Latest Offenders Lancashire

Description

The man pictured below is Andrew Thomson. He is a 53-year-old paedophile and a monster.

You won’t see him on the streets of East Lancashire for a very long time. That’s because on Friday (25th July) he was jailed for 24 years after carrying out serious sexual offences against a six-year-old boy and an eight-year-old boy.

After we arrested Thomson for those crimes, we were contacted by two further victims who the defendant had befriended and then sexually assaulted some years earlier.

Thomson groomed his first two victims, attempted to rape them and carried out multiple sexual assaults against them. He also forced them to watch him perform lewd acts on himself in their presence.

Thomson told his victims not to tell anyone about what he was doing to them ‘or it will be bad luck in life’.

Those offences mainly occurred in Accrington.

DC Hannah Blundell, who works in our Force Major Investigation Team and investigated those offences, said:

“Thomson is a manipulative sexual deviant who carried out unspeakable sexual crimes against two vulnerable boys. This is some of the worst sexual offending I have seen in my career and I welcome the significant sentence Thomson has received, which reflects the very real danger he poses to all male children.

“I want to praise the victims for their bravery in coming forward, though they may not fully understand what happened to them or why.”

When news of Thomson’s arrest for those offences came to light, two further victims came forward.

Thomson befriended both those victims when he was in his late teens/early 20s and they were still at school.

Thomson pulled the third victim’s shorts down when he was sat on a tree stump and sexually assaulted. The victim, who was around nine of 10 at the time, was so traumatised by what happened, he moved away from the area.

The fourth victim was between eight and 10-years-old when Thomson invited him into his house in Accrington where he sexually assaulted him in his bedroom.

DC Jason Taylor, who is from our East Child Protection Team and investigated the offences against the third and fourth victim, said:

“Thomson has left a trail of destruction in his wake as a result of his abhorrent sexual conduct. This offending has spanned decades and has had a profound impact on all of his victims and their loved ones.

“I hope the outcome of this case encourages other victims to come forward, confident they will be believed, listened to and that we will do everything in our power to put their abuser before the courts.”

Thomson, of Bawdlands, Clitheroe, pleaded guilty to attempted rape of a child under 13, causing/inciting a boy under 13 to engage in sexual activity, and engaging in sexual activity in the presence of a child.

Sitting at Burnley Crown Court, Judge Sara Dodd also made Thomson subject of an indefinite sexual harm prevention order and placed him on the Sex offenders Register for life.

Description

The man pictured is 32-year-old Joshua Adcroft and he is a deceitful and depraved sex offender.

He also uses the name Joshua Everitt and used to be a football stadium announcer.

His current employment opportunities are now extremely limited. That is because he was jailed for 14 years at Preston Crown Court on Friday (25th July) following our investigation into his abhorrent crimes.

Our investigations found that Adcroft had groomed an 11-year-old girl before going on to sexually assault her. He made threats against her if she told anyone what he had done.

In an impact statement to the court, she said:

“I felt empty inside when Josh first touched me. I felt overwhelmed and helpless. I now feel frustrated. I’m annoyed that I was too scared to tell anyone and feel that I let him do it.

“Previously Josh’s threats stopped me from telling people and reporting to the police as I was worried that he would carry them out. I isolated myself due to this. I was unable to tell anyone. He took away my ability to speak. However, after a period of time, I had the mindset of that not being my problem, and I was so relieved when I told my family.

“Josh has shown me a lot of love, treats and money since knowing him, but this would stop at times, and I found it confusing. Looking back, it was like a cycle which I’d now describe as ‘love bombing’. Josh messed with my head. At the time I wondered why my friends and family didn’t do this to me. It was continuous love from them, but I was always second guessing and wondering when they would stop loving me, like Josh did.”

Adcroft was a registered sex offender at the time of his latest offending but had kept his contact with the child a secret from the authorities.

The offending came to light in April 2024 and Adcroft was arrested by our British Transport Police colleagues following his return from a work trip.

Adcroft’s house in Accrington was searched following his arrest and two laptops and an iPad were found hidden inside an upstairs wardrobe. These devices had not been registered with the authorities – something he was required to do by a court order.

