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Description

A man from Old Swan has been sentenced to three years in prison for child sex offences.

Brian Connor, 61, of Elms House Road, in Old Swan, was sentenced today, Thursday 4 April, at Liverpool Crown Court after pleading guilty to attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child, making indecent photographs of a child and inciting a child aged under 13 to engage in sexual activity.

He was also given a ten-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order will be on the Sexual Offender Register for life.

Connor was arrested after he was found to be interacting online with an undercover officer, who he thought was a child, and engaged in sexual communications.

Detective Constable Julia Jennings said: “The behaviour displayed by Connor is utterly appalling and he deserves to be behind bars.

“Following an investigation, we were able to gather evidence that showed Connor had interacted with someone online who he thought was a child and this communication was sexual in nature.

“If you have experienced any form of sexual abuse, or know of a child being abused, please come forward and report this to police.

“We take all such reports extremely seriously and if you can find the courage to come forward and speak to us we have specially trained officers who will treat you with sensitivity and compassion.”

Description

A Halewood man has been jailed for breaching an order by possessing sexual images of children.

John Charles Hamilton, 40 years, of Ribble Road, Halewood was sentenced to two years and nine months imprisonment at Liverpool Crown Court on Thursday 1 February.

Hamilton pleaded guilty to breaching of Sexual Harm Prevention Order and possess indecent photograph/pseudo - photograph of a child.

The court heard that in October last year, officers conducted a routine visit to his home under the Sexual Harm Prevention Order imposed on him. Officers were checking his electronic devices and noticed a screen shot of a toddler saved to his tablet which is a breach of his terms.

All his devices were seized and detectives found more images of children under 16 years on them.

The Sex Offender Unit ensure that sex offenders living in the community are closely monitored.

Description

A former Army cadet instructor, who ruined the lives of five young boys by sexually abusing them, was jailed for almost 30 years on Friday.

A judge told 63-year-old Stephen Finnigan: You were a determined predator. You abused your position of trust and responsibility and power over each of these boys. Judge Robert Trevor-Jones said that as he denied all the allegations and was convicted after a trial, he 'forced each of the victims concerned to attend court and be branded liars'.

Jailing him for a total of 29 years six months with an extended one year licence, the judge said that Finnigan had groomed the boys with cigarettes and beer and caused them severe psychological damage.

Liverpool Crown Court heard that Finnigan, of Longfield Road, Litherland, Liverpool, committed the offences over a 12 year period in the 1980s and early 1990s with some overlap but mainly in succession.

He was an army cadet instructor and colour sergeant and was based at both Grace Road in Walton Vale and Browns Lane, Netherton when the offences occurred. Four of the victims were cadets and the fifth was the son of a friend. They ranged in age from eight to 14, explained Trevor Parry-Jones, prosecuting.

Finnigan also took cadets to Altcar firing range and camping trips in Royden Park on the Wirral where he sexually assaulted one of the victims. The boy was so traumatised that he slept outside the tent all night and got hypothermia.

Mr Parry-Jones said that the Army Cadets were seen as a means of instilling interest and pride in boys and was a potential route into the regular army. Sadly that could not be said to have been in the mind of the defendant who by his convictions seemed to have used the Army Cadets as a means of providing him with a source of boys whom he could groom and thereafter abuse," he said.

Those boys did not gain the security that they should have enjoyed and as was revealed in their evidence they suffered considerably both as a direct result of the assaults but also in their emotional development.

He said that many of the victims came from poor families and the defendant was popular as he provided cigarettes and beer which he also took to a flat where boys gathered.

One victim went to the police after reading about the Jimmy Saville abuse and left a message but did not follow it up. He effectively buried it as did the second victim, who was aged about 12, when Finnigan began assaulting him culminating in buggery. His life effectively collapsed, he resorted to drugs, said Mr Parry-Jones.

The third victim who was assaulted at Royden Park eventually told police what had happened after seeing an article in the local media about Finnigan receiving a medal for 'exceptional service' to the Army Cadets.

The next cadet victim, who Finnigan attempted to have anal sex with, read his own graphic impact statement to the court on Friday, in which he told how his life had spiralled out of control and led to him committing various offences and being imprisoned. It was only when his solicitor encouraged him to tell her about his past, convinced there was something in his background, that the details emerged and the police were informed.

Merseyside Police then began to investigate and were able to trace the previous reports made and re-interview the victims, said Mr Parry-Jones.

