Latest Offenders Manchester

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Former town hall colleagues of the now sacked Matthew Bennett, who worked with some of the borough’s most vulnerable youngsters, today told of their shock at discovering his sordid secrets.

The 26-year-old, of Park Road, Wigan, is beginning a seven-year jail sentence after pleading guilty to a total of 11 sexual offence charges.

They included sending lewd pictures of himself to girls under 16, supposedly persuading a girl of 12 to send an indecent picture of herself to him and inciting the mother of a seven-year-old to perform a sex act on him and allow her to be sexually assaulted by him.

But the woman and girls with whom Bennett was communicating were in fact vice squad officers. Bennett further admitted to distributing indecent images of children which fall into the lowest, category C, of seriousness.

The offences took place place online between January and July this year.

A Bolton Crown Court hearing was told that Bennett didn’t back off from a first brush with the law.

He communicated with two undercover officers on the KIK messenger app thinking they were young girls and was arrested on March 3 then bailed.

But on July 20 he communicated with an undercover officer on XHamster.com whom he thought was the mother of a young girl and tried to talk her into agreeing to involve the child in illegal sexual activities.

He deleted information from his phone immediately prior to his arrests. But he used his own surname in his username and sent photographs that displayed his face.

One former workmate said: “My background is in counselling and am quite switched on about spotting character traits but I was caught completely by surprise about Bennett.

“He just seemed an ordinary guy who kept himself to himself.

“He was working for the council’s ‘targeted youth services’ which put him in contact at schools, groups and homes with some of the borough’s most vulnerable children, which is of course a worry, although we understand that the offences had nothing to do with his job.

“Ten months ago he went off on long-term sick and that was the first we knew of anything being wrong.”

Another said: “To say we were shocked and repulsed after seeing that he had pleaded guilty to those sex crimes is an understatement.”

A Wigan Council spokesperson said: “We can confirm that Matthew Bennett was dismissed from Wigan Council as soon as these allegations came to light.

“Neither the allegations or convictions relate to his employment at the Council.”

As well as his prison sentence, Bennett will then be on extended licence for five years, will be the subject of an indefinte Sexual Harm Prevention Order and will also sign on the Sex Offenders’ Register indefinitely.

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He throttled her unconscious then molested her as a child slept in the room A man sneaked into a young mum's home and strangled her until she passed out - then sexually assaulted her. Daniel Delooze entered his sleeping victim's house through an unlocked door in the early hours of the morning. The woman woke to find the 30-year-old standing by the side of her bed, before he inflicted a "disturbing" attack. She could hear him "rambling" while he throttled her, but could only make out a handful of words, including "kill". Thankfully her children were asleep but one was even in the same room as the mum during the "terrifying" assault. After the woman fell unconscious, Delooze molested her - although the exact nature of this attack remains unclear. The victim woke at around 6am in her Warrington home to find she had more than 20 separate injuries across her body. These included injuries to her neck, jaw, chest, arms and legs, yet she had no idea who it was that had attacked her. However, Delooze had left DNA evidence on the mum's pyjama bottoms, duvet, and a child's top in an open divan drawer. He denied inflicting grievous bodily harm with intent and sexual assault in a trial at Liverpool Crown Court earlier this month. Simon Parry, prosecuting, said after the attack the bewildered woman contacted police and went to a sexual assault referral centre. She was seen by a doctor, who confirmed that her injuries were consistent with non-fatal strangulation and "a high level of violence". Prosecutors said Delooze travelled from his home in Wigan to the area of the woman's house, before sneaking inside, at around 2am. Detectives examined CCTV footage and were able to show a hooded man walking past the woman's house, smoking and drinking, and carrying a rucksack. He stood outside smoking a cigarette before walking towards the house and out of view, and wasn't seen on camera again until around half an hour later. Using various video clips, police were able to track his escape route and estimate his height - 5ft 9in - but the "key evidence" was the DNA later recovered. When arrested and interviewed by police, Delooze insisted he had been at home in Hindley with his partner and their child on the night of the attack. Delooze, of Hindley Green, Wigan, then offered an explanation for the DNA evidence, which cannot be reported for legal reasons. He was cleared of inflicting grievous bodily harm with intent, but convicted of the lesser offence of inflicting grievous bodily harm, and sexual assault. The woman told the court her experience was "horrendous" and she no longer felt safe in her own home. In a victim impact statement she said: "What really took place that night might remain unclear for the rest of my life. "I can't help but think that I could easily have died as a result of this incident. It's difficult to comprehend. "I'm not sure how I will manage on my own in the house with the children. I will be terrified - especially during the evenings. "I want to wake up from it all, I want it all to be a nightmare. "This was an unprovoked, violent attack - it was truly horrendous." Delooze, who has previous convictions including assault causing actual bodily harm in 2010, still maintains his innocence. Lloyd Morgan, defending, said there was another side to his client, who was described by others as "trustworthy and honest". Judge Brian Cummings, QC, told Delooze: "It barely needs stating that strangling another person is a highly dangerous attack. "It was entirely foreseeable that this could have resulted in death or catastrophic injuries. "You strangled her unconscious and abandoned her alone in that state in the middle of the night, and it is a matter of pure fortune that her injuries are not more serious than they already are. "The presence of children in the house is a serious aggravating factor. "I can offer the victim no closure on precisely what happened to her when she was unconscious." The judge ruled that Delooze was a dangerous offender, as defined in law, and would receive an extended sentence. He said: "I'm satisfied that you present a significant risk of committing further offences and that such offences carry a high risk of serious harm to members of the public. I've been struck by the very serious and disturbing nature of this case, and how readily you were prepared to act in this way." Judge Cummings jailed Delooze for eight years, with an extended two years on licence, and told him to sign on the Sex Offenders Register for life. This means Delooze will spend at least two thirds of the sentence - five years and four months - behind bars, before he is eligible for parole. He will only be released before the end of the eight-year term if he is no longer considered to be a risk to the public. Judge Cummings also imposed an indefinite restraining order to protect the victim.