The electronic devices were searched and on two of them, our officers found indecent images of an eight-year-old girl from Essex. We also found a chat log, where Adcroft encouraged activity and instructed the girl’s mother on what images he wanted. These offences took place on 8th April and 9th April 2024. A criminal investigation has been launched into the conduct of the victim’s mother.

A further 53 indecent images of children were found on Adcroft ‘s hidden devices.

Adcroft, formerly of Lower Antley Street, Accrington, but now of no fixed address, was charged with three counts of sexual assault of a child under 13, soliciting indecent images of children; and 11 breaches of his Sexual Harm Prevention Order.

He pleaded guilty to all the offences. As well as being given the custodial sentence, Adcroft was given an indefinite Sexual Harm Prevention Order and ordered to sign the Sex Offenders Register for life.

DC Laura Fahey, of the East Child Protection Team, said:

“Adcroft is a manipulative individual who takes an unhealthy interest in young girls for his own perverted sexual interests.

“In contrast, the victim highlighted above has shown incredible courage in coming forward and speaking out about what Adcroft had done to her, despite his threats. His behaviour has clearly had a profound impact on her, as highlighted by her statement to the court.

“I welcome the sentence handed down to Adcroft. He is an extremely dangerous sexual offender who is now off the streets and away from children.”

Description

A Chorley man has been jailed for having sexualised online chat with a girl he believed to be 14 years old.

Anthony McFarlane, 34, (pictured) had inappropriate conversations via social media platform KIK and arranged to meet the girl at a hotel in Chorley.

However, the girl who McFarlane was talking to was in fact an adult acting as a decoy for a group who help to identify sexual predators.

McFarlane was detained by members of the group at the hotel on 11th April this year and arrested by our officers.

More than 200 messages had been exchanged between McFarlane and the decoy.

The messages showed that McFarlane clearly believed he was communicating with a teenager, and the messages were of a sexual nature.

One of the messages from McFarlane read: “Because think about it I’m meeting an under aged girl that’s staying at mine. That’s the nervous and scary part U get me. If we get caught I go to prison.”

McFarlane, formerly of Moor Road, Chorley, appeared at Preston Crown Court last Thursday (24th July) after pleading guilty to attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child and attempting to cause/incite a girl age between 13 and 15 to engage in sexual activity.

He was jailed for three years, placed on the sex offenders’ register for life, and issued with a 10-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order.

Det Con Mark Edwards of our Internet Child Exploitation team said:

“McFarlane believed he was messaging a 14-year-old girl and was communicating with her for two months.

“The messages were of a sexual nature, and it was clearly his intention to meet the girl and engage her in sexual activity.

“Thankfully it was a decoy he was messaging, and no one came to any harm.

“This was abhorrent behaviour from McFarlane, and I welcome the prison sentence imposed on him.”

Description

The man pictured is Joseph Chapman, he is 36 and he is a paedophile.

He groomed two 14-year-old girls he befriended on Snapchat and gave them vapes.

Chapman, who used the Snapchat handle PJ, went onto sexually assault both victims in his car. The offences took place in Burnley and Colne.

The mother of the first victim became aware of the offending in March 2023 after finding packaging for disposable vape devices in her daughter’s bedroom while cleaning. When she asked her daughter about it, she said she had been given them by an older man.

She went on to tell her sister that PJ had sexually assaulted her, but she didn’t want to tell her mum because she feared getting in trouble for vaping. The sexual assault happened in Chapman’s car the previous November.

The first victim managed to take down the registration number of Chapman’s car and saved it in the notes section of her iPhone.

Chapman had also contacted the first victim’s friend on Snapchat and he would ask her to meet him. He also asked her to send a photograph of herself in her school uniform, but she refused.

The offending against the second victim came to light in May 2023 when her mother found an entry in her diary for January 2023 which mentioned meeting ‘PJ the Pedo’ the following day. Concerned by this she continued to read the diary, noticing numerous entries mentioned PJ and that she received vapes from him.

The second victim went onto disclose that PJ had sexually assaulted her on two occasion in her car.

