Latest Offenders Gloucestershire

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A 60-year-old man from Tewkesbury has been sentenced to eight years in prison for raping a woman multiple times.

Vernon Steele, who is from the Northway area, had previously denied four counts of rape, but following a trial at Gloucester Crown Court, a jury unanimously found him guilty of all charges.

It took the jury just 34 minutes to reach their verdicts on Monday 16 June.

The court heard how in June 2023, Steele had befriended the woman, who had significant learning difficulties. 

Steele began to visit the woman regularly and told her neighbours that he was helping her with household chores and keeping her company.

The following month Steele showed her a video of him masturbating and pornography on his phone. The woman did not like this and told Steele to stop.

A few days later Steele raped the woman in her bedroom.

Steele then raped the woman in her home on three more occasions over the next ten days.

His crimes were reported to the police after a neighbour found the woman distressed and crying in her flat. She disclosed that Steele had raped her on four occasions and that she had said no each time.

Officers attended and spoke with the woman and Steele was arrested on suspicion of rape.

When Steele was interviewed by officers, he denied having engaged in any sexual activity with the woman and he was released on police bail to allow for further enquiries to take place.

Steele was re-interviewed by officers in December 2023 following an investigation by Gloucestershire Constabulary's Criminal Investigation Department. He was shown forensic evidence which supported the woman's report that he had raped her.

Following this disclosure, Steele changed his account of events and said that he had consensual sexual intercourse with the woman on one occasion. 

Following a police investigation, the Crown Prosecution Service authorised charges for four counts of rape. After he appeared at court, the court released him on bail.

Steele failed to appear at Gloucester Crown Court on 22 November 2024 and a judge issued a warrant for his arrest.

Gloucestershire Police then published a wanted appeal on their social media channels and he was located in the Newent area following sightings from members of the public.

Steele was re-arrested on 20 December 2024 and remanded in custody to await trial.

As well as being sentenced to eight years in jail, Steele will be placed on the Sex Offenders' Register for life.

Sentencing Steele, Judge Rupert Lowe said:

"You conceived that this vulnerable woman might be an outlet for your sexual frustrations. You showed her sexual video material on your phone but she didn't want to see it. 

"You were not to be deterred by her lack of enthusiasm for this and you got her into her own bedroom and removed her lower clothing and had sexual intercourse without her consent which is an offence of rape."

Investigating officer Detective Constable Jon Furse said:

"Steele raped the woman multiple times. He knew she was extremely vulnerable, and she had repeatedly told him no, but he ignored her and raped her. He subjected her to horrific crimes that will impact her for the rest of her life.

"Even though he denied the multiple charges of rape, the wealth of evidence we presented to the court meant his lies were uncovered with the jury returning a guilty verdict for all four counts in just 34 minutes.

"I would like to commend the victim in this case for her bravery and I would encourage anyone who has been raped to report it to us. Our specially-trained officers will listen and you will be believed and supported every step of the way." 

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A man who attacked and raped a woman in Bristol more than 23 years ago has been jailed for ten-and-a-half years.

Inderjit Singh Bains, 46, of Heneage Lane, Falfield, committed the attack on a woman after picking her up in his van.

The victim, now in her fifties, reported the incident to the police in January 2022 and had crucially memorised the offender’s number plate, which helped lead to his identification and arrest.

A jury unanimously found Bains guilty of rape and actual bodily harm following a trial at Bristol Crown Court in March.

At the sentencing hearing held earlier today (Friday 25 April) in Bains’ absence, Judge James Patrick said the offence involved “a degree of abduction” and the attack was “prolonged and persistent”, which had a “long-standing emotional effect” on the victim.

Bains picked up the victim, who was in the street sex trade, in his white panel van in the St Werburghs area of the city at around 1am on 10 January, 2002. The van had been circling the area and eventually stopped outside a pub, where Bains beckoned to the victim to go over.

After agreeing a fee, Bains drove towards Eastgate, where the victim had asked to go. But he didn’t turn off and headed up the M32 towards Frenchay, where he stopped in a secluded area off Stoke Lane.

