmsford Crown Court on Friday, 13 October after pleading guilty to multiple sexual offences.

Harrison was arrested in June 2021 after Essex Police received a report from a survivor of sexual abuse that they had been sexually assaulted.

Following his arrest, Harrison refused to provide the PIN for his phone, delaying the process of officers gathering evidence. Despite this, evidence was obtained and Harrison was charged on 30 May 2022 with two counts of sexual assault by penetration and one count of sexual assault by touching.

During a pre-trial hearing on 26 July 2023, Harrison pleaded guilty to one count of sexual assault by penetration and one count of sexual assault by touching. He pleaded not guilty to one count of sexual assault by penetration.

He appeared in court on Friday (13 October) where he was sentenced to two years in prison. He was also made to sign onto the Sex Offenders Register and issued with a five-year restraining order.

Detective Constable Hughes, investigating officer in the case said “In the early stages of the investigation, Harrison refused to admit what he did and even attempted to prolong the investigation process by refusing to provide his PIN."

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A man who posed as a teenage girl online to get dozens of young boys to send indecent pictures of themselves, before blackmailing them into sending more has been jailed for 21 years.

Jay Lang, 24, of Driftway, Basildon, Essex, set up accounts on Snapchat and Instagram under a pseudonym, claiming to be a 16-year-old girl, Basildon Crown Court was told.

Marc Brown, prosecuting, said Lang ‘would target young boys aged between 11 to 16 using these social media profiles to first of all engage those young boys in conversation’.

‘Those conversations would develop, at first flirtatious conversation, then to more sexually-explicit conversation,’ he said.

He said it would lead to Lang inciting the victims to send indecent videos and photos of themselves.

The prosecutor said that ‘unbeknown to each of the victims’ the defendant was using a screen-recording app on his phone and would save the images, and later use them to blackmail the boys.

Lang would reveal himself as a man and ask for further images or demand cash, threatening to publish the images the boys had already sent if they did not comply.

He sexually abused one of the boys in person after they felt they had no choice but to agree to his request to meet, the prosecutor said.

Lang also blackmailed another boy into filming himself performing a sex act with a male friend, the court heard.

‘He would use the threat of exposing the videos if they refused,’ Mr Brown said.

‘In the case of some victims he did indeed publish the videos.’

He said the offending spanned around three years, from 2019 to 2021.

‘The offending came to light in November 2021 when one of the victims reported what happened to him to police,’ the prosecutor said.

Police analysis of Lang’s phone identified 540 videos and 140,000 images, with 220 potential victims identified.

‘As a result of all of these inquiries, some 26 victims provided evidential accounts,’ the prosecutor said.

He detailed each of these accounts, with one victim telling how he was sent a selfie-style image of a topless teenage girl – who the boy thought he was speaking with.

Lang’s fake social media account said it was ‘only fair’ that the boy should send an image back, which the victim did with an image of his genitals, the prosecutor said.

The account requested further images and video of the boy performing a sex act.

When the boy tried to cease contact with the account, Lang got in touch via a separate account revealing himself as a man and threatened to share the images with the boy’s friends and family.

‘He felt he had no choice but to resume contact with the account,’ the prosecutor said.

The defendant asked to meet in person and the boy agreed to due to the threats of publishing the images, Mr Brown said.

He said Lang drove the boy to a secluded location in a van and sexually abused him.

The boy said in a victim impact statement read to the court that the abuse ’caused me to have suicidal thoughts on a daily basis’ and he had tried to kill himself several times.

Referring to another victim, the prosecutor said Lang ‘demanded £2,000 or the images would be posted on Facebook’.

Lang admitted at an earlier hearing to 46 offences, including causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity, blackmail and causing or inciting child sexual exploitation.

He also admitted to arranging or facilitating commission of a child sex offence and to causing or inciting child prostitution of pornography.

Judge Samantha Cohen, jailing Lang for 21 years with an extended licence period of six years afterwards, told him: ‘You are a predatory, manipulative and dangerous young man.

‘You have wreaked havoc through the lives of 26 young men and their families.’

She said he was ‘aroused by the power and control’ the offending gave him and that it caused ‘anxiety, depression, sleeplessness and suicide attempts’.

