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A MAN who met an underage girl for sex after grooming her online has been locked up for six-and-a-half years.

Bradford Crown Court heard how Damien Hughes set up a fake Instagram account under the name “Simon” and sent a friend request to the teenager.

Over the next three months they exchanged messages, which became sexualised, and he sent a video of himself masturbating.

He also asked the teenager to send nude photographs of herself and encouraged her to agree to meet in a hotel for sex despite knowing she was under the age of consent.

During the school holidays they met up three times and on two occasions Hughes, now 41, had sex with the girl in his car.

The court heard that the girl tried to call a halt to the situation, but Hughes would tell her that he would miss her and was “really upset”.

The relationship was discovered when a relative of the girl spotted a message from Hughes on her phone and responded pretending to be her.

He then investigated her Instagram account and found sexually explicit photographs and videos as well as messages arranging to meet up.

The police were informed, and, on being arrested, Hughes gave “no comment” answers in an interview.

When his phone was examined it showed where he had travelled to meet the girl and CCTV footage was located that placed the pair at the scene.

A forensic examination of his car found evidence of sexual activity.

Hughes was picked out by the teenager in an identity parade but denied the offences and went to trial where he was found guilty by a jury.

In a victim impact statement read to the court by prosecutor Laura McBride the teenager said her experiences with Hughes had left her feeling “very worried, anxious, and intimidated” as he had taken advantage of her vulnerabilities.

She revealed she had undergone therapy and suffered from trust issues that had impacted other relationships.

She said: “Each day I must live with the memories and flashbacks of what he did to me.”

Sentencing Hughes, of Westbourne Grove, Halifax, at Bradford Crown Court Mr Recorder Andrew Haslam KC said he had denied his crimes “despite overwhelming evidence”.

He jailed Hughes for a total of six-and-a-half years, imposed a ten-year sexual harm prevention order, and said he must sign the sex offender’s register for life.

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A SEX worker was subjected to a terrifying four-hour ordeal in a Bradford flat where she “thought she was going to die”.

Two men have now been jailed over the incident, with Judge Ahmed Nadim telling the pair they had behaved in a “violent and callous way”.

He said they did not care about the damage they were doing to the victim, but their priority was to ‘satisfy their lust’.

El Fadaidill Ibrahim, a Sudanese asylum seeker who had been living in Queens Road, Halifax, had been granted temporary leave to remain in the UK in 2022 after his asylum applications in Italy and Germany had been rejected, a court heard.

Bradford Crown Court was told that the 29-year-old’s father and brothers had been killed in his native country after the government declared his tribe to be “terrorists” and Ibrahim himself had been jailed in the Sudan when he was just 14 on “fake” charges.

Solicitor advocate John Bottomley said his client fled Sudan in 2014 and in 2020 he had crossed the Channel in a small boat.

The court heard that in 2022 Ibrahim was granted leave to remain in this country for five years.

But in March 2023 Ibrahim and fellow countryman Mohammed Abou-Gardda, 30, persuaded a sex worker to visit them at Abou-Gardda’s flat in Pemberton Drive, off Great Horton Road, and subjected her to a four-hour ordeal.

Prosecutor Phillip Standfast described how the duo assured the complainant that she wouldn’t have to do anything and when she turned up she was given £10 to buy some crack cocaine.

The pair were both drinking brandy and one of them tried to get the complainant to drink some of the alcohol.

The men put their hands up her back under her clothing, but she told them to get off her.

As she tried to leave the flat both defendants grabbed her and Ibrahim put both his hands around her neck and started to strangle her.

Mr Standfast said the woman tried to get his hands off her neck, but he was too strong.

“She could not breathe and thought she was going to die,” he said.

“She thinks that Mr Abou-Gardda could see her face changing colour and her eyes rolling. He tried to get Ibrahim’s hands off her throat, but he was not able to do so either.

“Mr Abou-Gardda then punched or slapped Ibrahim and he let go.”

The complainant sat in a chair crying and shaking as Ibrahim walked around the flat carrying an empty brandy bottle and threatened to kill her.