The victim asked for payment first, which Bains pretended to reach for in his jacket pocket before punching her repeatedly to the face and body, causing her to lose and swallow a tooth.

He then raped her, without using a condom, before telling her to get dressed and driving her back into the city.

To protect others, the victim made a report to the One25 Project, which supports women in the street sex trade, soon after the attack. This report included a detailed description of the offender as well as his number plate

In an impact statement read to the court, the victim said: “The immediate impact of this crime on me was so traumatic that I used heroin to suppress any emotional impact, the physical impacts of the attack healed after time, but the emotional impact will stay with me forever.

“The flashbacks, panic attacks and nightmares I have continue to this day. I truly thought I was going to die that night, that kind of trauma is not easily fixed.

“There is still so much judgement and stigma around women who are trapped in the lifestyle I was, that it’s easier to let people think I’m crazy, as how do I explain what happened to me?

“For me to come forward again all these years later was the hardest decision I had to make, as I didn’t trust the police or the justice system to take me or the crime against me seriously…I didn’t realise how much emotional trauma I’d locked away about the attack.

“If it wasn’t for the empathetic, non-judgemental nature of my investigating officer, I would never have put myself through the retraumatising effects of a trial, but I am told this is also part of my healing process.

“Going to court was terrifying, especially having to face him, but I’m so glad I did as I see him not as a monster, but as a coward who preys on the most vulnerable people in society.”

Speaking afterwards, the victim added she also wanted to thank the jury for believing her and delivering a guilty verdict in this case.

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Andrew Shore (05/09/1987) of Croome Gardens, Bourton On The Water, Gloucestershire, was sentenced to seven years and three months at Manchester Crown Square Court today (Wednesday 26 March 2025).

On Thursday 27 February 2025, Shore was found guilty by a unanimous verdict of raping a female aged under 13 and indecent assault at the same court.

The offences took place in Rochdale in the early 2000s when the victim was only 11 years old and Shore was in a position of trust. Shore was 16 years old at the time of his offending.

He was also given a restraining order against the victim and lifelong sex offender requirements.

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An "opportunistic sexual predator" has been jailed for four years after sexually assaulting and attempting to rape a woman.

Mohammed Sanana denied approaching two women in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, before sexually assaulting and attempting to rape one of them on the steps near the library on Clarence Street.

The victim repeatedly told Sanana "no", told him to go away and pushed him, when the incident occurred on a night out in March at about 20:30 GMT.

Sanana, formerly of Ambrose Street in Cheltenham, was convicted by a jury following a week-long trial at Gloucester Crown Court.

During the trial, the 22-year-old claimed he knew the victim and said his actions were consensual.

However, the jury unanimously found him guilty on 11 November.

As well as the prison sentence, Sanana will be placed on the Sex Offenders' Register for life.

He was sentenced on 6 December.

'Unforgivable attack'

In a statement provided by the woman, she said the court process was "very daunting", despite having support from a Sexual Violence Advisor.

"This entire court process did not need to happen and could have all been avoided if he had just admitted to what he had done instead of fabricating a whole story about meeting me before.

"I hope that he is able to learn from this process and will think twice about his actions in the future.

"I hope that him being convicted of this offence will help to prevent something like this from ever happening again to someone else in order to protect other people in the future," she said.

Det Ch Insp Dave Shore-Nye, of Gloucestershire Police, said:

"Sanana is an opportunistic sexual predator who is now rightly behind bars.

"He subjected a woman to a terrifying and unforgivable attack which has impacted her life significantly, and I hope his prosecution and conviction will bring her some sense of justice."

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A “lonely” young man working in the North East, well away from home, sought companionship via a social media dating and friends site for adults, a court heard.

But when Jarrod Hofmann’s post on Wink was responded to by someone claiming to be a 14-year-old girl, he made the misguided error of continuing the conversation, soon moving on to sexual matters.