Chapman had also added the second victim’s friend on Snapchat, asked her age and offered to driver her to McDonalds.

Chapman was arrested in May 2023 and admitted what he had done in police interview.

However Chapman, of Lydgate, Burnley, pleaded not guilty but was eventually found guilty of four counts of sexual activity with a child following a trial at Preston Crown Court. He was back in the dock on Wednesday (23rd July) and was jailed for 11 years and three months.

In an impact statement to the court, the first victim said:

“When the assault happened, I told my closest friends but as they didn’t know how to help they distanced themselves, leaving me alone. I couldn’t leave my house out of fear of seeing him in public. I was going to the shop only a door away from home when I saw a car that looked like his. I froze and ran back home crying, and I was then unable to sleep that night.

“Because of what Chapman did to me, I don’t trust older men and automatically assume the worst which affects how much I trust doctors, counsellors, co-workers and even family friends. Unfortunately, I became hypersexual but also asexual, I crave the male validation and attention but when I get it, I hate it and feel dirty.

“When Chapman pleaded not guilty it felt hopeless, like he was going to win. This also occurred on a different day than we were told ‘for his protection’ this made me furious as I didn’t think he should have any protection. So instead of being distracted from just one GCSE I was distracted for all of them. The lengthy legal process made me feel like it was going to continue ruining my teenage years. I almost gave up altogether but I couldn’t let him win.

“I spent years trying to block out the memories so when I was told that I would need to re-watch my video evidence and the need to watch it ahead of the trial, all I did was cry and worry it would take all my progress away. When I watched my evidence I felt two emotions; sadness for my younger self and anger for me now it was so surreal watching myself talking about what happened. I did experience a flashback after this but that’s when I knew I wasn’t giving up now and he would be punished.

“Due to Chapman having issues with his legal team, court dates were one again pushed back, causing me further anxieties, and now I’m writing this statement for my long overdue justice and closure. Not only for me but all other survivors of Chapman's selfish actions.”

DC Lee Walker, of Burnley CID, said:

“Chapman is a dangerous and manipulative individual who groomed young girls online with the intent of going on to engage in sexual activity with them.

“He then forced them to re-live their ordeal by forcing them to give evidence during a trial – his final act of control.

“Chapman’s abhorrent behaviour has clearly had a significant impact on Chapman’s victims. Now the court process is over I hope they can now begin to rebuild their lives, knowing he will be in prison for a significant period of time.”

Description

A man groomed a 12-year-old child in Lancaster and then tried to cover his tracks by asking his victim to delete pictures, chats and videos.

Thomas Freret, 39, is now behind bars after pleading guilty to several offences. 

The offences, which happened in Lancaster, date back to 2020 when the victim was just 12-years-old.

Freret groomed the victim for sexualised chats, pictures and videos and told the victim to delete the messages in a bid to cover his tracks.

Enquiries found that Freret, who lived at an address in Elche, Spain, until his arrest on November 10, had been issued with a sexual offences prevention order in 2013. This banned him from using the internet to contact or attempt to contact any child known or believed to be under the age of 16, which this latest offending put him in breach of.

On July 14, he was jailed for six years at Preston Crown Court after pleading guilty to sexual communication with a child, inciting a child to engage in sexual activity and breach of a sexual offences prevention order.

During yesterday’s sentencing hearing, Freret was also put on the sex offenders register for life and made subject of a 10-year sexual harm prevention order.

DS John Barton, from the police’s west internet child exploitation team, said: “Freret groomed and exploited a vulnerable child for his own sordid sexual interests. Despite residing in Spain, officers worked tirelessly to ensure he faced justice back here in Lancashire and now he is behind bars where he belongs.”

“Freret is one of a growing number of offenders we’ve put before the courts and I hope this case sends a strong message that our team will continue to relentlessly pursue those who prey on vulnerable young children online.”

The man pictured is 39-year-old Thomas Freret and he is a sex offender.

Yesterday (14th July) he was jailed for six years at Preston Crown Court after pleading guilty to sexual communication with a child, inciting a child to engage in sexual activity and breach of a Sexual Offences Prevention Order.