The court heard that the fifth victims family had regarded the defendant almost as an uncle. His family life was poor and Finnigan gave him the attention he craved and groomed him. He told his dad about the abuse but he severely beat him and social services intervention failed to result in a police investigation.

Two other impact statements were read to the judge in which those victims also told how they had been left haunted by his attacks.

The court was told that Finnigan only has one previous offence but this was in 2012 for assaulting a cadet by setting fire to his hair as he believed it was too long and this led to the end of his Army Cadet involvement.

He had been convicted of 29 offences involving indecent assault, indecency with a child and an offence which would now be charged as rape. Finnigan, who appeared via video link, continues to maintain his innocence. He had claimed they had conspired together to get him into trouble.

He repeatedly shook his head during the proceedings and smiled when sentenced. He was ordered to sign the Sex Offenders Register for life.

Description

A man from Litherland has been sentenced to 29 years and six months for 29 counts of historical sexual offences against five children.

Stephen Finnigan, 63, of Longfield Road was sentenced today, Friday 5th January, for multiple counts of indecent assault, gross indecency and other sexual offences following a two-week trial at Liverpool Crown Court.

Detectives carried out the investigation after receiving a report in 2014 of sex offences against a child which spanned a several-year period. Further victims also came forward, which led to a charge in 2022.

The crimes were historic dating back to the last century, where the offender breached a position of trust, as an instructor in the army cadets.

Merseyside Police wish to make it clear that the army cadets have co-operated fully throughout this operation and their assistance was invaluable.

Detective Constable Claire McDonald said: “The predatory behaviour displayed by Finnigan is utterly appalling and he will now spend years in prison for his depraved actions.

“His victims have showed immense courage and bravery to report the deplorable offences that Finnigan committed.

“Finnigan continued to deny the offences, which meant his victims had to endure a trial when they had to relive the horrific experiences.

“As you can imagine for victims of such an appalling crime, the impact on them is significant and long-lasting. I hope this sentence provides some comfort in knowing they did the right thing by reporting Finnigan’s heinous crime to us.

“I want to stress that time is no barrier to reporting offences and Merseyside Police is completely committed to protecting children from sexual abuse and those who seek to do them harm, regardless of when the offences occurred.

“If you have experienced any form of sexual abuse, or know of a child being abused, please come forward and report this to police.

“We take all such reports extremely seriously and if you can find the courage to come forward and speak to us we have specially trained officers who will treat you with sensitivity and compassion.”

A spokesperson for the army cadets said: “The Cadet organisation has cooperated fully with Merseyside Police throughout the investigation and has clear safeguarding measures and procedures in place to ensure the protection and support of all cadets and adult volunteers, through security screening, rigorous disclosure checks and regular safeguarding training.”

Description

A dangerous paedophile who sexually assaulted a 14-year-old girl was slapped with an extended sentence by a judge after he threw a tantrum in court and stormed out of the dock.

During his sentencing at Snaresbrook Crown Court John Lomas, 42, repeatedly barracked Judge Alex Gordon refusing to accept the characterisation of him as dangerous.

Vile predator Lomas exited the unsecured dock before tussling with security and was absent when the court heard Judge Gordon’s reasons for an extended sentence of 10 years.

Those included a psychiatrist's belief Lomas "does not have any insight into the harm he has caused" and worrying fantasies in which he describes himself as a "Daddy Dom to little girls", MyLondon reports.

The probation service also wrote Lomas presents a "serious risk to children", which prompted Judge Gordon to conclude: "I'm satisfied you do present such a risk."

Lomas laughed and shook his head at the remark, then said: "I want to leave please. I do not want to listen to this." Judge Gordon replied: "Well you have to."

Lomas - who had already been told to restrain himself - shouted across the court: "I'm going to kill myself so just let me go."

He then left the unsecure dock and could be heard tussling with dock officers who set off the panic alarm.

Prosecutor Nicholas Wayne described how Lomas began speaking to his 14-year-old victim over Snapchat and WhatsApp, where they exchanged "particularly unpleasant" messages including videos of each other masturbating and Lomas penetrating himself in the anus.

Lomas became "obsessed" and arranged to meet the victim in a secluded woodland in Chingford, East London, on April 29 this year.

He drove down from his home in of Gwladys, Liverpool armed with a sex toy he intended on gifting the victim in exchange for a pair of her knickers, telling her to hide the toy from her parents.

Lomas also brought alcohol, which he plied the girl with until she was "paralytic" then bent her over a log and sexually assaulted her.

After the sexual assault she was discovered by members of the public who called an ambulance. "She was shouting things like 'Why wont the pain stop?' and 'I want to die'," Mr Wayne said.