Durham Crown Court was told Hofmann was unaware, however, that the person purporting to be 14-year-old “Mollie” was, in fact, a decoy profile put up by the paedophile-hunting Child Online Safety Team (COST).

Elisha Marsay, prosecuting, told the court that Hoffman, aged 21 at the time, soon suggested switching the conversation onto WhatsApp.

Over the course of the following 18 days, in March last year, he repeatedly tried to persuade ‘Mollie’ to send him intimate images of herself and told her he would instruct her how to perform a sex act upon herself.

Miss Marsay said the defendant also discussed meeting ‘Mollie’, making travel arrangements so she could spend a night with him.

Members of COST confronted Hoffman at his home, at the time, in Annfield Plain, near Stanley, on March 26, 2023, and police were summoned to the address to arrest the defendant, who was found sitting on the stairs while the paedophile hunters waited at the door.

Following his arrest, Hofmann made no comment in police interviews in March and August last year.

But, by the time the case came before magistrates in Newton Aycliffe, on September 3 this year, the 23-year-old defendant, now living back with his family in Brockworth, Gloucestershire, pleaded guilty to all four charges put to him.

He admitted attempting to incite a girl aged 13 to 15 to engage in sexual activity, attempting to possess an indecent image of a child, attempted sexual communication with a child and attempting to meet a girl under 16 following grooming.

The offences were all classed as “attempts” as no actual child was involved, unknown to Hofmann.

Stephen Ferns, in mitigation, said the defendant, who has no previous convictions, was, at the time of the offences, working for National Express based in the North East and felt, “lonely and isolated”.

Mr Ferns said Hofmann was not “actively seeking” a relationship with an underage girl, and accessed an adult site, "seeking a relationship with an adult".

He said the opportunity of it being a child then, “presented itself”.

“He fully accepts knowing the age and continuing the conversation on WhatsApp.

“He was isolated and lonely and had recently moved to a new area and had not had a relationship for four years.

“He had not set out looking for a relationship with a child, but he fully accepts he pursued it when it was presented to him.

“He told the Probation Service he has no sexual interest in children, but it was the case that he became interested in this female when the situation presented itself and he did then have a sexual interest in this child.

“What he told the probation report author was said out of fear, shame and confusion.”

Mr Ferns said the defendant now accepts he needs to address his unhealthy interest.

The lawyer said, following his arrest, Hofmann lost his employment with National Express and moved back to his family home in Gloucestershire.

He has since found new employment, working initially in the haulage industry as a driver.

Mr Ferns said if the defendant was given the opportunity of a non-custodial sentence, he could work with the Probation Service to continue his rehabilitation.

Judge Nathan Adams said, having, “carefully considered” the sentence he should pass, that he was just persuaded to step back from passing an immediate prison sentence.

The judge said, however, that imposing restrictions on the defendant to prevent a repeat of his behaviour were, “entirely necessary” in this case.

Imposing a three-year community order, as a direct alternative to prison, Judge Adams said the defendant must complete 150-hours’ unpaid work, and attend 40 rehabilitation activity days, plus 40 sessions of an accredited programme, both overseen by the Probation Service.

He was also made subject of both a Sexual Harm Prevention Order, including a prohibition on any unsupervised contact with children aged under 18, and the requirement to register as a sex offender, each to run for the next ten years.

Judge Adams told Hoffman he was “making it plain” he must comply with the orders in full and commit no further offences, or risk receiving a first term of imprisonment.

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A man from Stroud has been jailed after pleading guilty to four charges relating to online sexual offences against children.

Taran Jay Woodward, aged 24, appeared at Gloucester Crown Court yesterday (Tuesday 3 December) and was sentenced to five years and four months in prison.

He had previously pleaded guilty to attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child, intentionally causing a female under 13 to engage in sexual activity and two counts of breaching a Sexual Harm Prevention Order.

The charges relate to offences committed against two girls on the social media app Snapchat and online game Roblox in May 2022.

Woodward had been arrested and charged as part of an investigation by Gloucestershire Constabulary's Child Exploitation Team.