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A pervert who performed sex acts on himself in his car close to a school 'targeted schoolgirls in uniform' a court heard.

Nadeem Mohamed, 38, 'quite deliberately' parked in the vicinity of the school in Greater Manchester before performing the lewd acts so schoolgirls could see him, a court heard.

The 'nauseating and repulsive' offences all took place at the end of the school day across three days in early 2018, Manchester Crown Court heard.

On February 5 that year, a teenage girl saw Mohamed parked in his Audi with his window down, at around 3pm when pupils were leaving for the day, and saw him performing a sex act on himself.

She took a photo of the car and went back into school, which cannot be named for legal reasons, to tell teachers, David Lees, prosecuting said.

The following day Mohamed was witnessed performing another sex act by another schoolgirl who said she felt 'disgusted' by what she saw.

The next day another girl witnessed his 'disgusting' behaviour, calling him a 'paedo' before walking off.

He was arrested on February 8, 2018, and an analysis of his phone found internet searches which prosecutors said indicated he had an "interest in teen and pre-teen girls" the court heard.

All five of his victims were under the age of 16.

A judge said he had 'targeted' the area around the school where girls wearing uniform would be passing and 'clearly wanted them to see you.'

One girl said she has 'flashbacks', and doesn't walk home anymore, and uses the bus instead

Another said it has affected her behaviour in school, and said she has become "more aggressive" as a result.

Two other girls said they were left feeling anxious following the incident.

Mohamed, of Cheetham Hill, pleaded guilty to five counts of engaging in sexual activity in the presence of a child at an earlier hearing.

Michael Johnson, defending, said Mohamed was genuinely remorseful and fearful of going to prison.

"He has pleaded guilty," he said.

"He doesn't seek to minimise his behaviour. He has thought about why he did it and his victim empathy is clear.

"He has had experiences himself which have impacted on his life.

"And he accepts his behaviour could have the same effect on the teenage girls who were the victims of this disgusting behaviour.

"He's a man with no previous convictions. He is remorseful.

"He accepts he will have been very fortunate to escape with his liberty and will wholeheartedly engage with any order the court passes."

He was handed a two year jail sentence, suspended for two years on Monday.

He must complete 55 rehabilitation activity requirement days including a specialist sex offenders programme.

He was also made subject to a sexual harm prevention order for 10 years.

Passing sentence Judge Hilary Manley said: "You targeted areas outside a school.

"And you targeted teenage school girls who were wearing school uniform.

"You clearly wanted them to see you.