The judge said it was ‘compulsive conduct over three years’ and had happened despite him being in a ‘permanent relationship’ at the time and having fathered a child.

Lang was made subject to an indefinite sexual harm prevention order and ordered to sign the sex offenders’ register for the rest of his life.

The defendant mouthed ‘thank you’ to the judge as he was led from the secure dock to the cells.

Nick Bonehill, mitigating, said Lang had pleaded guilty to the offences, avoiding the need for a trial.

He added: ‘Through me, he apologises to each and every victim.’

Essex Police said it was the largest child exploitation investigation the force has ever undertaken and the judge praised their work as a ‘tour de force’.

Detective Sergeant Ben Rushmere, who leads the child sexual exploitation proactive investigation team, said: ‘Today’s sentence rightly highlights the true scale of Lang’s horrific offending.

‘He used social media to prey upon young people and exploit them either for financial gain or for his own gratification.’

He said he wanted to ‘commend each and every victim, and their families, who came forward and worked with us’.

‘It is only with their candour and support that we have been able to build a case so strong that Lang was left with no other option but to admit 46 extremely serious offences.’

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A man sexually assaulted a woman while she slept in her own home. Darrel Phillips, 44, travelled to the victim's house in Tower Hamlets on July 12, 2020, to stay the night in her spare room.

Then in the early hours, Phillips told the woman that he wanted to have sex with her but she rejected his advances.

The next morning she woke up in pain and realised that her clothing had been removed from the waist down. She also recalled a memory of Phillips in her bed and pushing him away, saying 'no'.

The woman reported the incident to the police and detectives from the Central East Command Unit began investigating. Phillips, Saffron Walden, Essex, was arrested, but when interviewed he declined to answer questions and denied all allegations.

Phillips was found guilty of assault by penetration at Southwark Crown Court on Thursday, July 14, following an inquiry by detectives specialising in investigating sexual offences. The woman has been supported by specially trained officers throughout the investigation.

His sentencing on Tuesday, September 5, follows a five-day trial where he received an indefinite restraining order against the victim. He has also placed on the sex offenders register indefinitely

Detective Sergeant Michael Dixon from the Central East Safeguarding Team, said: “Phillips showed no regard to the rights of a woman and he attacked her whist she slept. I would like to take this opportunity to commend the victim-survivor, who has shown enormous courage throughout this process and fought for justice.

“We fully understand that reporting a sexual crime can be traumatic for anyone. I would urge anyone in this position to get in contact with the police – you will be listened to and supported by specially trained officers.”

Sexual Offences Investigative Techniques Officer (SOIT) Thomas Coe from the Central East Safeguarding team added: “I would strongly encourage any person who has been subjected to a sexual offence to report to police, and visit a Sexual Assault Referral Centre (SARC) or Haven.

"Part of the reason that this conviction was secured is because it was reported immediately, and vital forensic evidence was gathered at the earliest opportunity. I hope this sends a strong signal to victim-survivors that we are absolutely committed to investigating these crimes fully.”

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A man who formerly edited both the Independent on Sunday and New Statesman has been sentenced for making indecent images of children.

Peter Wilby, 78, was arrested by the National Crime Agency (NCA) at his home in Essex in October.

Wilby admitted to officers he had a sexual interest in children and had been viewing indecent images since the 90s, while employed by national titles.

He was given a 10-month jail sentence, suspended for two years.

Investigators found 167 indecent images of children, 22 of which were Category A images, the most serious.

'Betrayed trust'

He admitted three charges of making indecent images of children at Chelmsford Crown Court.

Adam Sprague, operations manager at the NCA, said: "The material accessed by Wilby and recovered from his computer showed real children being cruelly and sexually abused.

"He was viewing this content while working as the editor of prominent national news outlets, a role in which he was entrusted to form the news agenda for the British public. A trust which he has greatly betrayed."

Wilby was also given a rehabilitation requirement of 40 hours is subject to a 10-year sexual harm prevention order and was placed on the sex offenders register for five years.

A New Statesman spokesperson said: "The New Statesman staff and management had no knowledge of Wilby's arrest or charges before they were reported and are shocked and appalled to learn of these horrifying crimes.

"Wilby was New Statesman editor from 1998 to 2005, and remained a contributor."