His offending was identified after the parents of the children he targeted discovered the offences and reported what happened to their local police forces. 

Intelligence checks were made and Woodward was identified and arrested. He answered no comment in interview.

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A 50 year old Winchcombe man who took a woman's mobile phone from her and refused to give it back until she gave him oral sex was jailed for eight and a half years today (May 21).

Neil Roberts, of Godwin Road, Winchcombe, denied raping the woman and assaulting her causing actual bodily harm but a jury found him guilty at the end of his trial earlier this year.

Today he was sentenced at Gloucester Crown Court by Recorder Jaron Crooknorth who told him he still showed no sign of remorse for his abuse of the woman.

Before passing sentence of eight and a half years jail for the rape and two years nine months concurrently for the assault, the Recorder heard a victim impact statement from the woman, who said Roberts had treated her 'like a piece of meat' on that night.

She stated "I was humiliated. I felt worthless. He made me blame myself. He left me feeling like it was all my fault.

"Now, after two years of fighting for him to be held accountable, I can admit to myself that I have been raped and that it isn't my fault. Only now do I feel I can truly start to live my life again and enjoy it.

"I am glad he has finally been held accountable for who he truly is and I hope that one day he will be able to admit it to himself.  When the jury found him guilty I was overcome with emotion."

During the trial at Cirencester Courthouse in March the court heard that on Oct 10th 2021 the woman agreed to spend the evening with Roberts drinking and listening to music at his home.

Roberts began questioning her about whether she was seeing any other men and he demanded to see her phone

She refused but he took the phone from her and would not give it back, accusing her of having an 'affair'.

The woman told jurors he could not initially look at the phone because it was locked and needed facial recognition or her PIN number. He kept waving it at her face in an effort to open it but she continually moved her head to prevent him.

However, eventually she gave up and gave him the unlock code. He then looked through the phone. After about an hour she asked to have it back but he did not hand it over and was mocking her, calling her a slut and a cheat.

She pushed Roberts and slapped him in the face in her efforts to retrieve the phone and he then punched her in the face.

Roberts told her that if she wanted her phone back she would have to give him oral sex. 

She told him 'I don't want to do this, just give me the phone back.'

But Roberts insisted he would not return it till she gave him oral sex so she did.

"He then gave me the phone back.  I got off the bed and sat on the floor with my belongings," the woman told the jury.

"He then said that he thought we were just doing role play and that he thought I was enjoying it. "

Roberts, in evidence, said that after drinking San Miguel beer with the woman for 4-5 hours that night they went into his bedroom at about 1am and she instigated the oral sex as a 'form of apology' for an argument they'd had earlier.

There had been no violence from him and he had not demanded to see her phone at any stage, he said.

He alleged afterwards she became very angry and pulled on his penis, causing a bruise.

"I told her to get off and she started to punch me in the head.  She hit me 10-20 times," he alleged.

Roberts was unanimously convicted of both charges and has been in custody on remand since then. Today he appeared via video link from Bristol Prison for his sentencing.

His solicitor, Sarah Jenkins, told the court he had no past history of sexual offending and his only conviction had been for an offence of violence in 2006. This had been his first experience of prison, she said.

It would not be just him who paid the price of his offending because his father, who is in poor health, and his young daughter in Thailand, who also has an illness, would suffer without his care and financial support, she said.

"The child will not be able to come to the UK while he is in custody," she said. "His incarceration will have a very significant impact on both of these individuals."

At the time of Roberts' offences against the woman he had a drink problem and that had got worse due to the stress of awaiting trial - but he had now undergone detox in prison and had signed up for education courses in languages and cycle maintenance in jail, she said.

She also referred the court to character references provided to the court by friends and colleagues of Roberts.

"They show a side of his character which was not shown during the evidence of the victim.  He has provided emotional support and friendship to these individuals in difficult times and circumstances and it is something they value him for."