Ibrahim left for a short time, but returned with a bottle of whisky and Abou-Gardda told the complainant to be “nice” and give Ibrahim a “kiss and a cuddle”.

The woman said she was scared and didn’t want to be alone with Ibrahim, but after Abou-Gardda fell asleep Ibrahim made the complainant perform oral sex on him.

The two men argued after Abou-Gardda woke up and he slapped the woman across the face.

The court heard that the complainant managed to make a 999 call, but Ibrahim went to rape her in the bedroom despite her saying no and crying.

“Mr Abou-Gardda came into the bedroom and said that he wanted to go next.”

But the complainant said she needed another “smoke” and used it as a pretext to get out of the flat where she told a man she had been raped.

When police arrived in the area the pair were both arrested.

Judge Ahmed Nadim jailed Ibrahim for 13 years after he had been convicted by a jury on charges of rape, false imprisonment, intentional strangulation and sexual assault.

Abou-Gardda was sentenced to five-and-a-half years in prison after he admitted false imprisonment, sexual assault, and common assault part-way through a previous trial.

The judge said the victim, who must not be identified, had suffered an ordeal lasting about four hours and he told the two defendants: “Each of you must understand that in a civilised society everyone has the right to decide whether sexual conduct is engaged in or not.

“This is true no matter who they are and whether they have engaged in sexual conduct previously or not. You took away that right of (the complainant) and imposed yourselves upon her in a violent and callous way.

“On the evidence I conclude that by false pretences each of you persuaded her to visit the flat assuring her that sexual conduct was not your interest.

“In reality it was your joint intention to engage in sexual conduct with her whether she agreed to or not.”

The judge said the complainant had been subjected to violence, supplied with drugs and her freedom to leave had been restricted.

“In conducting yourselves as you did neither of you cared about the damage you were doing to your victim,” he added.

“Your priority was to satisfy your lust.”

Ibrahim will have to register as a sex offender with the police for the rest of his life and Abou-Gardda will be on the sex offender register for the next seven years.

Detective Inspector Richard Fox of Bradford Adult Safeguarding Team said: “We welcome the sentence handed down to both men today, they lured the victim to a house and took advantage by raping and sexually assaulting her.

“They are dangerous men who deserve to be behind bars for a very long time.

“I would like to acknowledge the victim’s bravery throughout the investigation and trial. I hope today’s sentence can bring her some closure and justice in what was a harrowing ordeal.

“I hope this sentence provides a reminder to victims that we take all reports of sexual assault seriously and in confidence.

“We have a specialist team of dedicated officers who will support you throughout the investigation. If anyone has been a victim of sexual assault, please report it.”

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A 91-year-old man has been jailed after being found guilty of indecently assaulting a child nearly 50 years ago.

John Gaukroger, of Halifax, abused a boy who was under the age of 10 while helping out at a children's afterschool centre between 1975 and 1976.

The crimes came to light in 2020 when the victim reported what happened to him to the police, prompting an investigation and eventually a trial.

Gaukroger, who denied the allegations, was found guilty in May of two counts of indecent assault against a child and was jailed for 26 months at Bradford Crown Court on Thursday.

The court heard that during his time helping at the children’s centre, he would also take the youngsters on camping trips.

Gaukroger's victim said there was not a day when he did not think about what happened, and it had had "a big impact on me, my family and my relationships".

"I feel like I have now come to terms with everything and since the case was in court I have had some of the best night's sleep I have ever had," he added.

"I am happy this now has a conclusion, and I can try my best to move on from this now."

Det Insp Vicky Lawrence, of West Yorkshire Police, appealed for other potential victims of Gaukroger's offending to come forward.

“Irrelevant of the length of time passed, you will be listened to, supported and we will do all we can to fight for victims and bring perpetrators to justice,” she said.

Gaukroger was also told he must sign the sex offender's register and was handed a 10-year sexual harm prevention order.

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A Calderdale man has been jailed for 14 years for drugs and child sex offences after he plied his teenage victim with prescription medication.

Michael Murray, 39, of Prescott Street, Halifax, was found guilty of two counts of inciting a child to engage in sexual activity and one count of sexual assault after a trial which concluded at Bradford Crown Court last Thursday (June 20).

