Search results for Leeds

Description

Sick John Butler was eventually arrested for a third time and kept on remand in HMP Leeds, eventually admitting nine counts of possessing indecent images.

Leeds Crown Court heard that police were informed that vile images were being downloaded at an address at Potternewton Crescent, Chapel Allerton, in July of 2021.

Officers went to the address that was being rented by his partner and arrested Butler, seizing a laptop, memory cards, USB sticks and a Raspberry Pi computer. Analysis found nearly 3,000 abuse images, including 219 category A – the worst kind. There was also 256 category B and 2,427 category C.

They included videos and images of children as young as one. Prosecutor Ella Embleton said there was a “determined and systematic search” for images, and he had attempted to cover his tracks by using a Tor browser.

The 58-year-old denied the devices were his and said he had no sexual interest in children. Having been bailed, the officers returned to his home in August of last year after another tip-off.

They seized more devices and found another 2,331 images – 223 category A, 131 category B and 1,977 category C. He had made similar searches but again denied the offending.

Officers had to terminate his police interview early because he became aggressive. Like previously, he was bailed but officers went to his home again in May of this year and seized a laptop on which they found 21 images – three in category A, seven in B and 11 in C. He was once again “volatile and aggressive” with police.

Butler, of Sackville Street, Sheepscar, has 22 previous convictions for 77 offences, including an indecent assault on a seven-year-old in 1984 for which he was jailed for three months.

Mitigating, Giles Grant said Butler was now “engaging with shame” having finally admitted his guilty pleas. He said: “It’s a hard step and a huge step and perhaps progress for this defendant.”

Judge Ray Singh jailed him for 25 months and said: “These children were extremely young and you continued unrelentingly.”

Butler was put on the sex offender register for life and given a lifelong sexual harm prevention order (SHPO) to limit his internet use.

Description

Oliver Hough was suspended from his job after he was arrested and charged. Leeds Crown Court heard that the 30-year-old had groped a man whom he was sleeping next to following a new year’s party at a house in Hertfordshire in 2020.

The victim kept telling him to stop and continually had to push him away. Hough later apologised to the man over Snapchat and the police were not called on this occasion.

But on January 14 this year, after a night out in Leeds, a group of friends stayed at Hough’s home on Town Street, Armley.

In the middle of the night, one of the men woke to find his underwear pulled down and Hough kneeling next to the bed performing sex acts on him.

Prosecutor Nick Adlington said the victim pretended to be asleep. Hough was detained by others when it became apparent what he had done, and the police were called. He later gave a no-comment interview, but his saliva was found on the victim.

It later emerged about his previous assault three years ago. Hough admitted three counts of sexual assault and one of digital penetration.

Mitigating, Lee Marklew KC said: “He has lost his career and his work so he has already been punished. He has had the shame of having to front up to colleagues and superiors, let alone all of his family.

"He has had a considerable amount of time to think about his behaviour.”

Mr Marklew described Hough’s conduct during the first assault as a “misplaced confidence”, and he had suffered from severe depression since his arrest. He has since moved back to the midlands with his family and Mr Marklew said that had deep-seated fears, over how he will be treated in custody as a gay man.

Judge Simon Phillips KC jailed him for 43 months and placed him on the sex offender register for life. The Health and Care Professions Tribunal Service website states that Hough is currently subjected to an interim suspension from his job.

Description

Warped David Shanks, 75, latched onto the profile, before sending pictures of his genitals and said he would “bring condoms” for the meeting with the supposed 14-year-old boy.

Leeds Crown Court heard that Shanks, of Dewsbury Road, Hunslet, made contact with the fake profile on July 18 via the social-media site for gay people, Hornet.

He sent several messages before the recipient replied, who made it clear they were only 14, but Shanks wanted him to come to Leeds for the weekend “for the gay scene”.

Having traded phone numbers, Shanks asked him if he wanted sex, told him he had contraception and had baby oil “in the fridge” and “could not wait” to meet him, prosecutor Beatrice Allsop told the court.