Passing sentence Recorder Crooknorth told Roberts "You showed no remorse - not even for the injuries she had sustained.  She had a bruised and swollen face, bruising across her chest, scratching and bruising on her arms.  She felt humiliated, overpowered and abused by someone she thought she could trust.

"At this late stage you still show no remorse. "

He said he found that Roberts represents a danger to the public. He told Roberts he will have to serve two-thirds of his eight-and-a-half year sentence before he is eligible for parole.

The judge also reminded Roberts that he will be on the sex offender register indefinitely and will have to keep police informed of any changes of his address or his name.

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A man has been jailed after being caught with almost 400 illegal images of children on a mobile phone.

Carl Webb, formerly of Gloucester Road in Cheltenham, admitted making 240 Category C indecent images of children, 144 prohibited images, and breaching a sexual harm prevention order.

He also admitted failing to report to a police station and being in breach of a suspended prison sentence.

The 37-year-old was jailed for three years and three months on 14 March.

Webb, who has a history of child sex offences dating back more than two decades, was sentenced at Gloucester Crown Court.

He was convicted of indecently assaulting a child in 2002 and was jailed for sexual activity with a child in 2009.

Prosecutor Alec Small said that on 28 September 2022 police visited Webb at his home to check he was complying with his sexual harm prevention order.

He volunteered that he had a borrowed phone that he had not previously declared.

The phone was seized by officers and was found to contain indecent images of children.

Mr Small added that Webb had failed to attend a police station to sign the sex offender register on 1 March 2023.

Webb is currently serving a three-year jail term imposed on him in October 2023 after he breached a community order he had received at an earlier hearing.

Defending, Catherine Spedding, said Webb is "keen to look at the root cause of his offending" by taking part in a sex offender programme.

She added: "Once he is sentenced, he hopes to be moved to a prison where he can undertake that positive and useful course. "He is looking forward to that because he wants to cease this sort of offending." Webb was also given a new sexual harm prevention order.

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A scrap metal dealer from Wales who sexually abused a teenage girl in Rustington has been jailed.

Mark Rumbol, 58, of Hewelsfield in Wales, sexually assaulted a girl under the age of 15 repeatedly between 2020 and 2021.

The abuse was reported to police in March, 2021 and Rumbol was arrested while his victim was supported by specialist officers.

He was subsequently charged with rape, two counts of sexual assault, two counts of assault by penetration and one count of inciting a girl to engage in sexual activity (no penetration).

At Lewes Crown Court on 18 December, he was found guilty of all charges except rape, of which he was found not guilty.

At the same court on Friday, 26 January, Rumbol was jailed for 11 years, ordered to sign the Sex Offenders’ Register for life, and given a restraining order and an indefinite Sexual Harm Prevention Order significantly reducing his ability to offend.

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A 50-year-old man has been jailed for three years after attempting to meet a 14-year-old girl he had been grooming online.

Christopher Hill, of The Tythings, Newent, pleaded guilty to three child sex offences at Gloucester Crown Court.

He was exposed by an online paedophile hunter group who used a decoy persona to trap him.

The judge said his messages to the girl were "highly sexual and graphic" in nature.

The court heard on Wednesday how Hill had used social media to arrange to meet up with a 14-year-old girl called Sophie, who was in fact a decoy created by a member of the Leeds-based Predator Exposure group.

"Very quickly the conversation moved to WhatsApp, which is encrypted, and Hill requested that the girl send him a picture of herself," said prosecutor Lucie Stoker.

"He also asked for snaps of her not wearing any clothes and some sexy photographs.

"He revealed he was falling in love with her. He repeatedly requested that she reciprocates that love, but she doesn't," continued Ms Stoker.

Arrangements were made for 'Sophie' to travel alone from Leeds to Gloucester by train.

Hill told her he would take her to a nearby hotel and sent her a copy of the receipt.

"The girl was told that she could look forward to a lot of sex in all of its forms," said Ms Stoker.

"He was predatory in his behaviour throughout," she added.