He had also admitted 32 drugs offences, which included possession with intent to supply Class A, B and C drugs.

The court heard that officers found a large supply of prescription drugs at his home after he was initially arrested in connection with the sex offences.

Further searches resulted in substantial quantities of cocaine and amphetamines, being found in quantities that were consistent with being involved in the supply of drugs. He was also found in possession of cannabis.

Appearing before the court for sentencing on Friday (June 21), Murray was jailed for a total of 14 years – this includes 11 years for the sexual offences and three years to run consecutively for the drug offences.

West Yorkshire Police’s Detective Constable Riah Nicholson of the Calderdale District Safeguarding Team said: “Firstly, I want to acknowledge and thank the victim for her bravery and courage in coming forward to report the abhorrent offences that she was subjected to and for then having to navigate the criminal justice process.

“I’m pleased that the court has been able to hand down a sentence that reflects the true severity of Murray’s crimes.

“Murray is a dangerous and calculated predator.

“We would urge anyone who has been a victim of sexual offending or abuse whether it is recent or not to come forward and report it to police.

“You will be listened to and taken seriously, and we will do all we can to bring perpetrators to justice.”

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A man from Halifax has been jailed for 16 years after he was found guilty of multiple sexual offences against 14 child victims.  

Aidan Firth, 26, of HMP Armley, was sentenced at Bradford Crown Court earlier this week (Tuesday, 21 November) for offences including rape of a child, sexual activity with a child inciting a child into sexual activity, and sexual assault. In addition to the custodial sentence, he was also made the subject of a lifetime Sexual Harm Prevention Order.  

The offences took place between 2015 and 2020 and involved 14 victims, who were all under 18 at the time of offending.    

They came to light in 2015 when a victim approached police to report offences and an investigation was launched by Calderdale Child Safeguarding Unit.   

During the investigation, further victims came forward and disclosed further offences.

He was arrested in 2020 and was subsequently later charged. Following a three week trial at Bradford Crown Court in September 2023, Firth was found guilty by a jury for multiple sexual offences and jailed. 

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A sexual predator who targeted underage girls and raped one of his victims while she was asleep has been jailed for 10-and-a-half years.

On Friday, a Bradford judge decided that Alex Honour, 25, still posed a risk to young girls and it was necessary to impose an extended licence period of four years after he concluded he was a "dangerous offender."

None of the Honours nine victims must be identified for legal reasons, but Judge Jonathan Rose heard details- in court of how the he cruelly manipulated and sexually abused them.

The judge said he was satisfied beyond any doubt that Honour, of Lentilfield Street, Ovenden, had identified and targeted young and vulnerable girls. He said the author of a pre-sentence report for Honour had noted the predatory element of his behaviour.

With that I agree, said Judge Rose.

Back in March this year Honour admitted a series of sexual offences, but some of his victims still had to give evidence during a trial which took place in August. Bradford Crown Court heard that Honour began offending when he was only 15 and his behaviour continued until he was about 20.

In one victim impact statement one of Honour's victims described how he made her feel worthless and another described being taken advantage of and used by him.

The court heard how Honour tried to get one underage girl to have sex with him in a cave, but Judge Rose said the most serious offence that he had been convicted of was the rape of another youngster while she was asleep. He said the girl was horrified to wake up to find Honour, who was then 20, having sexual intercourse with her.

Judge Rose handed out concurrent individual prison sentences for a series of offences including sexual assault, causing a child to engage in sexual activity and inciting a child to engage in sexual activity.

But he decided that the rape matter was the lead offence and increased that sentence to 10-and-a-half years to take account of the other offences.

Judge Rose said Honour would have to register as a sex offender for life and he also imposed an indefinite sexual harm prevention order and an indefinite restraining order to prevent further offending and to stop him contacting any of his victim.

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A FORMER Royal Mail employee has been jailed for 18 months for making explicit sexual suggestions to what he believed was a girl aged 13.

Ian Kelly was snared by an adult decoy working for the online action group Paedophile Hunters, Bradford Crown Court heard today.