While she was telling passers by what had happened, Lomas tried to pull her away but fled once he realised the police were on their way.

Lomas was arrested and admitted his crimes to police at the station, after which they discovered the sexual communications on his mobile phone and his plans to meet her.

Lomas was charged and pleaded guilty to assault by penetration, sexual communication, and meeting a child following grooming on June 8 at Snaresbrook Crown Court.

Defending barrister Parveen Mansoor explained her client had a "difficult childhood" and underwent constant assessment by doctors due to his autism and developmental disorder.

But Ms Mansoor was briefly interrupted by Lomas as he objected to the charge of meeting a child following grooming, despite pleading guilty to it.

He claimed he was "told to plead guilty" by his previous counsel, against his belief he had not intended to commit a sexual offence.

Acting on her client's instructions, Ms Mansoor tried to make the point but it was rejected by Judge Gordon.

The judge said: "He travelled down from Liverpool having exchanged disgusting videos with her and you are telling me he did not intend to do anything.

"He has an appalling attitude in relation to this offence. He said there should be no law preventing sexual relations with anyone who has reached the age of puberty."

Lomas then shouted: "You're putting words in my mouth."

Judge Gordon asked him to "restrain yourself" and continued: "He claims to have no sexual interest in children, that's obviously not true. He has a self-confessed interest in Daddy Dom with little girls."

Ms Mansoor could only add that her client was sorry, and had promised to block any young girls if he found himself in a similar situation again.

Judge Gordon accepted the mitigation but added: "There's no evidence whatsoever of any motivation to change his behaviour."

Description

A man who asked what he thought was a 12-year-old girl for indecent naked pictures had no idea he was in fact talking to an undercover police officer.

Chris Waine, 26, told the online decoy he "wanted to f*** someone other than his fiancée" after communicating with her on social media under the username "IWannaCheat". He went on to ask the supposed 12-year-old to send him indecent naked pictures, and when she refused he said he would find someone who would.

He appeared at Liverpool Crown Court today, October 25, where he pleaded guilty to one count of attempted sexual communications with a child.

Prosecutor Ian Criddle said the brief conversation with the decoy, known as Izzy, happened in November 2021. Waine was arrested in May 2022, when he admitted sending the messages on the 18+ chat website, but denied being sexually interested in children.

Mr Criddle said: "The offence took place on social media. The girl had purported to be 18, and called Izzy. That's when the defendant messaged her 'are you horny?', thinking she was 18 at that time. However the undercover police officer replied saying she was only 12. The defendant then asked if the communication could continue on another social media platform, Snapchat.

"When on Snapchat he said he wanted to 'f*** someone other than his fiancée'. He asked for a photo of Izzy and was sent one of her in a nightie. He said he wanted naked photographs. She declined to provide these photographs and the defendant said he would find someone who would, and the chat ended."

Waine, who appeared in court supported by his fiancée, was described by his family as "hard working, caring and sensitive".

Jim Smith, defending, said: "What's different in this case is we have an attempted victim, who is not a real victim, who appeared to be 18 years of age. This seems to be a genuine out of character incident from this defendant at a moment when he was suffering from his own personal problems."

Judge Robert Trevor-Jones said: "Rapidly you were informed by the decoy that she was aged 12. That didn't deter you. You wanted her to touch herself, you were asking her to provide a photograph, and asking her to perform a sex act for you."

He added: "It's right to say this is an isolated incident. There's no other indication you had any indecent images of children or any other attempted to behave in this way, so I will regard it as an aberration as far as you are concerned. You accept full responsibility. You expressed remorse. From what I have seen today I regard that as genuine. I hope I'm right about that."

He sentenced Waine, of Downing Road in Bootle, to 16 months in prison, suspended for 18 months. He was ordered to carry out 30 days of rehabilitation, and will remain on the sex offenders register for 10 years.

Description

A sex offender's last minute trip to Amsterdam nearly landed him in prison.

Ellis Cunningham is a convicted rapist who sexually abused a girl he met on Facebook. Despite repeatedly and regularly flouting conditions which have been imposed upon him in order to protect the public, a judge today gave him "one last chance".

Liverpool Crown Court heard on Friday that the 26-year-old was convicted of rape in 2016 after having sexual activity with a 12-year-old girl following contact on the social media network. Joshua Sanderson-Kirk, prosecuting, described how Ellis was handed a 24-month imprisonment suspended for 10 years, as well as a 10-year sexual harm prevention order and a notification requirement last the same period.