The offences, which happened in Lancaster, date back to 2020 when the victim was just 12 years old.

Freret groomed the victim for sexualised chats, pictures and videos and told the victim to delete the messages in a bid to cover his tracks.

Enquiries found that Freret, who lived at an address in Elche, Spain, until his arrest on 10th November 2024, had been issued with a Sexual Offences Prevention Order in 2013. This banned him from using the internet to contact or attempt to contact any child known or believed to be under the age of 16, which this latest offending put him in breach of.

During yesterday’s sentencing hearing, Freret was also put on the Sex Offenders Register for life and made subject of a 10-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order.

DS John Barton, from our West Internet Child Exploitation Team, said:

“Freret groomed and exploited a vulnerable child for his own sordid sexual interests. Despite residing in Spain, officers worked tirelessly to ensure he faced justice back here in Lancashire and now he is behind bars where he belongs.”

“Freret is one of a growing number of offenders we’ve put before the courts and I hope this case sends a strong message that our team will continue to relentlessly pursue those who prey on vulnerable young children online.”

Description

A taxi driver has been jailed for sexually assaulting a teenage girl he picked up in his car.

"Despicable" Wahid Riaz, from Nelson, had picked up the victim from Burnley, just after midnight on 23 July 2023, Lancashire Police said.

During the journey she told Riaz how old she was, but he parked at the bottom of her street, told her to hug him and began kissing her before assaulting her and dropping her off at her house.

Riaz, 52, was jailed for five years at Preston Crown Court after being found guilty of a sexual offence.

'Vomited in bathroom'

During the journey he had told the victim she looked 16 or 17 and asked her if she had been with an Asian male, a conversation she captured on a video.

When she got into her house, she "went straight into the bathroom and vomited" before she "cried herself to sleep", police said

In a statement to the court, the victim said: "Immediately after the incident, I had a deep feeling of being dirty.

"I had really long baths and showers, and I would scrub my body so much I would make it red. I was just trying to feel clean."

She said as the incident happened in summer, she was "really conscious about what I was wearing".

"I was anxious and asked myself if my clothes were too revealing or if they showed too much skin, what might happen to me, as I blamed myself and what I wore that night," she said.

Det Con Ryan Benson, who led the investigation, said: "Wahid Riaz is a despicable individual who has a sordid sexual interest in children. He used his position as a taxi driver to isolate and then engage in sexual activity with a vulnerable young girl.

"This offence has had a profound and ongoing impact on the victim.

"Her bravery is a complete contrast to the cowardice Riaz has shown throughout this process, seeking to deny his criminal conduct despite the overwhelming evidence against him."

Description

Three men have been jailed for several sexual offences against an underage girl in 2018 after she was groomed over a social media messaging platform. 

Today (Thursday 26 June 2025), at Liverpool Crown Court, Michael Linfoot, 24, of Chorley, Callum Hesketh, 24, of Chorley, and Thomas Rae, 24, of Chorley, have been convicted of several sexual offences which took place against an underage girl in the Rivington area of Bolton seven years ago. 

On 23 April 2018, Hesketh messaged the victim, who was 15 at the time, via a social media messaging platform asking her to partake in a threesome, but the victim declined.  

Over next few weeks Hesketh continued to call and message her. He would then video call her and ask her to pose in different sexual positions for him while he masturbated. 

On the evening of 16 June 2018, the victim and her friend got a lift from the Adlington area with Hesketh and Linfoot. The two men picked the two girls up in a white van - which belonged to Linfoot - in exchange for alcoholic drinks.  

They drove to Rivington and parked the van where the victim’s friend received a phone call and stepped outside the vehicle. Meanwhile, Hesketh began to have sex with the victim and Linfoot took his penis from his trousers and orally raped her at the same time.  

While this was happening, Hesketh recorded the sex acts on his mobile phone and sent them out via a broadcast option on a social media platform with the caption, ‘Gang bang out here’. 

The victim heard Hesketh talking on his mobile phone and a short while later three more men arrived on motorbikes. 