'Bitterly regrets'

The judge, James Watson KC, told Hill: "Not only had you encouraged and groomed and planned this meeting for penetrative sex, you had offered her incentives by how you would treat her and the presents and money you would give her after you had met her.

"I've no doubt that had this been a real 14-year-old, you would have carried out what you proposed."

Catherine Spedding, defending, said Hill had suffered from loneliness after his marriage dissolved and "bitterly regrets" his actions.

"Hill met 'Sophie' on a normal social media site, he was not surfing the internet for this type of material and opportunities," argued Ms Spedding.

Hill pleaded guilty to attempting to have sexual communication with a child for the purpose of sexual gratification.

He also pleaded guilty to attempting to facilitate a child sex offence by engaging in sexual activity with 14-year-old girl that involved penetration; and attempt to meet a child following sexual grooming.

The judge sentenced Hill to three years and 11 months in prison and subjected him to the term of a 20-year sexual harm prevention order, which limits his use of the internet.

He was also put on the sex offenders register for life.

The judge also barred Hill from working with children and vulnerable adults in the future.

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A former teacher at Whitgift School was yesterday given a four-year prison sentence for abusing boys at the private school in the 1980s. The school could now face a class action legal case brought on behalf of three victims because of the abuse Dodd inflicted on them.

At a trial at Gloucester Crown Court in July, Paul Dodd, now 64, pleaded guilty to one offence of child cruelty and two of indecent assault during the time he was a history teacher and rugby coach at the school in South Croydon.

The boys abused were aged between 10 and 12.

Dodd moved to New Zealand in around 1988. His abuse at Whitgift came to light through a TV New Zealand documentary that was broadcast in 1995.

Two months ago, the Gloucester judge gave Dodd a suspended prison sentence of two years in addition to a rehabilitation programme, unpaid work and being placed on a sexual harm prevention order for seven years. The judge took into account that Dodd is sole carer for his wife, who has a chronic medical condition, and it was “for that reason alone” that his sentence was suspended.

But yesterday the Court of Appeal deemed that the sentence was too lenient, following an appeal through the Attorney General’s Office.

Lawyers acting for the victims of Dodds’ abuse had submitted that, “Survivors of abuse often face a life sentence in respect of the impact of their abuse, and it is only right that those that inflict these heinous acts should be punished appropriately, and this must include a prison term.”

Whitgift School is part of the Whitgift Foundation, together with Trinity School and Old Palace girls’ school, which in unrelated developments  it was revealed yesterday is facing closure in 2025.

Whitgift School is known for having peacocks strutting in its expansive grounds, very good sports teams and outstanding academic results. It all comes at a price, though. Fees for day boys at Whitgift are currently more than £22,000 per year. Full boarders are charged £43,629 per year.

Dino Nocivelli, for solicitors Leigh Day, acting on behalf of the victims, has confirmed that he will “continue with the civil cases against the school for the abuse inflicted by Dodd”.

Nocivelli has revealed, “It has come to our knowledge through a New Zealand documentary that Dodd was placed on a list prohibiting him from teaching after leaving Whitgift School, while apparently the Whitgift headmaster gave him a ‘glowing reference’ to take up a teaching role in New Zealand.”

Dodd joined the staff of Kings College, a prestigious boarding school in Auckland, in 1988. While there, Dodd admitted that he had been dismissed from Whitgift for hitting a child – for the second time – after having lost his temper.

The programme included an interview with a young man who alleged that he had been sexually propositioned by Dodd when he was a 16-year-old at the school, and it also found that because of his assault on the 10-year-old at Whitgift, Dodd was placed on “List 99” by the Department for Education in the UK, making him unsuitable for teaching children.

Yesterday, Appeal Court judges Lord Justice William Davis, Mr Justice Jacobs and Mr Justice Griffiths concluded Dodds’ sentencing judge in July should have imposed a total sentence of four years.

Victims had described their anxiety, nightmares and depression after the offending in personal statements, the AGO said.

Despite the restrictions placed on Dodd after his sentencing in July, he is at liberty, and following the Court of Appeal sentence, he was given until 4pm today to surrender himself to a police station.