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A PERVERSE man who covertly filmed a child as she bathed has been jailed for 18 months.

David Quick, from Walton, hid his mobile phone with its camera pointing towards the victim.

However, the 53-year-old was caught after she spotted the Samsung’s camera lens poking out the top of a washbag, Chelmsford Crown Court heard.

Quick was confronted by the victim after she accessed his phone and found a naked picture of herself on it in January 2019.

Richard Potts, prosecuting, said Quick was arrested later that day and police officers examined his phone in the investigation which followed.

The prosecutor said they found 55 category B indecent images of children on it and at least 40 category C indecent images, of which at least 14 images and one video were of the victim.

The distressing content had been feeding into a series of apps on his phone and removed from his camera roll in a bid to hide them.

The victim’s mother said Quick’s crimes were “precise, calculated and devious”, adding: “He took something from her that was not his to take and he did so in an underhanded way.”

Quick, of Saville Street, Walton, admitted two offences of voyeurism, taking indecent images of a child and possessing both category B and C indecent images of a child.

He was jailed for 18 months on Tuesday afternoon.

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A PAEDOPHILE who was found to have thousands of child and animal abuse images after police raided his home has been jailed for more than two years.

David Connery, 51, of Carnarvon Close, Southend, was charged with three counts of making indecent photograph of a child, a further three counts of distributing an indecent photograph of a child and one count of possessing an extreme pornographic image portraying an act of intercourse with an animal.

Police raided his home on two separate occasions, and found more than 4,000 indecent images and messages.

Samantha Wright, prosecuting, said: “Officers attended Mr Connery’s address on February 10, 2021 and seized items which included iPhones and a Samsung laptop containing indecent images

“A warrant on February 7, 2022, was also executed which saw further devices seized with indecent images and messages speaking about children in a sexual manner.

“These messages also involved creating images of children for financial gain with some of the victims as young as four years old.”

Connery was hospitalised and a hospital discharge report from July 22 revealed he had a self inflicted open wound to the chest caused when he shot himself with a crossbow. 

 Following the discharge he was diverted to mental health organisations including Samaritans.

The February 2021 raid found more than 4,000 indecent images of children on Connery’s devices with 25 categorised as extreme pornography files.

On February 2022, the police found further images of extreme pornography including bestiality images and videos involving sex with animals.

Sentencing him at Basildon Crown Court on Wednesday, Recorder Caudle said: “When sentencing, I consider. the number of aggregating factors including a network of perverted like minded individuals who sent images back and forth.

“I am also considering the length of time of offending as high volume and over a long period, as well as the age of the victims.

“The Whatsapp chat messages show your facilitating of the distribution of these images as well as an obsession with young children and violence towards them.”

Recorder Caudle sentenced Connery to 28 months' imprisonment for the distribution and possession of indecent images. He is to serve half of the sentence then will be released and subject to licence. 

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A MAN has been sentenced to 14 years in prison after being convicted of multiple sexual offences against a child.

Thomas Thorpe-Keen, 23, of Creasen Butt Close, Heybridge, came on to the radar of Essex Police’s child abuse investigation team in 2020 after concerns around his contact with underage girls.

He was issued with a sexual risk order and criminal behaviour order which had a number of conditions, including not allowing him to be in the unsupervised company of anyone under the age of 18, which he breached continuously.

In 2019, Thorpe-Keen targeted a 15-year-old victim.

He stalked, coerced and controlled the young girl, watching for when she was alone at home and raped her multiple times.

He was arrested in July 2022 after he had raped the victim, left the address and then broken back into the property through the living room window, before threatening to kill her.

After a three-week trial at Chelmsford Crown Court, Thorpe-Keen was convicted of coercive and controlling behaviour, multiple rape, rape and breaches of court orders.

He appeared at Chelmsford Crown Court on Friday, June 9, via video link and was sentenced to 14 years in prison.

In an impact statement, his victim said: “I have suffered with anxiety since the rape and controlling behaviour.

“He was so controlling that I lost a lot of friendships.

“I still find it difficult to talk about my emotions and how I am feeling and I will often shut down.”

Investigating officer PC Thomas Olson said: “Thorpe-Keen is a manipulator.

"He is a dangerous individual and has seriously affected the life of the victim.”