One of the men, Thomas Rae, approached the van and removed his penis from his trousers and orally raped the victim. 

Afterwards, the two girls got into the rear of the van and Hesketh and Linfoot took them back to Adlington and purchased a bottle of wine for them before they drove off. 

Following a long and meticulous investigation, the three men who pleaded guilty, have been sentenced for their actions. 

Michael Linfoot has been convicted of one count of sexual activity with a child under the age of 16 in Rivington in 2018. He has been sentenced to 11 months in prison, suspended for 12 months. 

Thomas Rae has been convicted of one count of sexual activity with a child under the age of 16 in Rivington in 2018. He has been sentenced to 11 months in prison, suspended for 12 months. 

Callum Hesketh has been convicted of sending sexualised social media messages to the victim and one count of making indecent videos of a child in Rivington 2018. He has be en sentenced to eight months in prison, suspended for 12 months.

Description

Slawomir Klimek raped two women in Blackburn. Last week, he was jailed for 22 years.

On 29th November 2024, Klimek (pictured below)  approached a woman in her 30s on Throstle Street in Blackburn. He gripped hold of her coat and hit her in the face. He then held her by the throat, and raped her. As he left, he threatened the victim.

Exactly two weeks later, on 13th December, Klimek approached a second woman, hit her to the face, and raped her, leaving her in and out of consciousness as he continued to assault and rape her. The woman screamed for help and attempted to fight back.

An investigation was launched, after we received the report of the second incident on 13th December. During that investigation, we received the report of the offence from November.

Klimek was arrested, and following consultation with the Crown Prosecution Service, charged. Following a trial at Preston Crown court, he was found guilty of two counts of the rape of a woman and two counts of assault causing actual bodily harm.

Klimek, 33, of Ingleb Close, Blackburn was sentenced to 10 years for the first count, and 12 years for the second. These sentences will run consecutively, totalling to 22 years, and Klimek will be required to serve at least two thirds of that sentence.

Description

A "dangerous sexual predator" who "openly stated a preference for victims as young as eight" has been jailed.

David Mitchell thought he was messaging somebody else with a sexual interest in children but was in fact speaking to a police officer.

The 57-year-old, of Leyland, Lancashire, was then arrested at his house on 17 February.

He was jailed at Preston Crown Court for six years after admitting attempting to cause or incite a girl under 13 to engage in sexual activity and facilitating the sexual exploitation of a child under 13.

During the online exchanges, Mitchell told how he wanted to witness the abuse of a child in exchange for payment through gift cards, the North West Regional Organised Crime Unit said.

'Deeply disturbing'

Det Con Tris Farley said following Friday's sentencing: "This case demonstrates the commitment of our regional units to identifying and prosecuting individuals who pose a serious threat to children.

"Mitchell's messages exposed a deeply disturbing and calculated intent to exploit children.

"He openly stated a preference for victims as young as eight years old and provided explicit instructions for what he wanted to witness online.

"He is a dangerous sexual predator who now finds himself behind bars."

Description

A paedophile from Burnley who committed horrific sexual crimes against two children has been jailed for 17 years.

Simon Richards, 50, was sentenced alongside his partner, Natalie Rabie, 46, who admitted conspiring to incite a child under 16 to engage in sexual activity.

The pair, both of Holcombe Drive, Burnley, were sentenced at Guildford Crown Court on Monday (June 9) having previously resided in Surrey.

Richards pleaded guilty to 11 charges including multiple counts of rape of a child, attempted rape of a child, and making and distributing indecent images of a child.

Richards and Rabie were first arrested in June 2023 after the mother of one of the victims discovered sexual communications between Richards and the child, including the sharing of indecent imagery.

During police interviews, Richards replied 'no comment' throughout.

A thorough investigation by Surrey Police's child abuse team uncovered the extent of Richards' offending in the county.

For the offences of rape and attempted rape against one victim he received a nine-year sentence.

For offences against the second victim, including rape and sexual assault, and for the distribution of indecent images, he received a further eight years.

His sentences will be served consecutively.

The judge deemed Richards to be a dangerous offender, and he will be added to the Registered Sex Offenders list for life.