"It is disgusting and unacceptable that they were targeted on their way home from the school, where they are going to themselves an education, and then subjected to the nauseating and repulsive sight of you doing what you were doing.

"You have personal difficulties which I have read about.

"There has been an unconscionable in bringing this case to court which I must take into account, and you have not offended since.

"I am satisfied you are genuinely remorseful and that there is a realistic prospect of rehabilitation.

"However you must work with the probation service to make sure you not offend again."

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A convicted rapist sexually assaulted a five-year-old girl on a train in front of her mother while travelling home from prison.

Darren Rothwell, 42, committed the attack just hours after being released from HMP Forest Bank, in Salford, where he had been serving a sentence for harassment and assault.

He boarded a train at Manchester Victoria on the morning of 18 April and intimidated two women travelling with their young children as he swore aggressively at them while drinking from a bottle of brandy and bragging about being released from prison, British Transport Police (BTP) said.

He added that he was on his way to see an ex-partner who had a restraining order against him, and that he would be back in prison within two days.

After making a series of uncomfortable comments to the two women, Rothwell asked the five-year-old girl, one of their daughters, to take her top off and give it to him.

One of the women challenged him on his behaviour, but he went on to try and kiss them both.

Rothwell was overheard telling the women to Google his alias Darren Noonan, which would have revealed online news coverage of his 2009 conviction for rape, sexual activity with a child and child abduction, British Transport Police (BTP) said.

As the train approached Wigan, Rothwell asked the five-year-old daughter of one of the women for a hug.

He then went to pick the child up before he sexually assaulted her in view of her horrified mother, said BTP.

The alarm was raised and Rothwell was quickly identified by officers.

Rothwell, of Scholes, Wigan, was jailed at Bolton Crown Court for 26 months on Friday after he pleaded guilty at an earlier hearing to sexual assault.

DC Ian Grice, of BTP, said: Rothwell clearly had absolutely no desire to rehabilitate himself after prison but to sexually assault a five-year-old child before hed even made it home is beyond reprehensible.

He is clearly an exceptionally dangerous individual and I am relieved, as Im sure his victims family will be, to see him back behind bars.

I cant imagine how traumatic this must have been for them and I hope they are now able to begin to put this terrible incident behind them.

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A man who raped two women in their sleep has been jailed.

Jordan Nicholson, 23, preyed on his victims on separate occasions in the summer of 2016.

The first victim, 21, was asleep at her home when she woke up to find Nicholson raping her.

The woman pushed him away and screamed at him to stop what he was doing.

She reported Nicholson to Cheshire police a month later, providing officers with a number of social media messages in which she had discussed the incident with him.

The victim also provided messages relating to a similar attack on another woman in August 2016.

When arrested and questioned by police, Nicholson denied raping the women and claimed the sex had been consensual.

Even when Nicholson was presented with the social media messages, he carried on lying about about his crimes.

Yet he changed his plea to guilty at a court hearing on July 12, 2019.

Nicholson, of Boughey Lane, Leigh, was sentenced to six years in prison at Liverpool Crown Court on Tuesday, August 27.

He pleaded guilty to two counts of rape at an earlier hearing.

Detective Constable Jayne Boote said: Sexual assault is a horrific offence, which affects people in the most profound way.

Whilst the victims will never be able to forget what Nicholson subjected them to, I hope his guilty plea and the custodial sentence he has been handed by the courts provides them with some closure and enables them to begin to move forward with their lives.

I also hope that this case and the sentence that Nicholson has received encourages other victims of sexual offences to come forward and report the offences to us.

Cheshire Constabulary takes any allegation of sexual offences extremely seriously.

Any allegation will be thoroughly investigated, with the wishes and needs of the victim as our main priority.

Victims should never feel ashamed to talk about what has happened to them.

They will receive the help and support they need from our specialist officers, as well as from other support agencies we work alongside, and all victims of sexual offences have the right to anonymity.

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A doctor who groped a student nurse has been allowed to return to work even though he is still on the sex offenders register.

Dr Imran Qureshi, 46, a married father of two, had been barred from working after being convicted of sexual assault.

He had groped the 21-year-olds breast while seeking a romantic friendship with her.

But he was given the green light to practise again after complaining he was finding it hard on benefits.