The 60-year-old pleaded guilty to attempting to cause a female aged 13 to engage in penetrative sexual activity.

Prosecutor Carmel Pearson said that Kelly, of Byron Street, Halifax, began communicating with the fictitious child in May, 2021.

The decoy said she was aged 13 and lived in Leeds.

Miss Pearson said Kelly asked her to keep the chat a secret and it soon became sexualised. He wanted to meet up with her to ‘kiss and cuddle her and be her first with everything.’ By September 7, he said he wanted to kiss every inch of her. He asked her to remove her clothes and lie naked on the bed.

He said her photograph looked beautiful and that he loved her. He wanted to show her images of himself, but he didn’t actually send any.

On October, 16, 2021, members of the group attended at Kelly’s home address and contacted the police. Officers seized his electronic devices and found the explicit sex chat.

The court heard that he had a conviction for indecent assault on a woman dating from 1988. A more recent offence of battery had lost him his job with the Royal Mail.

John Bottomley said in mitigation that it was an attempt and there was no real child.

Since his arrest, Kelly had woken every day with ‘the Sword of Damocles hanging over him.’ He was lonely after losing his employment and that and his drinking had contributed to his offending.

Recorder Christopher Rose said that by September, 2021, Kelly’s online chat had become extremely explicit.

“This was in your mind a genuine 13-year-old child that you were having conversations with,” he said.

The recorder accepted that Kelly was lonely and isolated after losing his job because of the battery conviction.

He told his probation officer he had no intention of following the sexual suggestions through. But they would have been enormously harmful and damaging to a real child.

Kelly was made the subject of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order for five years and he must sign on the sex offender register, also for five years.

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A DOUBLE rapist has been labelled a dangerous offender and given an extended prison sentence of 15 years and six months by a judge at Bradford Crown Court today.

Matthew Wilson, 43, was jailed for ten years in 2005 for raping a sex worker when he began strangling his terrified victim.

He was released from that sentence in 2014 and went on to rape a second woman in the Calderdale area.

At the time of the second rape, he was on bail for an assault on another woman during which he had put her in a stranglehold.

Judge Colin Burn said Wilsons second rape victim had been subjected to a sustained piece of violence before the attack.

He had punched her, dragged her across the floor and bashed her head against a wash basin, rendering her either fully or semi-conscious.

Wilson, who suffers from paranoid schizophrenia and a personality disorder, was remanded in custody following his arrest in 2017. He was later transferred to Rampton high security hospital because of his mental state.

At a hearing at Bradford Crown Court earlier this year, he admitted charges of rape, assault and making threats to kill after he was assessed as being fit to plead.

Formerly of Sowerby Bridge, he appeared in court today via a video link to a medium secure hospital in Stevenage where he is currently being treated.

I find that you are a dangerous man, particularly when mentally or emotionally unwell, Judge Burn told Wilson. His victim was traumatised by the offending and had been in survival mode for years.

The judge said Wilson posed a high risk of serious physical and sexual violence towards women as demonstrated by his previous convictions.

He was sentenced to nine years and six months in prison with an extended licence period of six years.

Wilson will remain at the hospital unit but he could be moved to prison depending on his mental state.

Judge Burn said he would have to serve two thirds of the custodial term before he could apply for parole but he would not be released automatically at that stage.

He will have to register as a sex offender for the rest of his life and comply with an indefinite Sexual Harm Prevention Order to protect women from him in the future.

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A MAN has been jailed for more than 10 years for rape, sexual assault and indecent exposure.

Paul Andrew John Marsh, 57, formerly of Thornton Terrace, Halifax was sentenced last Friday at Bradford Crown Court to 11 years after a jury found him guilty of multiple offences against a woman. 

The offences were non-recent and the Calderdale Safeguarding Team began an investigation when the victim came forward to report them.

Marsh was arrested and subsequently charged with offences including rape, sexual assault, and indecent exposure. Following a trial at Bradford Crown Court, which concluded last Friday, was found guilty. 