The latter order requires him to notify police of any foreign travel at least a week prior to departure. But the force was alerted that he had re-entered the country on February 13 this year after spending four days in Amsterdam.

Cunningham, of Burley Close in Kirkby, later made a "full and frank admission" after voluntarily attending a police station. He has eight previous convictions for nine offences, including breaching the requirements of the sex offenders' register on six occasions in 2017, 2018, and 2021 which have seen him serve short prison sentences on several occasions.

The court was told that he had obtained his passport only five weeks before his visit to the Netherlands, and that the defendant claimed he had only been invited onto the trip abroad at five days' notice. Charles Lander, defending, conceded that his client had "unimpressive antecedents for similar offences" but highlight his full-time, self-employed role as a specialist groundworker providing services in relation to BT's WiFi coverage.

He added: "He can be and is a viable member of society. He understands his stupidity."

Cunningham admitted failing to comply with the sex offenders' register. He was handed a 12-month imprisonment suspended for 18 months plus 80 hours of unpaid work and a rehabilitation activity requirement of up to 10 days.

Sentencing, Judge Stuart Driver KC said: "It is a matter of public concern that a man subject to notification requirements travels to another country where he is not subject to any supervision. This is a serious and deliberate breach and there are no excuses.

"You knew exactly what you were doing. With your experience with the courts, you knew what the consequences could be.

"Letters from your family speak of the progress you have made and your good employment. With hesitation, I am going to give you one last chance, but I mean last.

"If I see you again, you are going through that door. I am not convinced by you. I won't be the slightest bit surprised if I see you again in the next 18 months. If I do, you are getting that full sentence immediately."

Description

Today, Thursday 21 September, a man has been jailed for more than four years for committing child sex offences in Liverpool.

Erickson Pascual, 32 years, of Fazakerley was sentenced to four years and four months in prison at Liverpool Crown Court after pleading guilty at a previous court hearing in August.

He was also issued with a 10-year restraining order and 10-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order and is required to sign the Sex Offender Register for life.

At a previous court hearing in August, he pleaded guilty to a number of child sexual offences including meeting a girl under 16 years of age following grooming, possession and making indecent photographs of a child, and operating equipment beneath clothing of another without consent.

Today’s sentencing is in relation to the grooming of a 13-year-old girl that he met in Liverpool city centre and stated that he was 21 years old.

Following an exchange of messages Pascual met the youngster on a number of occasions and bought alcohol and incited engaging in sexual intercourse with the child.

Detective Inspector Alan Nuttall said, “The predatory behaviour displayed by Pascual with the young victim was very disturbing, and thankfully no sexual activity took place between them both.

“The young victim and her family have showed immense courage and bravery to report this crime to us where he she believed him to be younger than what he was.

“During the investigation, detectives also found a significant number of videos of indecent up-skirting videos of both schoolgirls and women that he filmed on his phone, so today’s custodial sentence has removed him from the streets to prevent further harm to anyone else.

“I hope Pascual spends this time in prison to reflect on his wholly unacceptable behaviour and accepts that it is wrong.”

Description

A pervert who groped a woman on the dancefloor of a Liverpool city centre bar grinned as he walked free from court.

Abdullah Alqahtani's smug smirk mimicked one he gave his victim after brazenly sexually assaulting her in Baa Bar on Fleet Street having consumed a cocktail of booze and sleeping tablets. His victim said she has been "profoundly affected" by what she described as a "traumatic incident" and a "horrible experience".

Liverpool Magistrates' Court heard yesterday afternoon, Wednesday, that the complainant had been in the nightclub with friends in April this year and was stood on the dancefloor at around 3.30am when she "felt a finger touch her bum cheek and flick out, lifting her skirt". Andrew Page, prosecuting, described how she then turned around and saw Alqahtani walking away while "staring back and grinning".

She followed and confronted him, but he initially denied that he had assaulted her. When pressed, the 21-year-old replied: "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, it won't happen again."

Alqahtani, of Erskine Street, then began repeating: "I don't speak English. I'm sorry."

The woman subsequently walked back to her friends, who said they had in fact heard him speaking English. She threw her empty plastic cup at the defendant at this and informed security staff of the incident.

Police attended the scene and found that the incident had been caught on CCTV. Alqahtani told detectives under interview after being arrested that he was "drunk" and had taken two sleeping pills, "which led to him being disorientated".

He described the bar as being "crowded" and said he had "never seen the female before in his life". When shown the video footage, the sex offender "accepted that it looked like his arm and hand moved towards her bottom" but said it was "not a deliberate act" and was merely "an accident".