At his 2016 trial, hospital locum Dr Qureshi blamed his actions on cultural norms in his native Pakistan and offered the nurse a deep-hearted apology.

He was given a years community order and told to complete 20 days of rehab.

His name will remain on the sex offenders register for another two years. In 2017, the Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service barred Dr Qureshi for a year for the assault at Trafford General Hospital in Davyhulme, Gtr Manchester.

They said the locum Senior House Officer had ignored signs the nurse did not welcome his behaviour, adding: Given the length of time youd been in the UK, you should have recognised [her] reluctance in light of your shared cultural understanding.

Dr Qureshi has now re-registered with a locum agency.

After a hearing in November that has only just come to light, the MPTS said: The offence was a single incident some 3 years ago.

There is no evidence to suggest Dr Qureshi offended prior to his conviction, or since.

They said their position was consistent with remarks by the 2016 trial judge that there was no risk for the future.

In its reasons, the MPTS said: The Tribunal consider that the imposition of conditions will allow Dr Qureshi time to further develop his insight into his criminal offence and conviction.

It considered that conditions would permit Dr Qureshi to return to clinical practice and to further remediate while, at the same time, protect patients, and maintain public confidence in the profession.

In the circumstances as they stand today, the Tribunal did not consider that it would be appropriate or proportionate to impose a further period of suspension on Dr Qureshis registration.

MedEcho did not respond to a request for comment.

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A paedophile who groomed a 14-year-old girl told police 'I love being a sex offender', a court heard.

Damien Read, 21, from Didsbury, was already known to the courts after being convicted of trying to meet up with a girl after grooming her last year.

Police visited his home to check whether he was complying with a sexual harm prevention order (SHPO) previously imposed.

Read, who has learning disabilities, denied having a phone when police asked during the visit in January.

But while they were in the house, officers heard a vibrating sound coming from a cupboard, prosecutor Andrea Lock told Manchester Crown Court.

They found a Nokia phone, which was later found not to be able to connect to the internet.

As part of the SHPO, Read was banned from having any device which could access the internet, unless it could retain its browsing history.

Officers also found a small red box which contained a telephone number.

They called it and a 14-year-old girl answered, who said she was Read's girlfriend.

Police found Read had been having sexualised chats with the girl, and that she had performed a sexual act on herself after he had asked her to.

The girl, who was said to be 'vulnerable', had received a friend request from Read on Facebook. She told Read her true age, while he lied and said he was also 14.

She sent him a picture of herself, which he described as 'really hot and sexy'.

The girl told Read that 'she wanted children with him', the court heard.

When he was arrested, Read said 'I love being above the law', 'I love being a sex offender' and 'I love speaking to schoolgirls'.

Officers found that Read had a card for Withington Library.

Read had visited the library almost daily before being arrested in January, and officers investigating CCTV footage found him performing a sex act upon himself while using a computer.

He could have been charged with an offence of indecent exposure, Ms Lock said, but there were no other members of the public in the area of the library at the time.

Read has previous convictions for sexual offences, including in 2015 for sexual activity with a boy, and he also previously breached a court order.

But he was spared jail for his latest offences, after a judge said there was 'exceptional circumstances' and that Read had 'strong personal mitigation'.

Defending, Andrew Evans said that due to his learning disabilities, Read has a habit of saying 'inappropriate' things, as well as having an 'inbuilt propensity to lie'.

'He lies about innocuous things for no good reason,' Mr Evans added.

But while in prison on remand, where he has spent the last seven months, Read made 'full disclosures' to other prisoners about why he was in custody, the court heard.

As a result he was 'repeatedly assaulted', the court heard.

Reports submitted to the court described Read as 'immature bordering on childlike', while another said he 'struggles to learn lessons and apply what he has been told.

Apparently referring to the terms of his SHPO, Read told a probation officer: 'I am sick of being told what I can and can't do.'

Sentencing, Judge David Stockdale QC told Read: 'You were well aware of the terms of the sexual harm prevention order.

Apparently referring to the terms of his sexual harm prevention order, Read told a probation officer: 'I am sick of being told what I can and can't do.'

'You were able to recite the terms of it, so familiar were you with those terms.

'You have demonstrated a defiance for court orders and court process.

'You were to tell the police on your arrest 'I love being a sex offender' and 'I love being above the law'.'