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A paedophile whose actions left one of his victims unable to trust men, even her own dad and grandad, has been jailed. Anthony Hemmings sexually abused two teenage girls between 2003 and 2008 on a number of occasions.

Hemmings, 69 and from Yate, denied abusing either of the girls. However, he was found guilty by a jury of: indecent assault on a girl under the age of 14, gross indecency with a girl under the age of 16, engaging in non-penetrative sexual activity with a girl aged between 13 and 15, and two counts of assaulting a girl under the age of 13 by touching.

During a sentencing hearing, Hemmings was jailed for 33 months, with a judge taking into account his current ill-health. Upon his release, he will be subject to indefinite notification requirements as a registered sex offender.

Avon and Somerset Police said both victims, now in their 20s, approached officers separately to report the abuse they received at the hands of Hemmings. During a court hearing, one of his victims read out a statement saying Hemmings' abuse had left her unable to trust other men, even those related to her.

She said: "My relationship with my own father and grandfather changed. After these things had started happening I distanced myself from them both.

"This is a huge thing for me as I wish I could go back and rebuild that relationship with my grandfather as he has now died and I can’t get it back. I just found it hard to trust male figures in my life after [the defendant] did what he did."

She also explained how her mental health deteriorated to the point where she dropped out of education. She said: "The inability to pursue further education has left me with unfulfilled potential and longing for the opportunities that should have been within reach."

'Profound and lasting impact of trauma'

The victim went onto say the trauma from the abuse has left her feeling distressed when she sees an adult hugging a child. "There is a profound and lasting impact this childhood trauma has had on my life," she said.

"The emotional and psychological wounds inflicted during those critical years echo throughout my existence, impairing relationships, eroding confidence and severing ties. I am grateful that I have been listened to, that I have been believed, and aim to heal the wounds that this traumatic experience has left behind."

Hemmings' other victim spoke of how the abuse she suffered stopped her from socialising and ended with her seeking medical help for anxiety and depression. She said: "I kept that secret with me and over the years I was finding it harder and harder to deal with.

"I spoke to numerous people on the Childline website. They told me I needed to report this crime, but I found it hard to come out and tell people what happened to me. I used to have night terrors and there were numerous times that I woke up in the middle of the night, and even throughout the day, thinking of what happened to me and knowing it wasn’t right."

While sentencing Hemmings, Judge Peter Blair KC said the personal statements clearly showed the long lasting impact the actions of adults like the defendant have when they commit offences against children. Speaking after sentencing, officer in the case Detective Sergeant Tom Williams: "I sincerely admire the strength the women have shown in coming forward. They have each spoken movingly about the impact Hemmings’ actions have had on their lives.

"Hemmings kept his real character hidden from his family. He acted for his own gratification without regard for anyone else, and did so repeatedly.

"I hope that the sentence handed down today will reassure the women that other children will be kept safe from Anthony Hemmings. I also hope that the case will give confidence to anyone else who has suffered sexual abuse to know they will be listened to and offences will be thoroughly investigated.

"If you have experienced sexual abuse, no matter when, do please seek help. Get in touch with The Bridge sexual assault referral centre. They offer counselling, medical care and practical help all day, every day, and it will still be your choice whether or not to contact the police."

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Officers have paid tribute to the bravery of a victim in a rape case that went to trial but resulted in a guilty verdict last week.

On Friday (15 September) a jury at Gloucester Crown Court found Matthew Dickens, 25 and of Greet Road, Winchcombe, guilty of two counts of rape against the same woman in an incident in 2020.

Dickens met the woman following contact with her via a messaging app. After meeting the victim and one of her friends, they went to a bar. Later, Dickens went to the woman’s home with her. She could not recall how she became undressed but recounted how Dickens then went on to rape her twice and hold her throat.

Detective Constable Rob Brown, officer-in-charge of the case, said: “Dickens subjected the victim to a terrifying ordeal that will deeply impact her for the rest of her life.