A statement read out to the court on the victim's behalf said: "My confidence has been profoundly affected by this traumatic incident. I had no idea of the horrible experience I would suffer that evening.

"I should have felt safe and secure while spending time with my friends and boyfriend, however I became the victim of a malicious act perpetrated by a man who showed a blatant disregard for my autonomy, consent and dignity. The emotional turmoil from this assault has had far reaching consequences.

"What happened has affected what I choose to wear when I'm in public. I now question my sense of safety and security when out socialising with friends, and I've been left with a sense of anxiety."

Alqahtani has no previous convictions. Benjamin Squirrell, defending, told the court that his client had finished a degree in his home country of Saudi Arabia before coming to the UK in order to "better his English" on a visa which has less than two weeks to run.

He now plans to return to the Middle East and work in a hospital laboratory. Mr Squirrell added: "The defendant, through me, does wish to tender a fulsome apology.

"It does appear he apologised when confronted in the club, and subsequently his reaction was immature. The complainant said in her evidence that he seemed to be laughing at her, and that seemed to be the spur for her taking matters further.

"It seems there is some lesson learned. It seems he doesn't go out in public very often, certainly not to nightclubs, and he has reduced his drinking to a low level.

"He was actually trying to go to sleep and took the sleeping pills, and then was asked to go out by friends. He wasn't intending to go out that night, and deeply wishes he hadn't.

"He has clearly realised he overstepped the mark and behaved in a despicable way. He is still a young man with a future."

Alqahtani, who was assisted by an interpreter in the dock, was found guilty of sexual assault after a trial before magistrates. He was handed an 18-week imprisonment suspended a year, told to pay £750 in compensation - to be paid before his visa expires on September 12 - and told to sign the sex offenders' register for seven years.

Sentencing, District Judge Timothy Boswell said: "You were in Baa Bar and you had had too much to drink. You put your hand up the skirt of a woman and touched her bottom.

"I can put it no better than she does. You showed a complete disregard for her autonomy, consent and dignity.

"You have offered an apology for the impact of your actions. But it is plain from the fact that you tried to pass it off as an inadvertent accident that you do not accept full responsibility for your actions."

Description

A "sexually deviant" pensioner stood on furniture while performing sex acts out of his bedroom window as horrified children watched on.

Robin Cunningham repeatedly flashed kids outside his home over a period of more than a decade. The previously convicted sex offender was said to have "derived sexual gratification from being seen" by the youngsters, who were left "corrupted" by his sickening actions.

Liverpool Crown Court heard today, Wednesday, how he regularly exposed himself from the window of his home on Burnthwaite Road in Knotty Ash while masturbating. Olivia Beesley, prosecuting, described how his perverted behaviour - which persisted for some 11 years - was witnessed by children wearing their school uniform and aged as young as four, while one recorded him with her mobile phone.

Cunningham would "sometimes stand on the bed or dressers" to "become more visible" to his victims. The 68-year-old has one previous conviction for indecent exposure, being fined in 1998 after "masturbating in the street towards females".

A statement read out to the court on one complainant said he had shown a "calculated pattern of behaviour" and that she would be left "struggling for the rest of her life" as a result. She added: "I was inducted into a dark and malicious world I was not ready to experience."

Cunningham, who was said to suffer from diabetes and anxiety, formerly worked for an insurance company before taking redundancy aged 50. Tom Watson, defending, told the court: "This is a deeply troubling case.

"He has caused very severe distress by his behaviour over a considerable period of time. The evidence is that his particular sexual deviance is exhibitionism, and that anyone can be targeted.

"It may be a step too far to say it is targeted rather than sexual excitement from the knowledge someone is watching. It seems to fit someone who has become entrenched in non-consensual exhibitionism and that sexual deviance.

"He understands that has included children here. This sexual deviancy does need to be addressed.

"It seems there has been, by him, a complete cessation in this behaviour. We are now over two years from that point in time.

"He is keen to explore what is going wrong in his life. He had been a working man up until the age of 50.

"He appears to have become ever more isolated and removed from the rest of the world. His isolation appears to be a significant factor in this sexual deviancy, which is something he felt from an early age.

"He has come to court today with his bag packed. He is deeply concerned, and in particular fearful, for his wife - who is 76 and depends on him.

"He has come with the right attitude, and he has not come expecting favours. What is required at this stage is intensive and meaningful intervention. This is not a life he wants for himself. It is deeply humiliating for him and for his entirely innocent wife.