'In other words you think that you are above the law, and when the law steps in to prevent you from committing sexual offences, as soon as you physically can do so, you re-offend.

'You are well aware of the criminal nature of your offences. You know what you are doing is wrong.'

But judge said Read's offences were 'significantly mitigated' by his learning difficulties.

He said there was 'exceptional circumstances' in the case, which would allow him to pass a suspended sentence.

The judge said there was strong personal mitigation and the chance of rehabilitation, after being told that Read would receive one to one support in secure accommodation.

Read admitted offences of communicating with a child under 16 for the purpose of sexual gratification, breaching a sexual harm prevention order and intentionally causing or inciting a 14-year-old girl to engage in sexual activity.

He received a 20 month jail term, suspended for two years.

As part of a new sexual harm prevention order which will run indefinitely, Read cannot enter a public library unless he gives prior notice and the visit is approved by the authorities.

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A Salford man has been jailed after an investigation into non-recent child sexual abuse.

Andrew Austin (03/11/1967), of Sumner Road, Irlam o’th Heights , has yesterday (Monday 29 July 2019) been sentenced at Manchester Crown Court to 26 years in prison. He previously pleaded guilty to-

• Four counts of rape
• Six counts of indecent assault
• Two counts of indecency with a child
• One count of sexual assault

He will also have to sign the sex offenders register for life.

Between 1998 and 2004, at a number of properties in Salford, Austin sexually abused four victims who were aged between eight and 16 at the time.

In August 2018, relatives of one of the victims – along with a charity worker – came forward to police and a full investigation was launched with Austin arrested.

During police interview Austin denied all offences but admitted his crimes before the case went to trial.

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A man who cloned a bodybuilder's Facebook profile so he could target and sexually abuse a boy has been jailed.

Brandon Cooper, 24, cloned the account of a well-known local bodybuilder and sent messages of a sexual nature to the boy, who was under the age of 13.

The victim's father became aware of the messages and alerted police in August.

Cooper, of Brook House Avenue, Eccles, pleaded guilty to inciting a child to commit a sexual act and was jailed for 16 months at Manchester Crown Court.

Cooper used a fake name and Facebook profile "to gain the trust of the young victim", Greater Manchester Police said.

'Veil his identity'

The victim's father became concerned about messages of a sexual nature, which his son had received on social media.

The court heard how the man Cooper had impersonated was initially arrested but was quickly eliminated by detectives.

Det Con Tina Jackson said the "resilience" of the boy was "remarkable" but "Cooper's actions could easily have robbed a young person of his childhood".

"In impersonating an innocent man in an attempt to veil his identity and sadistically lure the young victim in, Cooper spared no thought for the consequences of his actions and the damage he could have done to another, innocent person's life.

Cooper was ordered to sign the sex offenders register for 10 years and is subject to a sexual harm prevention order indefinitely.

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A former police officer abused his position by collecting thousands of images of female officers and police cadets as young as 12, before posting manipulated sexualised pictures on sick paedophile websites, a court heard.

Christopher Dunn, 33, was told his actions had 'undermined public confidence in Greater Manchester Police', as he was jailed for four years and four months.

While working as a cadet leader Dunn led a 'double life', taking pictures of young and often 'vulnerable' cadets for his own sexual pleasure.

On some occasions he even manipulated pictures of young girls to make them sexualised, before posting them to online networks for the pleasure of other paedophiles.

He also did the same with adult female police officers, either taking pictures or collecting them from social media and sometimes manipulating them before uploading them to sick porn websites.

Manchester Crown Court heard that Dunn, from Salford, had been amassing thousands of images of women since he started full time at GMP in January 2014, storing them in 'organised' folders on his computer.He had done the same before he joined GMP, when he worked at the Trafford Centre.

In total Dunn collected images of 46 women aged between 12 and 44.

His offending was uncovered after an alert was triggered because he uploaded indecent images of children.

When his computers and mobile phones were examined, he was also found to have more than 100,000 indecent images of children in his possession.

After being arrested, Dunn said: "I'm not like one of those paedophiles who touch children. They make me sick.

He added: "My life is effectively over. It's over, there is no way back from all of this."

A judge said that Dunn's crimes had 'undermined the fabric of the police service' and damaged the credibility of GMP.