“Despite being a long investigation, I am so proud of how the victim has conducted herself and the bravery she has demonstrated.”

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A man convicted of raping another man after leading him to a Chelmsford alleyway has been jailed for 8-and-a-half years.

In the early hours of August 9 2019, following a night out, the victim became unwell in Baddow Road when he was approached by 29-year-old Luke Bennett who offered to help him.

Bennett, of Townsend, Springfield, walked the unknown man to an alleyway off Baddow Road and raped and sexually assaulted him.

Bennett called for an ambulance, and waited with the victim, 20s, but left when the paramedics arrived.

He was arrested nearby a few hours later and subsequently charged with rape and sexual assault.

Bennett was convicted of rape and sexual assault following a trial at Chelmsford Crown Court on June 22 2022 and, on Wednesday (May 3), he was sentenced to 8-and-a-half years imprisonment.

He was also made subject of a 10-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) and will be a registered sex offender indefinitely.

Detective Constable Ann-Marie Aubynn, who led the investigation, said: “We support all victims of sexual assault or rape and would encourage anyone who has been sexually assaulted to come forward and report to us so we can support you too.”

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Specialist detectives have praised the bravery of the victim of a dangerous sex offender after her attacker was jailed for ten years.

Ryan Jacobs, 25, was deemed a dangerous offender by the courts after repeatedly abusing a child across a six-month period in 2017.

After the victim reported the abuse in 2021, we launched an investigation and put immediate support in place.

We interviewed Jacobs, of Spinning Wheel Mead, Harlow, in June and December 2021, but he refused to answer any questions.

But under the weight of extensive evidence compiled across a thorough investigation, Jacobs had no choice but to admit to his offending.

In March 2023, he admitted charges of raping a child and causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity.

Jacobs appeared at Chelmsford Crown Court on Monday 24 April for sentence.

He was sentenced to ten years imprisonment with a five-year extended licence period.

He will remain subject to indefinite Sexual Harm Prevention and restraining orders, and must sign the sex offender’s register for life.

An impact statement was read to the court on behalf of the victim, with her making reference to the anxiety she has suffered as a result of Jacobs’ actions.

"Dangerous sex offender"

Senior investigating officer Detective Constable Charles O’Mahony, of Harlow’s Child Abuse Investigation Team, said:

“Jacobs is now safely behind bars for a significant period, removing a dangerous sex offender from our streets.

“He was interviewed twice and chose to make ‘no comment’ to all questions put to him, putting the brave victim through a protracted period of uncertainty whilst we worked tirelessly for months to gather the evidence needed to secure the charges against him.

“Working with partners was absolutely key in this case.

“Throughout the investigation and to this day, the victim is supported by a team of Independent Sexual Violence Advisors (ISVAs), dedicated support workers from local charities to assist her through the criminal justice process and be there when she needed them.

“At court, Jacobs pled guilty to all counts, but only after hearing the weight of evidence against him.

“He was correctly identified as a dangerous offender and the pre-sentence report made mention of him being manipulative and making excuses for his behaviour, I firmly believe there is no excuse possible for the depraved acts he has admitted responsibility for.

“I hope the victim in this case can take solace in the fact that one of the final things Jacobs heard in the court room was her victim impact statement being read out to him, in which she took her opportunity to tell him exactly what she thought of him and the impact his behaviour has had.”

Specially trained officers

Our Child Abuse Investigation Team is made up of dedicated officers who specifically investigate child sexual offences and support the victims.

The team are provided with specialist training enabling them to deal with the complexities of these investigations, equipping them with the skills required to manage reports of this nature.

As with all our sexual abuse investigation teams, their compassion, sensitivity, policing experience and knowledge ensure that this team are made up of the best people to ensure victims are safe and offenders are brought to justice.

DC O’Mahony added:

“I joined Essex Police in March 2020 on a specific programme to become a detective.

“I am glad that I am now fully qualified and on a department that deals with the most vulnerable victims in society, children.

“I hope that this sentence acts as a deterrent and a reminder that Harlow Child Abuse Investigation Team will investigate any allegations to the fullest extent and that time elapsed since offending does not necessarily mean offenders have gotten away with anything. “

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A man who "preyed" on a 13-year-old girl's "vulnerability" before grooming and sexually abusing her has been jailed.