The 57-year-old has also been placed on the sex offender register for life and been given a Sexual Harm Prevention Order to remain in place indefinitely, alongside his 11-year custodial sentence.

Detective Constable Rosie Harrison, of Calderdale Safeguarding Team, said: “We are pleased with the substantial custodial sentence handed to Marsh which reflects the seriousness of his offending."

She added: “I would personally encourage any victims of unreported sexual offences or abuse, whether recent or non-recent to come forward and contact the police.

"All reports are treated with the upmost sensitivity and confidentiality.

"We will thoroughly investigate any reports and bring those responsible to justice.”

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A child sex offender from West Yorkshire has been jailed for four-and-a-half years after he was caught out by a paedophile hunter group for the second time.

Back in 2017, Scott Jones was given a three-year community order and told to undertake a sex offender programme after he admitted online sex chats with two “decoy” girls aged 14 and 11.

At the same hearing at Leeds Crown Court Jones was also made the subject of a five-year sexual harm prevention order and a requirement to register as a sex offender with the police for the same period of time.

But Bradford Crown Court heard today (Tues) that within 24 hours of the protective orders expiring, Jones was again involved in sexualised online chat with another 13-year-old “decoy”.

Jones, 28, was told the girl’s age, but he asked if she would have sex with him.

Another member of the Secrets n Lies hunter group also posed as the 13-year-old’s younger sister and Jones encouraged the older girl to touch her 11-year-old sister.

Prosecutor Laura McBride said another group, Yorkshire Predator Hunters UK, became involved and they attended at Jones’ home.

The police were called after he admitted talking to two “girls” aged 13 and 11 online and he was arrested.

When officers analysed a Samsung tablet device found at his address they recovered five Category A indecent images of children and 19 Category C indecent images.

Jones, now of West View Terrace, Pellon, Halifax, pleaded guilty to charges of attempted sexual communication with a child, attempting to incite or cause a child to engage in sexual activity and possession of indecent images of children.

Barrister Soheil Khan, for Jones, said his client had been “disowned” by members of his family following his conviction in 2017 and had found himself in a spiral of depression.

Recorder David Gordon noted that the latest offending had started the day after the previous five-year orders had expired.

“I’m bound to say I do not consider it to be a coincidence that you waited precisely for the expiry of the sexual harm prevention order and your obligation to register as a sex offender to commit the present offences,” he told Jones.

He said Jones’ previous conviction was a serious aggravating factor and he had failed to respond to warnings in the past.

“You participated previously in the Horizon programme for sex offenders and clearly that has, in spite of appearances, not been of any benefit to you,” said Recorder Gordon.

The judge made a new indefinite sexual harm prevention order, which restricts Jones’ internet use, and he will also have to register as a sex offender again for an indefinite period.

He told Jones he would serve two-thirds of his prison sentence before being released on licence.

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A CUNNING sexual predator has been given an 18-year extended prison sentence for abusing a child in the Bradford district.

David Hammond, 44, was convicted by a jury at Bradford Crown Court in November of the non-recent offending and today locked up on a video link to HMP Doncaster where he was remanded.

Hammond, of Crabtree Street, Halifax, was labelled ‘disgusting and wrong’ by his victim in a statement read out in court.

The victim spoke of their hatred for him and the nightmares and emotional trauma suffered since, describing him as ‘an awful disgusting man’ who had taken the smile off their face.

Hammond’s barrister, Ian Howard, said he was disabled and would find things very difficult in prison. He wasn’t getting any physiotherapy in custody and that had restricted his ability to move around.

Mr Howard said Hammond was no longer capable of independent living and that would curtail his ability to repeat such offending in the future.

But the trial judge, Recorder David Gordon, labelled Hammond ‘sexually predatory’ with ability and cunning.

He had denied any wrongdoing, giving evidence on oath before he was unanimously convicted by a jury that disbelieved him.

Recorder Gordon said Hammond had ‘a long-established sexual interest in children.’ His vulnerable victim had been left devastated psychologically and would bear the scars of the abuse for many years to come.

Hammond had shown no remorse, Recorder Gordon stated.