Sentencing, Mr Justice Bryan told him: "You were in a position of trust and responsibility in relation to young, and often vulnerable police cadets.

"You betrayed that trust in harvesting pictures of them for your own personal gratification, and posting them on paedophile websites for the sexual gratification of others who shared your unhealthy interest in young females.

"Those young cadets will have to live with what you have done for the rest of their lives."

The judge added: "Your behaviour has caused long lasting damage to your fellow officers and their families.

"It is almost beyond belief that someone could have distributed pseudo-images of their colleagues and their children on pornographic websites, but that is exactly what you have done."

The judge said statements he had read from victims were 'painful reading', saying they told how they feel 'humiliated and violated'.

The court heard that Dunn, who has no previous convictions, graduated with a computing degree in 2007.

Later that year he found work at the Trafford Centre, where he collected 998 pictures from social media of an adult woman who he knew through his job.

Prosecuting, Rob Hall said that was not a criminal offence but it 'foreshadowed' what was to come.

In February 2009, Dunn became a special constable at GMP. He is said to have performed well and was nominated for Special Constabulary Annual Gala Award.

Meanwhile he collected 1,800 images of three other adult women, who he knew from his old job at the Trafford Centre.

In May 2012 he tried and failed to join GMP as a full time officer, a process which put him in the company of female police officers.

From the following year, he started to collect images of women and girls who he knew through the Trafford Centre, GMP or through the cadets.

As he became a full time student police officer in January 2014 he was continuing to collect images of colleagues, as well as download indecent images of children.

He first started collecting pictures of police cadets in November 2015. Many of the cadets were said to have come from 'troubled homes' and were 'vulnerable'.

In May 2017 Dunn started a relationship with a fellow police officer. She was unaware of his double life, and he continued his offending during their relationship.

After becoming a cadet leader, Dunn was given a GMP award in recognition of the 'commitment and dedication' to his role, with the force unaware of his crimes.

He continued to abuse his position, collecting hundreds of images of his victims.

In October last year, Dunn uploaded an indecent image of a child which led to an online alert to the authorities.

But he still continued his sick behaviour.

In February police executed a warrant at Dunn's home, where he is said to have 'appeared nervous'. He was formally sacked from GMP in May.

In interviews he told officers that he had been addicted to legal pornography since the age of 16, and that he became interested in illegal pornography by 2013.

He said he had developed a split personality, one that was seen by the public and the other that was private to himself online.

Dunn also admitted having recorded videos of girls at his local supermarket.

Saying he was remorseful and that he needed help, Dunn added: "I regret what's happened and I am going to use this situation to turn things around."

In total Dunn collected more than 3,600 images of police cadets, and more than 7,500 images of colleagues.

He had also downloaded more than 20,000 indecent images of children, with a further 100,000 indecent images which prosecutors said had not been classified because it wasn't in the public interest to pursue them.

Defending, Colin Buckle said Dunn was 'socially awkward' as a young person and that he found it difficult to maintain 'age appropriate' relationships with women.

At university he lived at home and didn't engage with fellow students, Mr Buckle said, with Dunn instead turning to illegal pornography.

Mr Buckle said that Dunn's parents were not in court to see him being sentenced as they 'simply cannot face the enormity of his position'.

Police Inspector Natasha Evans told the court that the 'most heartbreaking' result of Dunn's offending was that a young cadet said if they ever got into trouble 'I will not call the police as I don't trust them'.

Dunn, of Moss Lane, Swinton, pleaded guilty to six counts of making indecent images of children, two counts of misconduct in a public office and two counts of possessing indecent images for distribution.

He will have to sign the sex offender's register for life, and is also banned from working with vulnerable children or adults for life.

After the hearing, Amanda Rowe, regional director of the Independent Office of Police Conduct which managed the investigation, said: "Swift action has been taken by the court in jailing Christopher Dunn for these most shocking and serious of crimes. 

"In overseeing this investigation by Greater Manchester Police, our joint work has ensured this former officer, who had no place in public office, is no longer a danger to the local community. 

"Christopher Dunn’s actions do not reflect the integrity of hard-working, honest police, and the public can be confident that there is no place for his behaviour in any police force."

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A 'hard-working' grandad of previous 'impeccable character' who said he downloaded sick images of children being sexually abused because he was 'curious' has avoided jail.