On August 3, police went to the railway station where they found Shanks near the entrance and arrested him. He told them he was waiting for the 14-year-old boy, but claimed he had no intention of meeting for sex, telling officers during his interview that he had planned to buy him food then put him back on the train. His claim was rejected by Judge Simon Batiste.

Appearing in court from HMP Leeds, where he has been held since his arrest, he admitted attempting to meet a child under 16 after grooming, and attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child. He has no previous convictions.

Mitigating, Michael Morley said: “He is not the first man to find himself in this position. Despite entering guilty pleas he has struggled to come to terms with the position he has landed himself in. He has never been in trouble before.

"He has worked from the ae of 16 to 74. He accepts that he does need help.”

Judge Batiste jailed him for 26 months, gave him a 10-year sexual harm prevention order (SHPO) to limit his internet use and put him on the sex offender register for the same period.

He told Shanks: “It was not simple fantasy because you went to the railway station to meet him. It’s clear your intention was for sexual activity.”

Description

A man who raped a vulnerable young girl has been jailed following an investigation by specialist safeguarding officers in Leeds.

Calum Stephenson, aged 20, targeted the victim, who was under 13, in June last year. 

Detectives from Leeds District Safeguarding Unit began an investigation after the girl’s mother contacted police to report the incidents. 

Stephenson was arrested and initially denied the offences but subsequently pleaded guilty to two counts of rape of a girl under 13 and one count of causing or inciting a girl under 13 to engage in sexual activity. 

Today, he was sentenced at Leeds Crown Court to eight years in prison with a one-year extended licence. 

He was also given a lifelong Sexual Harm Prevention Order and will be placed on the Sex Offenders Register for life. 

Detective Inspector Carl Morrison, of Leeds District Safeguarding Unit, said: “Stephenson preyed on this vulnerable young girl to sexually exploit her, and his depraved actions have understandably had a lasting traumatic impact on the victim. 

“This was a complex and challenging investigation where painstaking work by the officer in the case, DC Rall, was able to secure the vital DNA and CCTV evidence that ultimately led to Stephenson’s guilty pleas and conviction for these offences. 

“Despite her young age and the trauma she was put through, the victim has showed real bravery in coming forward initially and throughout the investigation. 

“We hope that seeing Stephenson brought to justice will provide some level of reassurance to her and her family as they continue to move on with their lives. 

“We also hope that the successful outcome of this case will give other victims of similar offences the confidence to come forward knowing they will be listened to and supported.” 

Description

Donat Cantrell was found guilty after a trial at Leeds Crown Court of a string of offences against the youngster who was 10 or 11 at the time. The 57-year-old is already serving a lengthy jail sentence following an armed stand-off with police Horsforth in March last year.

But he was handed a new nine-year extended sentence this week, which will only begin when his existing 10-years-and-eight-months sentence expires.

The court heard that Cantrell had groomed the youngster and bought her gifts, including a bikini. On one occasion, he invited the youngster into his motorhome on her own and closed the curtains before undressing himself.

He told her he needed to wash himself and asked her to help, before asking she remove her clothes. He then washed her touching her body, including her vagina. He masturbated himself and made her touch his genitals before performing a sex act on her. He later told her not to tell her mother and that he was “like a grandad”.

On another occasion, he invited the girl into a bathroom and made her masturbate him with the promise of £20. He then took her to a B&M store the next day and gave her the cash, telling her she “earned it”. He also showed her a pornographic video.

Cantrell, formerly of St Helena’s Caravan Park in Horsforth, was found guilty after his trial of engaging in sexual activity in the presence of a child, sexual assault of a child, causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity, assault of a child by penetration, sexual assault of a child and causing a child to watch a sexual act.

Mitigating, Rebecca Young said Cantrell has problems with drink and drugs which she said did not excuse his behaviour but “went some way to explain it”.