“He then compounded his crimes by pleading not guilty and claiming this was a consensual act, meaning the victim had to go through the trial process.

“I want to commend her bravery and determination to carry on supporting the case when it would have been understandable if she had decided not to put herself through it.

“Thankfully it took the jury less than two hours to decide on his guilt and I hope that provides some level of validation for her courage.

“In the process a dangerous individual has now been convicted at court and, potentially, prevented from wrecking other people’s lives.

“My message to anyone else who is a rape victim who is worried about coming forward is that you will be believed and that the criminal justice system is beginning to change, so please do report what has happened to you. We are transforming the way that the CPS and police handle rape and sexual assault cases, and are working together to ensure that victims are supported throughout the prosecution process.”

Dickens will be sentenced at a later date.

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A football coach who was found guilty of raping a 15-year-old in 2006 has been jailed for seven years.

Paul Edwards, 62, of Marling Crescent, Farmhill, Stroud, appeared at Gloucester Crown Court for sentencing on Friday 4 August.

Passing sentence, the judge, Recorder Neil Millard told Edwards: "That girl's life has been changed forever because you raped her."

Edwards was placed on the sex-offender register for life.

He has also been barred from working with children.

Prosecutor Giles Nelson said that during the summer of 2006 the 15-year-old girl had an argument with her father and sought refuge at the home of some people she knew in Minchinhampton, near Stroud.

"She was distressed when she arrived and was comforted by the occupants. Arrangements were made for her to stay overnight."

He said that Edwards was in the house and invited the girl to share the bed he was sleeping in. "She woke up a few hours later, to find that Edwards having sex with her."

The teenager told her sister the following day that she had been raped.

Mr Nelson said: "She was a child who couldn't have consented to sex. She was also sleeping when Edwards raped her."

'Lived a lie'

The victim reported the offence in 2020 with Edwards first being tried in January last year. However, the jury was discharged after failing to agree on a verdict.

Edwards was convicted after a retrial at Cirencester Court in June this year.

In an impact statement, the victim said the night was "one of absolute terror".

"Whatever happens to Edwards now, it will never be enough for what he did to me that night. He has lived a lie for the past 17 years," she said.

"I have been unable to go through with counselling as some sessions have been too much for me."

She said that, now Edwards has been sentenced, she hopes to resume counselling.

'You are a rapist'

The Judge Millard told Edwards: "You had been a football coach in the local community for much of your life.

"Your victim was vulnerable. She was distressed. You took advantage of her. You were drunk.

"Her life changed that day because of you. We now know you are a rapist, a child rapist."

Defending Edwards, Virginia Cornwall told the court that "at the heart of all this" was Edwards' drinking on that day.

"His life was football coaching in the community... [and] he has to face the consequences of his actions."

She added that she hoped the jury's verdict will give the victim some closure.

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A man from Cheltenham has been sentenced to 16 year in prison after being found guilty of sexually abusing two young boys.

Craig Sykes, a 46-year-old resident of Cromwell Road, Oakley, was accused of several serious crimes against children, including sexual assault of a child under 13, causing a child to engage in sexual activity, oral rape of a child, indecent assault of a 13-year-old child, and child cruelty by willfully assaulting a boy between 1995 and 2005.

Despite denying the allegations, he was convicted by a jury on six counts last month. Following a trial that lasted five days, two other charges were dropped.

Detective Constable James Coll said: “This has been an emotional case and this sentence shows that we will not stand for the despicable crimes against children that Sykes committed.

"I would like to commend the victims for the courage and strength they have shown throughout this case. Their bravery in coming forward and seeing this through has helped put Sykes behind bars for a long time.

"We would encourage anyone that has been subject to sexual violence and rape to come forward, no matter how long ago it had happened, as Gloucestershire Constabulary will continually work tirelessly to ensure that victims of sexual offences are heard.

"Under UK law, victims of rape and sexual assault are granted full anonymity. We ask that no comments are made which would identify the victims in this case."