Scott Watson, of Town Square, Basildon, first met the victim outside a shop in Peterborough, on January 25 last year and they began talking.

The 27-year-old asked her age to which she told him she was 13. Cambridgeshire Police say he then began to compliment her body and the two exchanged phone numbers.

They met up again later that day and after this, Watson began communicating with her through Snapchat, WhatsApp and text messages and made numerous requests to meet him and perform sexual acts on each other.

The force says he also asked the victim to send him explicit photos.

In their messages, Watson made it clear he knew she was 13.

They once again met up on April 19 and visited several locations where Watson gave her alcohol and cannabis as well as another substance which made her unconscious.

Watson also asked her to have sex with him to which she refused.

On March 9, at Cambridge Crown Court, Watson was jailed for three years and four months, having admitted meeting a child following sexual grooming, sexual communication with a child and causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity.

Watson was also given a 10-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order and must sign the Sex Offender’s Register.

DS Rebecca Welberry said: “Scott Watson shamefully preyed on the victim’s vulnerability to groom and abuse her.

“We will always support the strongest possible action for those who abuse children so I am pleased Watson is now behind bars.”

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A 73-year-old man who breached a sexual harm prevention order 12 times in two months has been jailed. 

Anthony Bullett, of Alexandra Road, Harwich, was jailed for 32 months when he appeared at Chelmsford Crown Court on Friday, March 17 after he admitted breaching a sexual harm prevention order on 12 occasions between November 28, 2022, and January 12, 2023. 

Detective constable Mark Harrington, investigating, said: “Anthony Bullett moved into the Harwich area in November 2022 and almost straightaway broke the conditions of his SHPO which prevented him from having contact or associating with any female child under the age of 16.

 
“Instead, he attended events where children were present with their parents.

“Thankfully, we have not had any incidents reported to us but we’re grateful to the community who raised concerns so that we could take action and put Bullett before the courts and stop his dangerous and predatory behaviour.

“Safeguarding children continues to be a top priority for us. I would encourage anyone who has been a victim of a sexual crime to come forward and report to us.”

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A 'cruel' man who preyed upon a woman during a night out and raped her has been jailed. Rory Miles, 32, was convicted last month of sexually assaulting a woman at an address in Dunmow.

He had assaulted her following a night out in late 2018 before she was able to get away from him and call for help. She was supported by specialist officers from our Adult Sexual Abuse Investigation Team and an investigation into the attack was carried out.

It led to Miles, of Harris Green, Dunmow, being charged with rape. He was found guilty of one of the five charges he faced. Three others will remain on file as no verdict was reached.

At Chelmsford Crown Court today (Monday 27 March), he was sentenced to four years in prison and put on the Sex Offenders Register for life.

Investigating officer Detective Constable Jon Nottage said: "Firstly I would like to commend the woman involved in this case for her strength and dignity throughout this process and I hope that this verdict will bring some comfort.

"I would like to also extend my thanks to various agencies, witnesses, along with the womans family and friends who supported her from the moment it was reported. Rory Miles was today convicted for the rape of this woman and sentenced to four years in prison.

"Miles is a cruel man, on the night he preyed on a woman who believed she would be safe in his company. He did not admit his guilt at any point and maintained everything that happened on the night was consensual and instigated by the woman.

"The Jury expertly navigated through the evidence and found him guilty of rape, and today, he now faces his foreseeable future behind bars.

"To anyone out there who has experienced sexual violence of any form, I know that coming forward is a huge and difficult decision with many worries and concerns. I would urge you to come forward and speak to us, we can take things at your own pace and put you in touch with many great agencies that are out there that can offer you additional support."

Support is there for anyone affected by rape and sexual abuse, and no victim or survivor is alone. Synergy Essex provides specialist support for victims and survivors of rape and sexual abuse of all ages and all genders across Essex, Thurrock and Southend.

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A survivor of sexual abuse and her mother have described their feelings after a man was jailed for 16 years yesterday.

Ian McCarthy, 42 of Central Avenue, South Ockendon appeared at Basildon Crown Court on Wedneday 8 March where he was sentenced to 16 years imprisonment for non-recent sexual offences against a child.