This was shot down by Judge Tom Bayliss KC, who said he could not understand the correlation. He told Cantrell: “You were in a position of trust with that child. You tried to corrupt the child with gifts and then with money. It’s difficult to think of a more cynical and calculated attempt to sexually abuse a child.”

Description

A teenage boy was sent a chilling video on Snapchat which showed him being sexually assaulted in a hotel room.

The boy was targeted by sick Liam Gandz, 19, as he slept in August 2020. Gandz, who was just 16 at the time, filmed the horrific attack and sent it on to another person before the video got around to his victim.

Gandz, of Brayton Square in Leeds, appeared at Leeds Crown Court to be sentenced for sexual assault as well as the rape of a child under the age of 13, two counts of sexual assault of a child under the age 13 and three counts of making indecent images of a child.

The latter offences related to an eight-year-old boy Gandz sexually assaulted and raped. That attack was also filmed. Leeds Crown Court heard on Thursday that Gandz said: "FFS he's waking up" as he filmed the sick assault.

Prosecutor Philip Standfast said: "On 14th September 2020, the 16-year-old victim got sent a video of an indecent nature from a contact on Snapchat. He recognised himself and saw the sex offences committed against him. He wasn't aware [it was taking place] because he was asleep at the time. He could see they were filmed by the defendant. He told his mum and she informed the police."

The eight-year-old was interviewed by the police and although he did not initially make a report he was upset.

The court heard Gandz's phone was seized and showed the videos and stills had been recorded. He had sent them on to a person online who was operating under the profile of a female who has not yet been identified. Mr Standfast said: "When he was arrested, his phone was seized and downloaded and recovered were a number of [indecent] images at categories A, B and C."

Gandz made no comment in his interviews but went on to indicate guilty pleas at the Magistrates' court.

In their victim impact statement, the parents of the eight-year-old victim told the court how the offences have had a "profound impact on his life" and have "caused psychological harm." Mr Stansfield said they said the offences have "shattered his sense of safety."

He added: "His parents feel an overwhelming sense of guilt from not being able to protect their child from harm."

Mitigating, Catherine Silverton said three Child in Need reports had been undertaken as well as a doctor's report and a pre-sentence report. She said Gandz is "disgusted in himself" and said: "It's nearly three years since the commission of these offences. He knows he will get an immediate custodial sentence today. He was 16-years-old and four months at the time.

"He indicated he was going to plead guilty at the first opportunity at court."

Ms Silverton said there had been an "unreasonable" delay in the case and Gandz has no relevant convictions.

His Honour Judge Stubbs KC sentenced Gandz to four-and-a-half-years in a Young Offenders' Institution and said it was "worrying" that he had no accepted his wrongdoing.

He said: "The messages you were sending show me very clearly that you knew what you were doing was very wrong...Your attitude to what you did wrong is very worrying and is something that concerns me...the fact you're shaking your head and acting like you don't know what I'm saying is evidence of that...

"Opening up and accepting what you've done wrong is really important. It's alright to come to me crying when you pleaded guilty but when someone comes to you and talks to you about what you did - rape an eight-year-old - you come and shake your head and that's what worries me."

The judge made Gandz the subject of a lifelong sexual harm prevention order and said he would be on the Sex Offenders' Register for life.

Description

A persistent sex offender says he "holds his hands up" after he was found to be hiding a mobile phone inside a sock when police searched his home.

Liam Hunter, 29, was made the subject of a sexual harm prevention order - due to end in 2025 - in 2019 after he was convicted of two counts of sexual activity with a girl under the age of 16 and meeting a girl under the age of 16 following sexual grooming.

Hunter was jailed for three-and-a-half years and released, but was still subject to the order which means he had to tell police if he acquires a device that is capable of accessing the internet within three days.

Prosecutor Austin Newman told Leeds Crown Court on Friday that Hunter was visited at his home in Harehills by his police offender manager on February 28 this year and was asked about his possession of any devices capable of accessing the internet.