He conceded that his health was poor, with him having suffered at least one stroke, and appearing on the link in a wheelchair.

Recorder Gordon ruled that Hammond was a dangerous offender under the meaning of the law. There was a significant risk that he would cause serious harm to children in the future.

The contents of the probation report were ‘disturbing’ with the author assessing that his future risk was high.

Hammond’s sentence comprises a 13-year custodial term with a five-year licence period, equating to an 18-year extended prison sentence.

Recorder Gordon told him he will serve at least nine years behind bars before he can even be considered for parole and he may end up in prison for the entirely of the 13 years.

He must sign on the sex offender register for an indefinite period of time.

A Sexual Harm Prevention Order was made for life and a restraining order bans Hammond from contacting his victim in any way for an indefinite period.

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A Halifax ice-cream man who sexually abused a teenage girl while he was working at The Piece Hall has been jailed for more than three years.

Arthur Malaj, aged 37, of Range Lane in Halifax, was found guilty in July of causing a child to engage in sexual activity in relation to incidents which happened more than a decade ago.

Recorder Simon Kealey KC said at the time Malaj, who was then in his mid-20s, had been working as an ice cream vendor at The Piece Hall.

The judge said Malaj had provided free ice cream to his victim and had also given back more change than he should have before he started to discuss sexual topics with her.

On at least three occasions, Malaj persuaded the girl to perform a sex act on him in the toilets at the tourist attraction.

Recorder Kealey said Malaj had also touched the complainant’s breasts and bottom and he had kissed her.

Malaj’s offending was not reported to the police until 2018 and when he was interviewed he denied knowing the victim.

Recorder Kealey said it was absolutely clear from her victim impact statement that the abuse had had a very significant effect on her.
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“In my judgement there was an element of grooming,” he told Malaj over a prison video link to HMP Leeds.

Married Malaj was due to be sentenced at Leeds Crown Court in August but, after turning up at court on bail, he then “panicked” and was wanted by police on a warrant for almost a month.

A judge sitting at Bradford Crown Court heard today (Tuesday) that the subsequent delay meant his victim, who had attended the initial hearing, was no longer able to be at court to see him locked up.

Recorder Kealey jailed Malaj for three-and-a-half years for the two sexual offences and added a further four weeks in custody for breaching his bail by leaving the court in August.
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Malaj will now have a to register as a sex offender for the rest of his life and will also be subject to an indefinite restraining order preventing him from having any contact with the victim.

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A DANGEROUS paedophile who has already spent the last 12 years behind bars has today been jailed for a further nine years for more “wicked” child abuse.

Back in 2010 child rapist Selby Wardle, now 71, was given a “life” sentence, with a minimum of six years, under the imprisonment for public protection legislation, but Bradford Crown Court heard today that he had been refused parole on a number of occasions and had subsequently spent double that time in custody.

Prosecutor Andrew Petterson explained that in 2017 when Wardle was applying for parole again, further allegations were made against him.

A police investigation was launched and Wardle, who is currently in HMP Hull, initially branded the new allegations as “all lies”, but he eventually pleaded guilty to three further sexual abuse charges involving young children, who must not be identified for legal reasons.

Mr Petterson outlined details of the historic abuse and Judge Colin Burn described one particular offence as one of the most wicked forms of the offence that he could think of.

In victim impact statements the complainants described how Wardle’s abuse had ruined their lives and left them suffering nightmares.

One complainant said: ”This man has made my life hell and even locked away he still is.”

Judge Burn said the effects of the abuse had been “profound and appallingly destructive” on the quality of life of the complainants.

Judge Burn said Parole Board reports indicated that right up until the beginning of this year Wardle still represented a high risk of harm to children.

He said the nine-year jail term for the sexual offences would start from today and Wardle would have to serve at least two-thirds of that sentence.

Detective Superintendent Stuart Bainbridge, who led the investigation, praised the "incredible courage and bravery" of the victims and added: "I would encourage anyone who has suffered any sort of abuse either recent or historic to come forward and speak to police. You will be listened to and given the help and support you need.

"We have specially trained officers who will work tirelessly to bring any perpetrators to justice.” 

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