The victim in this case bravely came to police in 2020, to report that McCarthy had subjected her to multiple sexual assaults between 2015 and 2020.

Following the report, McCarthy is arrested and bought in for interview. He is then charged with numerous sexual offences.

On 23 January this year, he appeared in court where he was found guilty of the following:

• Four counts of sexual assault against a child
• Two counts of digital penetration
• Five counts of rape of a child
• Two counts of Inciting a child by offering money
• One count of sexual activity by touching
• One count of sexual communication

On Wednesday 8 March, he was sentenced to 16 years in prison plus 2 years and 10 months on license. He was also given a life-long Sexual Harm Prevention order.

Speak to your children

Following the sentence, the mother of the victim described how they are both "still processing the result". The victim’s mother said:

“All I want is for anyone reading this to speak with their children and grandchildren and make sure they’re reporting anything which has happened to them.

“I would 100% encourage people to report these offences to the police as they will be listened to.

"The police have been amazing in their approach, and I don’t think we would have got through this as a family without the investigating officer.”

Dignity and courage

Investigating officer in this case, Detective Constable Jeffery Wainman said:

“It’s felt a real honour to investigate this and support the family through this process.
"They have demonstrated a huge amount of dignity and courage to continue pushing on with the investigation despite it taking a large amount of time to get to this point.

“McCarthy didn’t even grant the victim the respect to admit to what he did, putting them through the court process.

“I hope they feel as though they have the justice they deserve. I hope that they can now find closure and flourish as a family again.”

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A drunk man has been jailed after he robbed a 14-year-old boy of £10 and groped a 14-year-old schoolgirl. 

Dean Hughes approached the schoolboy as he was about to enter a shop in Colchester at 1.30pm on May 21 last year and asked him for £5, Ipswich Crown Court heard.

He then took hold of the boy’s wrist and took the £10 note after prising his fingers open.  

When he was arrested later in the afternoon, he had a sandwich and £8 change and appeared to be drunk.

Shortly after the robbery, Hughes walked past a 14-year-old schoolgirl, who was with her younger sister, and grabbed her bottom and squeezed it.

Hughes, 40, of Six Bells Court, Braintree, admitted robbery and sexual assault and in addition to being jailed he was ordered to sign the sex offenders’ register for seven years.

Nicola May for Hughes said he was horrified when he saw CCTV of him sexually assaulting the schoolgirl.

She said her client had been homeless and had turned to drink at the time of the offences after his relationship had ended.

At court Hughes was jailed for 17 months.

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A DETECTIVE who brought a despicable child rapist to justice has praised the bravery of two victims for giving evidence at his trial.

DC James Fowler, of Essex Polices Child Abuse Investigation Team, said 52-year-old Patrick Wakefield acted in a completely abhorrent way towards two girls.

Wakefield, of Twyford Avenue, Great Wakering, was jailed for 13 years at Basildon Crown Court after being found guilty at trial of a string of child sex offences, including two counts of rape.

The court heard how the predator left his victims badly scarred.

Judge Ian Graham said: You used your interest of photography to get alone time with these girls.

You bought them presents and gave them money to peruse this course of conduct.

The remorse you speak of would have been more open if you had admitted these crimes and saved these girls going through a trial.

Its clear they were left badly scarred by the experiences.

Mitigating, Christopher Martin told the court Wakefield had lived in poverty as a child which has severely impacted his life.

Mr Fowler said: Patrick Wakefield has been rightly jailed for his despicable actions.

"He acted in a completely abhorrent way towards his two victims, including forcing them to give evidence at his trial by denying any wrongdoing.

Patrick Wakefield has been made a registered sex offender and a Sexual Harm Prevention Order preventing him from going near children in the future will go some way to protecting other children."

He added: I want to praise both victims for their courage and bravery in coming forward and reporting their abuse to us, and in having the strength to give evidence at court, playing a part in stopping this man from offending against another child.

They have stood strong throughout the judicial process with the love and support of their families. I would hope that this sentence will play some part in giving their families some form of closure.

They have expressed their sincere thanks and gratitude to us for our hard work and dedication throughout the investigation, and for the support shown to their children.

I would also like to urge other victims of abuse to come forward, to report any concerns and to know that they too will be supported by our specialist teams.