Mr Newman said: "He denied having any, saying he was waiting for the probation service to supply him with a phone. Shortly after, a mobile phone fell from his pocket, only his table. It was seized by the officer and it was apparent it was a smart phone capable of accessing the internet. He was asked why he lied and said he had only got the phone that day but this was plainly another lie."

When officers viewed the search history of the phone, there was a search history going back to February 18. An examination of the device showed Hunter had searched the internet using the term "animal porn."

Mr Newman told the court Hunter was arrested and during that arrest he indicated he wanted to take some clothing with him. A search was carried out and another mobile phone was found inside one of his socks. During his interview, the court was told, he made "full and frank admissions." He went on to plead guilty to two breaches of the sexual harm prevention order.

Representing himself, Hunter said: "I'd just like to apologise for my behaviour. I fully admit it and hold my hands up. I was wrong and that's why I thought I didn't need a defence."

Hunter told the judge he "fully respects" his decision and added: "There's nothing more I can really say."

His Honour Judge Batty jailed him for 20 months and said he will be released on licence halfway through the sentence.

Description

Pervert Robert Taylor, 36, made contact with a Facebook account purporting to be a 12-year-old boy named ‘James’ in June last year. Over the course of about eight days, he groomed ‘James’ – sending him an explicit photographer, telling him he was “sexy” and that he wanted to be his boyfriend. He arranged to meet him at Batley Railway Station and check into a hotel, indicating he would carry out sexual offending of the most serious kind.
 
James was a decoy account set up by West Yorkshire Police and when Taylor arrived at Batley Station on June 30 last year, he was arrested.

He admitted what he had done and knew it was wrong, but told the officers he was “horny”. He then admitted he also looked at indecent images, so a computer and hard drives were seized from his address on Naseby View in Burmantofts.

Police found thousands of images and videos of child abuse, including 990 Category A – the most serious – as well as extreme pornographic photographs involving people performing sex acts on animals.

After a delay due to legislative changes, Taylor was brought before Leeds Crown Court in April. He admitted arranging or facilitating the commission of a child sex offence, attempting to meet a child under 16 and attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child. He also admitted three counts of possessing indecent, possessing prohibited images of children and extreme pornographic images.
 
His sentencing was adjourned to this week as Judge Rodney Jameson KC digested a lengthy medical report. In his report, Dr Harry Wood found Taylor had developed lifelong psychological difficulties due to his mother being unwell when he was born, which meant he had been an “isolated figure” throughout his life.

Dr Wood also said Taylor was likely to have Asperger’s Syndrome. The defendant has no previous convictions.

Judge Jameson said that while there was no real victim, there had been a “significant degree of planning” and “grooming behaviour”. He jailed Taylor for three years and six months. Taylor was also handed a sexual harm prevention order for 10 years.

Description

A sex attacker who put a noose around a woman's neck and dragged her away has been jailed for eight years.

Ben Creek, 31, launched the "sinister and disturbing" attack as his victim returned from taking her children to school in Holbeck, Leeds, last year, a jury heard.

He pinned her to the ground before before a passer-by interrupted and Creek fled through rush-hour traffic.

Creek, of Britannia Road, Morley, was jailed at Leeds Crown Court on Friday.

The court had heard that Creek grabbed the woman, who was in her 20s, from behind as she walked under a viaduct between Domestic Road and Cross Ingram Road at about 09:15 BST on 5 May last year.

Dressed in black with a beanie hat and with his face covered, Creek choked the struggling victim with the noose as he dragged her to a grassy area.

After the passer-by intervened, he fled through queuing traffic on busy city centre roads, including the A643 dual carriageway.

Creek was arrested 10 days later, after CCTV images released in a police appeal led to his identification.

Detectives learned he had also exposed himself to a schoolgirl in Asquith Avenue, Morley, four days after the noose attack.

In November, Creek had pleaded guilty to sexual assault, attempting to choke, suffocate or strangle a person in order to commit an offence, indecent exposure, and outraging public decency.