"This needs to be addressed. Although he is on the thinnest of thin ice, it might be a sentence that could be suspended.

"He has been staying out of trouble. The signs are good."

Cunningham admitted five counts of engaging in sexual activity in the presence of a child and three of exposure. He was jailed for two-and-a-half years.

Sentencing, Recorder David Knifton KC said that the defendant had engaged in "disgusting behaviour" and added: "On numerous occasions over a period of 11 years, you deliberately masturbated while standing naked in your bedroom window so you could be seen. It is clear to me that you derived sexual gratification from being seen in these circumstances.

"Your actions undoubtedly had a corrupting effect. You have frankly admitted that you have had a sexual interest in exhibitionism from an early age.

"You became bored and socially isolated. To your credit, you have demonstrated a commitment to seeking to change your behaviour."

Cunningham was told to sign the sex offenders' register for life. He was also handed a sexual harm prevention order and a restraining order preventing him from contacting the complainants, both of which will run for the next 10 years.

Description

A vile pervert who sent his partner a video of himself performing a sex act in front of a young girl said "what have I done" as police stormed his home.

Three months after Phil Hudson, 33, and the woman broke up, she went to Huyton police station and reported he was saying things about a child that disturbed her. She told officers “he started to disclose his fantasies and desires around children”, said Kate Morley, prosecuting at Liverpool Crown Court on Monday, August 15.

She said he sent her a video of him engaging in sexual activity in the presence of a child. She still had the video on her phone and gave it to officers for investigation.

Liverpool Crown Court heard the 33-year-old university graduate, who had been working at Pets at Home and had a partner, was arrested on June 15 this year at his home in Garston. When being arrested he said “What have I done?”

He said he had had “a fling” with the woman and “had to leave his job and she was accusing him of serious offences.”

Miss Morley said when Hudson's phone was forensically examined, officers found seven indecent images of children as well as extreme pornography. When interviewed the man, who has no previous convictions, claimed to have no interest in children but he subsequently pleaded guilty to nine child sex offences and possessing extreme pornography.

His lawyer, Peter White said: “Clearly something unhealthy has been lurking in the background and eventually shown its ugly face.”

The court heard the video, lasting just over one minute, which he had sent to his former lover, showed Hudson performing a sex act in front of a young girl, while he was naked and holding his phone recording the incident.

When his own phone was examined a similar nine second video was found, said Miss Morley. She said the indecent photographs also found on his phone showed girls and boys aged between eight and 14.

Hudson, formerly of Lincoln Street, Garston, pleaded guilty to two offences of engaging in sexual activity in the presence of a child, taking the indecent video and distributing it, four offences involving taking, making and possessing indecent photographs of children, possessing a prohibited image of a child and possessing six extreme pornographic images.

In interview he said he had sent the video to his former girlfriend as he thought she was interested in things like that, but had deleted it from his own phone as “he was mortified.” He went on to say he had had thoughts about bestiality “but that didn’t mean that he was going to do it".

Mr White said Hudson no longer maintained denials about the offences in a pre-sentence report and accepts his guilt.

He said: “Clearly there has been an unhealthy interest which needs to be addressed.”

He added it was hoped the defendant could be helped by rehabilitation courses.

Jailing him for 27 months the judge, Recorder Eric Lamb, said: “It will come as a considerable surprise to discover someone such as yourself, who had not been in trouble before, at the age of 33 comes before the court for such serious and grave offences.”

He said he had treated the girl “as an object you considered suitable to satisfy your own sexual requirements.”

Recorder Lamb told him: “You told police you did not have a sexual interest in children. Your actions belie that which you said to the police.”

He ordered him to sign the Sex Offenders Register for ten years and imposed a Sexual Harm Prevention Order for the same length of time.

Description

A murderer who strangled a teenager to death before leaving her half naked body in a field has walked free from court after breaching rules imposed on him by the courts.

James Duggan was found guilty of the murder of Rebecca Ryle in Australia back in 2006 and was jailed for life, having emigrated Down Under from Liverpool as a child. He has since been released from this sentence and was deported back to the UK last year, but has continued to have brushes with the law.

Liverpool Crown Court heard today, Monday, that the now 38-year-old was subject to indefinite notification requirements in January this year after being convicted of breaching a sexual risk order (SRO) and battery. Duggan, of School Lane in Rainhill, had been given this SRO in August 2022 following his return to this country due to a "sexual motive" behind the killing.