Both Richards and Rabie will be handed sexual harm prevention orders and indefinite restraining orders preventing them from any contact with the victims for the rest of their lives.

Rabie was sentenced to 20 months in prison for her crimes.

Investigating officer Harriet Francos said: “The bravery of the children involved in this investigation has been incredible.

"Their support for this case, alongside that of key witnesses,s has been vital in putting these predators behind bars.  

“Richards in particular, groomed these young people and poses a serious risk to children.

"It is a relief that he is now in prison and will have very strict conditions on him for the rest of his life.  

“I would urge anyone who has been the victim of sexual abuse, to come forward and report it to us in the knowledge that you will be listened to, believed and supported.”

Description

A man has been jailed for engaging in sexual activity with a person with a mental disorder impeding choice.

The incident happened in the sauna at Hyndburn Leisure Centre in Accrington on 16th January 2022.

Stephen Tate, 69, approached his victim and without warning performed a sexual act on him.

The victim, who was 19 at the time and has severe learning difficulties, did not want that to happen.

He reported the incident to his dad, who had come to collect him and pointed out Tate to him.

The victim’s dad told Tate to wait but he ignored him and got into his black BMW and drove off.

The victim’s dad took note of the vehicle registration number and reported the matter to the police.

Tate, of Gordon Street, Church, was arrested and later charged with engaging in Sexual Activity with a person with a mental disorder impeding choice. He was found guilty following a trial at Preston Crown Court in December last year.

Tate returned to the same court today (29th April) where he was jailed for six years. He was also ordered to sign the Sex Offenders Register for life and was barred from working with children and vulnerable people. Tate was also made subject of a 10-year sexual harm prevention order, which bans him from entering any public sauna, steam room or solarium

Description

A paedophile from Leyland has been spared jail after a judge in Preston handed him a suspended sentence.

Nathan Yeo, 28, was captured by paedophile hunters and handed over to police after a live sting streamed on Facebook last year.

He admitted on camera to grooming a number of underage girls, asking if they would like to have sex and asking for and sending sexual images knowing the girl was 14-years-old.

Yeo, who was living in Cunnery Meadow, Clayton-le-Woods at the time of the offences, was arrested and charged with a multitude of child sex offences. He pleaded guilty to all charges at court on August 2 and November 16, 2024.

The offences included multiple counts of attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child, making indecent photographs or pseudo-photographs of a child, possessing a prohibited image of a child and extreme pornographic images.

Yeo, who is diagnosed with autism and ADHD, appeared for sentencing at Preston Crown Court on Tuesday (April 8), where a judge spared him jail by handing him two years imprisonment suspended for 18 months.

The Court ordered that the defendant complete 35 days of Rehabilitation Activity as supervised by the Probation Service and to complete 100 hours of Community Unpaid Work as directed by the Probation Service within 12 months.

He was also ordered to sign the Sex Offender Register for a period of 15 years and made the subject of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order which remains in force until April 7, 2040.

Description

Connor Pennell (05/10/1997) of Vines Cross Way, Skelmersdale was yesterday (Tuesday 25 March 2025) sentenced to 9-and-a-half years at Bolton Crown Court after being found guilty of breaching his restraining order, rape, controlling and coercive behaviour, non-fatal strangulation and three counts of voyeurism.

He will be placed on the Sex Offenders Register and has an indefinite restraining order on the victim.

He was found guilty after our detectives uncovered footage through a baby camera monitor that was saved to his phone showing the horrific rape of a woman who was trapped in a controlling relationship with him.

Concerns were raised back in July 2024 in Wigan, when officers spoke to the victim who bravely came forward. He was previously charged for battery and strangulation when a protection from harassment order was also put into place. This didn’t stop his offending days, weeks and months later and following the retrieval of further evidence he was later charged with the above offences in July 2024.

He used controlling and coercive behaviour as well as threatening behaviour to release intimate images if it was shared that he had breached his order. This was over a long period of time where his attitude towards the victim, despite her not wanting to be in a relationship with him anymore and no consent being given, became violent and abusive in person and over text.