After the sentencing, Det Insp Suzanne Hall, of West Yorkshire Police, said: "This was a very sinister and disturbing incident. A woman was brazenly attacked near a busy road as she walked back from taking her child to school during the morning rush hour.

"It was terrifying for her and it has left her traumatised."

The offences showed Hall was a "dangerous sexual predator", Det Insp Hall added.

"We hope it will give some degree of comfort to his victims and to the wider community to know that he is behind bars."

Creek will also have to serve five years on licence after his eventual release from prison.

Description

A former teacher who kept a "paedophile manual" has been jailed after a colleague reported concerns after seeing inappropriate images on his laptop.

Jamie Alexander Wheeler, 32, was jailed for four years and ten months when he appeared at York Crown Court on Tuesday (May 16). He had previously pleaded guilty to a catalogue of sex offending. The offences he admitted were possessing a paedophile manual, three counts of making indecent images of children, six counts of sexual touching, eight counts of causing a child to engage in sexual activity, two counts of taking an indecent photo of a child and two counts of meeting a child to engage in a sexual act.

The former teacher, previously of Riccall near Selby, but now of Leeds, was also ordered to sign the Sex Offenders' Register indefinitely and made the subject of a 10-year sexual harm prevention order. The court heard how during his arrest, officers seized 33 electronic devices including laptops, phones and memory sticks. Forensic examination of the devices revealed over 26,000 indecent images of children including 4,721 category A images - the most serious.

Officers also discovered the manual which went into detail about how to groom children in the lead up to abusing them sexually.

Investigating officer, Detective Constable Claire Hudson of York and Selby CID, said: “The images found on Wheeler’s devices depicted sickening and very distressing images of children being abused. Behind every image is a terrified child that has suffered in the worst possible way. By downloading these images he has helped fuel the horrific trade in child sexual abuse images, re-victimising every child in those photos and videos.

“While we did not identify any evidence that he was directly involved in the worst kind of sexual offending, we did identify direct offences of sexual touching and other grooming offences to which he thankfully pleaded guilty and spared the victims the trauma of giving evidence at court.

“When his offending was discovered, we worked with our partner agencies to ensure immediate safeguarding measures were put in place, including his suspension from his job and conditions imposed to prevent any contact with any children. I hope Wheeler uses his time in prison to take make use of the help available to prevent re-offending in the future.”

Description

A convicted rapist living in Leeds has been returned to jail after failing to tell police that he obtained a passport and travelled to Amsterdam.

Having been placed on the sex offenders register, Liam Palmer must notify police if he receives such documents, and must give at least seven days’ notice if he plans to go abroad. In 2017 he was convicted after a trial of raping a woman in the Bristol area, and received six years’ jail.

Appearing at Leeds Crown Court via video link from HMP Leeds this week, he admitted two counts of failing to comply with the notification requirements of his order.

Prosecutor Mark Thomas said in March, Palmer’s offender manager was notified by UK Border Force that Palmer had travelled to Amsterdam in June of last year from Manchester Airport. He was later told that Palmer had also acquired a new passport.

The 31-year-old was arrested earlier this month, but during his police interview largely gave no comments, although he did admit he was a registered sex offender.

Mitigating, Ian Cook said that Palmer, of Aston View, Bramley, had been released from prison in August 2020 and had been complying with probation.

He said his trip to Amsterdam was not for a holiday, but that his uncle had died in the Netherlands wanted to attend the funeral, but did not want to risk being refused permission if he informed police.

Mr Cook said: “In reality, he hoped he got away with it. There was no sinister attempt. It follows a long period of exemplary compliance and this was something that he had hoped would not rear its head. He now wants to get back to where he was.”

Judge Penelope Belcher told Palmer: “I’m dealing here with serious and deliberate breaches. You thought this was important and therefore you were going to travel. There’s no dispute it was deliberate and I take the view that this is long period of non-compliance.” She jailed him for 12 months.

Palmer had been jailed at Bristol Crown Court in August 2017 for raping a woman while she slept after a house party. The woman had gone to bed with another female friend only to wake later to find Palmer on top of her. He was jailed for six years.