Shannon Stewart, prosecuting, described how he then failed to inform his offender manager of a relationship he had formed with a woman as he was required to do as part of the order, which the police became aware of after an incident in which he punched her in the stomach. The killer was released from this 26-week sentence on July 11 and was required to sign the sex offenders' register within the following three days, but failed to do so.

Duggan was subsequently arrested again on July 17 and told detectives under interview that he had "phoned probation but got no reply". He has been remanded in custody since.

The defendant received life imprisonment with a minimum term of 11 years in April 2006, having been convicted of Ms Ryle's murder. The Western Australian Supreme Court heard during his trial that Duggan, who moved to the country from Merseyside aged 11, had met his 19-year-old victim in a pub in Perth on the evening of May 5, 2004 and offered to walk her home.

But he then strangled her for three minutes in a park just metres away from her home and left her half-naked body in a field, to be found by police officers a few hours later. Justice Lindy Jenkins said she had died "alone and degraded", with her murderer - who was also a teen at the time - ultimately serving nearly 18 years.

Duggan was refused parole following a hearing in 2019, due in part to his "lack of acknowledgement of wrongdoing and apparent lack of remorse". But his case was reviewed again in September 2021, when the Attorney General recommended his release after he had "imparted remorse and regret towards the offence, as well as acknowledging the victim" - leading to him being freed in March 2022 and later deported.

Ken Heckle, defending, told the court that his client had gone to an address on Round Hey in Stockbridge Village following his latest release, having been instructed to live there by the Probation Service. He was also ultimately found at this house and detained.

Mr Heckle added: "He goes to where he is directed to go, but simply forgets to advise the police. This is not somebody who has gone off the radar.

"It is not a sinister breach. It is a breach borne out of stupidity.

"There are family members on Merseyside who still are supportive of him. His grandmother is certainly one of them.

"The defendant maintains that he has been drug-free since January. He is fit and healthy and is trying to rehabilitate himself into the country.

"Circumstances have got in his way and he can only blame himself, but in this instance it is more of a technical breach rather than a sinister breach and someone trying to avoid the authorities. I ask your honour to give him this one chance."

Duggan, who appeared in the dock wearing a white t-shirt and black Adidas tracksuit bottoms and sported greying dark hair and a beard, admitted failing to comply with notification requirement and failing to comply with a suspended sentence order. He was handed a nine-month imprisonment suspended for two years, 180 hours of unpaid work, a rehabilitation activity requirement of up to 30 days, a six-month alcohol abstinence requirement and a 12-month drug rehabilitation requirement as well as being told to complete a relationships programme.

Sentencing, Recorder David Knifton KC said: "This is not a case of going off the radar, it is simply a case of failing to notify the police of the address at which you were living. I am unable to accept that this is an inadvertent breach.

"You have a history of drug and alcohol misuse. This is your second breach in the first six months of the order being made.

"I am satisfied, given the acceptance on your part of the seriousness of your offending and your need to address your underlying issues, that this is a case in which I can suspend the sentence of imprisonment I must impose. There is, in your case, a realistic prospect of rehabilitation."

Description

A disgraced PE teacher who had sex with a former pupil has been jailed.

Steven Laverty was banned from teaching 10 years ago after his wrongdoing first came to light. But he has only now faced justice over his sickening sexual activity with the girl, whose life was said to have been "destroyed" by the abuse of trust.

A trial at Liverpool Crown Court previously heard that the now 48-year-old had sex with the ex-student during the noughties after she had left the school where he taught, but while she was still under age of 16. Laverty falsely claimed that she had been aged 16 at the time.

Martine Snowdon, prosecuting, described how the teenager was left self-harming and feeling "isolated" as a result of his offending. She was also said to have been left under a "dark shadow which she feels has destroyed her life".

Laverty, of Stuart Road in Walton, was previously banned from the profession after he was found to have "showed a failure to observe proper boundaries in relation to his professional position" in a "clear abuse of trust". But he did not face prosecution at this time as he had instructed his victim to tell investigators that she was 16 when they had sex.

This was despite a panel having found that the dad-of-two had also "grabbed a 14-year-old boy in the groin" during a PE lesson. Laverty then took a temporary job as an arts teacher at a school in Greater Manchester, where "he pushed a 12-year-old pupil out of a classroom and pulled another across a floor".

He has no previous convictions. Charlotte Kenny, defending, told the court yesterday afternoon: "The court heard very clear evidence on the fact that the defendant was drinking heavily around this time and evidence about the very unfortunate circumstances of his mother's death and the impact that had on him.