Alan Crabtree, 72, was found to have saved 85 indecent images of children onto his two mobile phones - 13 of these were classed as category A, the worst serverity.

The retired miner, who has lived in Salford all his life, said looking at the disturbing images became a 'compulsion'.

He said he initially used social media to find the pictures out of curiosity.

His family, who described him as a 'loving and supportive father', knew nothing of his shameful secret until cops came knocking at the door of the family home and seized his personal devices.

At Manchester Crown Court, Crabtree admitted three charges of making indecent photographs of children.

But he walked free with a 12-month community order after a judge said he was 'astonished' to see a man of his character commit this type of crime.

The offences - which took place between April 2015 and December 2017 - came to light when police received intelligence from the National Crime Agency.

Prosecutor Juliet Berry said: "After receiving the information, police attended at his address on 8 December 2017 and executed a warrant.

"They seized two laptops and two mobile phones - one Acer phone and one Samsung phone.

"He was interviewed and admitted that the images could be found on the phones."

Crabtree's lawyer, Suzanne Hargreaves, told the sentence hearing how her client was 'deeply ashamed' of what he had done.

She said he made full admissions to his family and has already taken steps towards rehabilitation.

"He was born and bred in Salford and is a hard-working man dedicated to his family", Ms Hargraves added.

"He worked in the mines. He then took up any work that was available and worked his whole life until retirement.

"He and his wife are now retired. He is a carer for her."

Crabtree avoided a custodial sentence with the judge saying his hitherto impeccable character meant he could be rehabilitated in the community.

Passing sentence, Recorder Geoffrey Lowe, said: "It's astonishing to see a man of your background in this situation.

"These are not victimless offences. The children whose photos are taken are abused.

"Some of these images reflect the most serious sexual abuse of these children.

"You regarded this as something that started out as a curiosity then became a compulsion.

"You have shown remorse and sought to seek assistance. This is a blemish on an otherwise exemplary record.

"If these matters are addressed there is no reason why you cannot go back to being the hard-working and respectful man you was."

Crabtree was handed a 12-month community order made up of 20 rehabilitation activity requirement days.

He must sign the Sex Offenders Register for five years.

He was also made subject to a sexual harm prevention order, which will limit his access to the internet.

Description

Reportedly living in Blackpool

A pervert unwittingly sent footage of himself performing a sex act to an undercover police officer, wrongly thinking he was talking to a 13-year-old girl.

Jack Burton, 24, from Rochdale, chatted on Kik messenger and Skype asking the 'teenager' what she does at sleepovers and if she sleeps naked, a court heard.

He later sent a video of himself performing a sex act.

Burton believed he was in conversation with a young teenager, but it was in fact an undercover police officer.

Burton, of Hanover Street, Rochdale, pleaded guilty to charges of attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child and attempting to cause a child to look at images of sexual activity.

The prosecution argued that the case exhibited grooming behaviour. Burton's defence team said he has since been on a rehabilitation course and no longer uses Kik or Skype.

Manchester Magistrates' Court heard on Tuesday how the defendant contacted the 'girl' in January last year and asked if she had 'ever been drunk, what she does at sleepovers and if she sleeps naked'.

This then spiralled and he sent a video of himself performing a sex act on February 2.

Burton's defence lawyer, Andrew Davidson, in mitigation argued that the defendant has no previous convictions. 

He said: "He has been on a rehabilitation course to analyse the issues which led to this event. He has completed that successfully. He hasn't accessed these messaging services subsequently."

Mr Davidson added: "It is important to emphasise that those (guideline) sentences are for an actual victim. There was no actual victim."

The probation team were granted a week's adjournment to prepare a full pre-sentence report. 

Burton, who was released on unconditional bail, will appear again before magistrates on Tuesday, February 19.

Description

A boastful sex offender who masturbated in front of a 12-year-old girl and filmed her as she wore a body stocking has been jailed today.

Carl Hodgson, 28, spent the night with the victim, whom he thought was 19, after they met on a dating app, but the pair did not have sex.

A court heard he shared indecent photos of her on social media and bragged to friends he "nailed" her.

In other sick messages, Hodgson also described the girl as "filth".