Description

A South Yorkshire Police officer who pulled down a teenager's top and photographed her breasts has been jailed for eight months.

Paul Hinchcliffe, 46, sexually assaulted the 18-year-old in a pub in Wath upon Dearne in October 2020.

The victim told Leeds Crown Court the officer's behaviour had destroyed her trust in the police.

The married father-of-four resigned from the force after being convicted by a jury in January.

Hinchcliffe was off-duty and drinking with a group including other officers when he committed the offence in The Church House, a Wetherspoons pub, on 3 October.

'All trust gone'

He first took a photo of the woman and showed it to friends and made a comment about performing a sex act, the court heard.

Hinchliffe then flicked beer foam at the teenager's chest before pulling open her top, photographing her breasts in her bra, and making sex noises before sending the image to a colleague.

Later that night the woman, who lived with her parents, received WhatsApp messages from Hinchcliffe, one of which included a photo of her accompanied by several sexually explicit emojis.

In a victim impact statement, the 18-year-old said: "All my trust for the police just went.

"I used to feel safe when I saw police officers. I never think that now."

Sentencing Hinchcliffe, of Songthrush Way, Wath upon Dearne, Judge Robin Mairs told him his conduct "betrays your fellow officers who do a decent, committed job and makes women mistrustful of the police force".

Katherine Pierpoint, defending, had urged the judge to suspend the prison sentence and pointed to a raft of references from colleagues about his 20-year career.

The barrister said her client's drunkenness at the time of the offence was no excuse but might explain his "completely out-of-character" behaviour.

She said that, unlike other recent high-profile cases, Hinchcliffe had not used his position as a police officer to commit the offence.

'Far beyond banter'

But Mr Mairs rejected her plea and noted Hinchcliffe's role at the time of the offence involved training student police officers, saying he had breached the standards he was tasked with instilling into recruits.

He said the behaviour of Hinchcliffe and other officers in the pub "went far beyond jokes and banter" and had dented the victim's trust in both men and the police.

South Yorkshire Police said an accelerated misconduct hearing on 9 February concluded Hinchcliffe's conviction amounted to gross misconduct and the officer would have been dismissed without notice if he had still been serving.

Hinchcliffe, whose name will be on the sex offenders register for 10 years, has been placed on the police barred list, meaning he will never work in policing again, the force added.

Chief Constable Lauren Poultney said: "Whether our officers and staff are on duty or not, the public rightly expect us to portray the true values of policing at all times and this former officer fell woefully below these expectations."

Description

A MAN who repeatedly raped and sexually abused a vulnerable teenage girl has been jailed for 17 years.

Stephen Scholes, 55, attacked the victim at an address in Leeds during a prolonged ordeal after he plied her with alcohol on a night out. 

He denied the allegations when he was arrested and interviewed.

An investigation by detectives from the Leeds District Safeguarding Unit secured forensic evidence linking him to the offences.

Work by the force’s Digital Forensic Unit also uncovered evidence on his phone confirming that he had filmed the victim during the abuse.

He was charged with four counts of rape of a woman aged 16 or over and four counts of assault by penetration.

He pleaded not guilty but was convicted following a trial at Leeds Crown Court on Tuesday.

He was also placed on the Sex Offenders' Register.

Description

A Romanian man caught out by paedophile hunters was arrested at an airport after sending a teenage girl indecent images and videos.

Gheorge Paris, 33, told officers he was a "religious" person and "wouldn't do that" when he was questioned about the sexualised chat he had attempted to have with a 13-year-old girl named Lily-Rose.

Lilly-Rose was a decoy used by members of Predator Exposure - a group that works with the police to snare offenders who try and use social media to talk to children for their own sexual gratification.

Prosecutor Bashir Ahmed told Leeds Crown Court on Friday Paris, who appeared via a video link from HMP Leeds, began talking to Lily in May 2021. He said: "She made it clear to him she was 13-years-old. The chat very quickly became sexual in nature. He asked if she wanted to meet in private at his home address. He gave her details of his address and some other personal details like his cars.