"The defendant says, as a result of that, he internally went off the rails. This was a gross error of judgement at a time when the defendant was in a very dark place, coming to terms with the death of his mother in the most tragic circumstances.

"This offence happened a long time ago now. Mr Laverty has been an excellent father.

"He is still in employment and he had been invited back to work in all the circumstances. He can continue to provide."

Laverty was found guilty of one count of sexual activity with a child by a jury and cleared of a further nine counts. He was locked up for three years on Thursday and told to sign the sex offenders' register for life.

Sentencing, Judge Louise Brandon said: "You knew she had been your pupil. The jury were sure you did not reasonably believe she was 16.

"The fact you find yourself in this situation after all these years is entirely of your own making. It is clear she has been deeply traumatised by what happened to her.

"I cannot conclude that you are genuinely fully remorseful. The only remorse you have is for the situation you find yourself in now."

Description

A man has been jailed for ten and a half years for sexual offences with one child in the 1970s and another child in the 1990s.

Phillip Rogers, aged 64, of Hornby Road, Liverpool, was sentenced at Liverpool Crown Court yesterday (Wednesday 14 June) after being found guilty of two counts of attempted sexual assault and four counts of indecent assaults. 

Rogers, who is originally from Wirral, had earlier plead guilty to possessing indecent images of a child.

As well as his prison sentence, Rogers will also be placed on the sex offender register for life.

It follows a complex investigation by detectives from Merseyside’s Unity Team, who specialise in rape and serious sexual assault offences, who were able to charge Rogers with the various offences.

Detective Inspector Leanne Toole said: “This sentence follows a lengthy investigation to bring Rogers before the courts so that he pays for his crime.

“Thanks to the determination and bravery of his survivors, Rogers will now spend a considerable amount of time behind bars for his actions.

“This sentencing shows that time is no barrier and we will always act on information about sexual assault, no matter when they occurred.

“I would like to praise the courage and dignity shown by his two survivors throughout the investigation.

“Merseyside Police is completely committed to protecting children from sexual abuse and those who seek to do them harm.

“We hope that Rogers will now reflect on the consequences of his utterly depraved actions while serving his jail time.”

DI Toole added: “I would like to take this opportunity to stress that if you have experienced any form of sexual abuse, or know of a child being abused, please come forward and report this to police.

“We take all such reports extremely seriously and if you can find the courage to come forward and speak to us we have specially trained officers who will treat you with sensitivity and compassion.”

Description

A serial sex offender claimed his young victims "laughed at him" when he exposed himself to them as they walked home from school.

Peter Steinitz spotted the girls near to a McDonald's then began to follow them around as he performed a sex act on himself. The pensioner has now amassed convictions for 20 separate sexual offences.

Liverpool Crown Court heard today, Thursday, that the three friends were walking near to a south Liverpool McDonald's in January this year when they saw the defendant with his trousers down and exposing himself to them. Stuart Mills, prosecuting, described how they continued to a nearby park but were followed by Steinitz, who began masturbating.

The pervert carried on with his vile behaviour as he watched them in a play area. One of the youngsters then phoned her mum, who advised them to return to school.

Stenitz, of Dingle Lane, again tailed them there. While their school was closed by the time they had arrived back, the girls were able to report what had happened to a teacher who subsequently called the police.

They had managed to take a picture of the flasher as he followed them, which led to the 67-year-old being identified as the culprit. Under interview, Steinitz claimed he could not remember the incident - but later said his victims were "watching him and laughing at him".

The teacher described her pupils as being "upset and distressed" following the ordeal. Meanwhile, one of the schoolgirls told officers that she was "disgusted, sad and scared".

Steinitz has a total of 48 previous convictions for 114 offences, including 19 for sexual offences. Eight of these have been for exposure, with one for outraging public decency and two for gross indecency with a child.

A sexual offences protection order also bans him from "loitering in the vicinity" of public parks. Rachel Oakdene, defending, told the court: "Custody after custody after custody does not seem to abate his offending, and the facts very much speak for themselves.

"He does not have any formal diagnosis, but he believes he does have dementia. It may be coupled with his substance misuse. He is an isolated individual. At the time of the offences, he had recently had two family bereavements.

"Happily, it does not appear there has been any significant long-term impact on these young ladies. They have been able to put this unpleasant incident behind them."

Steinitz admitted outraging public decency and breaching a sexual offences prevention order. He was jailed for 32 months.

Sentencing, Judge David Hale said: "This is a very serious offence of outraging public decency. They have undoubtedly been affected by what happened."