Once arrested and interviewed Pennell pleaded his innocence and told another version of events, stating to officers that his phone would back up what he was saying. This couldn’t have been further from the truth as when they began to retrieve the data the opposite came to light of the deliberate attempts to record footage on the baby monitor of the offences which the victim was unaware of.

On one occasion, the victim thought she was going to die after Pennell strangled her. Prompting her to report it due to the fear she had on her life.

After bravely disclosing the incidents in confidence to our officers, at court the victim in her impact statement highlighted the struggles she has been through: "Before I met Connor, I was a funny, bubbly, confident, loyal, young girl, and I had many friends who I loved, and a whole family who I loved with all my heart and who loved me, I had a life and a future to look forward to. He stripped pretty much every aspect of my life away and has changed the course of my future. I’m not the same person I was.

"Connor made me re-live it all, sitting in this court, surrounded by strangers watching videos of myself in an extremely personal state that haunts me. I have flashbacks of everything he has done to me and flashbacks of the trial.

"I hope that sentencing will help other Victims of Domestic violence and sexual crimes come forward and show them that their voices will be heard, and that justice will be served.

"It’s a long road to recovery because once the abuse stops it doesn’t mean it’s over, survivors always say the bruises disappear but the mental aspect of it takes much longer and they are right, so I am relearning to love myself. I will not let him take any more of me. Connor is a danger to women and children, and I pray that today’s sentencing reflects how powerful it is what one man’s damage can cause."

On Pennell being put behind bars, Detective Constable Amy Stewart from our Wigan district said; “Pennell had a complete disregard for women and is an extremely dangerous individual.

“The bravery of the victim in coming forward and then having the confidence and belief in us to be able to support a prosecution will hopefully help her as she tries to rebuild her life after what was a horrific time for her, with Pennell now facing the consequences.

“His misogynistic attitude towards women was clear for all to see in the end once we uncovered the shocking and disturbing evidence.

“I want to stress the importance to anyone out there who may be a controlling relationship to please, when possible, to reach out and speak to us as we can help and ensure you receive the necessary support. No life should be overshadowed by those who are intent on causing unnecessary and traumatic abuse.”

Description

The man pictured below is 64-year-old Derek Hardman and he is a sex offender.

You won’t see him on the streets of East Lancashire for a while because he was today jailed for 11 years and nine months.

On 28th September 2022 we were made aware that he had engaged in sexual activity with a vulnerable 16-year-old girl.

Hardman was arrested and denied any wrongdoing in police interview.

However, a comprehensive investigation uncovered a multitude of evidence that disproved Hardman’s assertions of innocence. This included an array of concerning text messages Hardman had sent to his victim.

All the offences took place in Burnley.

Hardman, now of no fixed address, was convicted of five counts of engaging in sexual activity with a child at Burnley Crown Court in November.

He returned to the same court today (3rd March) where he was also made subject of a 20-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order and told to sign the Sex Offenders Register for life.

In a statement to the court, the victim wrote: “I am not working at the moment and I think that some of it is due to the effect that the crimes have had on me. It has really affected my mental health. I don't like going out on my own and I don't go out at night. I'm too scared.”

She continued: “I have had nightmares about what Derek did to me. The doctor prescribed me sleeping tablets for this. I still have sleepless nights and nightmares about what happened. I was diagnosed with PTSD in February 2023 as a result of the crimes committed against me. This is something that I need to work through.”

Description

A convicted paedophile who downloaded almost 400 indecent images of children has been jailed.

Robert Bilsborough, 35, of Kingsfold Drive, Penwortham, was arrested after officers carried out a routine check of his electronic devices following a previous conviction of making indecent images of children and possession of prohibited images of children.

During the forensic examination of his devices, which took place in November last year, officers found 13 images classed as category A, the very worst type, as well as 23 category B, and 361 category C. In total, 397 indecent images of children were found on his devices.

He plead guilty to the offences and appeared at Preston Crown Court on Friday 28th February to be sentenced for 3 counts of making indecent images of children.

In total he was sentenced to 58 weeks in prison.

He was also made subject of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order.