"He asked her to send photographs of her naked."

The court was told Paris then sent indecent images of himself, videos of him masturbating and images of naked women. Mr Ahmed said: "He asked her if she wanted to have sex with him and said he would teach her how to do it. She told him she was too young. The chat ended on around 22nd June 2021."

Predator Exposure went to the address in Leeds Paris had given them but he was not there. It was not until April 2 last year that he was arrested at Liverpool John Lennon Airport, the court heard.

Mr Ahmed said: "He was interviewed at a police station and denied being in any chat with Lily or sending pictures or videos to her. He said he was a religious person and wouldn't do that."

Paris also suggested the offences could have actually been the work of a "disgruntled customer seeking revenge for buying a faulty car off him." He entered guilty pleas to the charges of attempting to communicate sexually with a child and attempting to cause a child to watch a sexual act at a plea, trial and preparation hearing in January this year.

The court heard he had previous convictions for offences including sexual activity with a child which had taken place in Romania. He had been given prison sentences for the offences.

Mitigating, Jim Littlehales, told the court Paris would be deported at the end of his sentence.

Her Honour Judge Penelope Belcher jailed Paris for 22 months and told him: "The pre-sentence report says you have pro-criminal attitudes especially in relation to sex offending and considers there is a high risk of sex offending with a significant impact on those impacted by it.

"These findings are enormously concerning."

Paris was also ordered to comply with notification requirements as a sex offender for ten years. He was made the subject of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order for the same amount of time.

Description

Heavily-built paedophile Samuel Frost, who has a lengthy record from crimes against children, assaulted a 16-year-old and then a 13-year-old at the stops on Garforth’s Main Street, where he was living at the time.

When police later searched his home they also found a partially-working double-barrel shotgun.

Appearing at Leeds Crown Court via video link from from HMP Doncaster, he was handed a 12-year jail sentence, made up of eight years’ custody and a four-year extended licence period.

Judge Simon Batiste told him: “You have a considerable record for offences of a sexual nature. You pose a significant risk of harm at the moment. To provide suitable protection to society I’m satisfied that an extended prison sentence is suitable.”

At around 7.30am on February 15 last year, Frost approached the 16-year-old waiting at the bus stop outside the Coral bookmakers on Main Street and grabbed her bottom before walking away. The shocked girl, who says she had seen him before, turned to see him walk away, but he then looked back at her. She later picked him out at a police ID parade.

On the afternoon of May 27, he then approached a 13-year-old schoolgirl waiting at a bus stop and put his hand up her skirt, before quickly leaving the scene. He was stopped by police but “gave a bizarre account” and was not arrested, prosecutor David Hall told the court.

It was not until police went to his home on June 6 over concerns that he was self harming, did they finally arrest him. They found the 410 shotgun, on which one of the barrels was still fully functional.

He was taken to hospital by officer but was “troublesome”, kicking out at one and biting another.

The 37-year-old later admitted sexual assault, sexual activity with a child, possession of a firearm and two counts of assaulting emergency workers.

He also admitted two breaches of a sexual harm prevention order (SHPO) and breaching the terms of the sex offenders register, having failed to notify police that he was regularly staying at a woman’s house in Leeds.

Frost was convicted of indecent assault of a child in 2001 and sexual activity with a child in 2006. He also sexually assaulted a child in 2014, riding a BMX through a Castleford park where he touched the 12-year-old girl before riding off. He was also convicted of sexual activity in the presence of children after he masturbated in front of a 12 and a 13-year-old girl at Wakefield Kirkgate Railway Station.

Mitigating for Frost in light of his latest offending, Charlotte Noddings said the “catalyst” was losing his job following the pandemic, and that he “thrived on stability”.

She said: “When it was taken away from him his life spiralled out of control he turned to taking drugs and offending. He knows what he did was wrong and is sorry. He accepts a lengthy period of prison is ahead of him."