The former office worker was today sentenced to two-and-a-half years in prison after pleaded guilty to causing or inciting a child under 13 to engage in sexual activity, engaging in sexual activity in the presence of a child, distributing an indecent photograph of a child and making indecent photographs of a child.

Sentencing the sex offender today, Judge David Stockdale QC, the Recorder of Manchester, told him: "(The victim) was by reason of her age highly vulnerable to exploitation and she was no doubt impressed by you.

"This is most serious offending as you now fully appreciate. The effects on a child of such a young age of offending of this sort are really well too known and well too documented. These effects, in many cases, last for the rest of the child's life.

"I take into account that while (the victim) was 12 years of age at the time of these offences you did not believe that to be the case. You thought, and on reasonable grounds, that she was over 16."

Manchester Crown Court heard the victim used a different name on her dating app profile and falsely stated she was 19.

Hodgson made one moving image of the girl and also captured three still images of her on his phone while at his flat in Castlefield, Manchester.

He also messaged a friend, saying "Mine was decent. Nailed that bird, unreal bod" and also described her as "filth".

But the prosecution offered no evidence of rape and Judge Stockdale ordered a formal not guilty verdict be returned.

No evidence was also offered against single counts of grooming and child abduction.

Alexander Leach, defending, said Hodgson's comments were "simply male bravado and bragging" and he had not had sexual intercourse with the girl.

"Effectively Carl Hodgson was not aware he was engaging in any sexual activity with a child. He did not intend to engage in sexual activity with a child and could not have appreciated the particular vulnerability of the child, nor the disparity in age to its criminal extent.

"He must have known she was significantly younger than him but he believed her to be older than 16 years old," he added.

"He is genuinely ashamed and remorseful for the circumstances he finds himself in but does not seek to minimise his behaviour.

"The defendant is regarded by those who know him as honest, trustworthy, industrious, loyal and charitable. Those who know him better say these proceedings have had a profound effect on him. He has lost his employment, his home and has suffered the inevitable stigma brought with offending of this sort."

The victim has been seen by a consultant psychologist and a social worker and was shown to be in a "withdrawn state" and unable or unwilling to communicate.

He added though there were no significant signs she had suffered post-traumatic stress disorder, serious anxiety or depression but it was "inevitable she will suffer in the long term as a consequence of the offending".

Hodgson was also banned from contacting the victim and ordered to sign the Sex Offender Register for life.

Description

A man sleeping rough in the woods punched and kicked a woman before dragging her into his tent and raping her.

Homeless Daniel Woolf, 36, was described by police as a predatory offender after he was handed a 19-year jail sentence.

The woman was held in the tent by Woolf for hours.

A court heard Woolf, who has a previous conviction for sexual assault, approached the woman at 1am at Altrincham train station on October 15 last year.

He had been living in a tent in woods off South Downs Drive in Hale at the time.

Police said Woolf led the woman away from the station before dragging her into the tent.

Screaming, she tried to run away but he threw her into a bush before punching and kicking her until she went back inside the tent.

Woolf then pushed the terrified woman to the ground and raped her.

After an ordeal lasting hours, the woman, aged in her 30s, managed to escape to a nearby shop where the alarm was raised.

Police were called and Woolf was arrested.

At Minshull Street Crown Court he was convicted by a jury after a trial.

He was found guilty of rape, false imprisonment and assault and was locked up for 19 years.

Det Con Helen Bagnall praised the womans bravery and said Woolf preyed on the fact she didnt know the area.

She said: The woman was obviously terrified when Woolf dragged her into a tent and raped her. What she has been through is horrendous.

She was extremely brave managing to alert a shop worker and I want to thank them in turn for contacting us so we could apprehend Woolf.

He preyed on the fact the woman didnt really know the area and used that to his advantage to inflict his horrific assault where not only did he rape her, but he held her in a tent for hours.

Description

A VILE paedophile who threatened a teenager into sending sexual videos of her and her brother has been jailed for 12 years.

Daniel Norton, 26, told the Hampshire girl that his father was a police officer and if she did not send pictures and videos of herself he would "take her away from her family".

Southampton Crown Court heard that he also made threats to distribute pictures and videos of the victim on the internet if she did not send more.

Eventually when the victim, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, said she did not want to send them, the images were put on the internet and went viral.

It forced Hampshire Constabulary to issue a warning to parents, urging them to tell their children not to pass on the disturbing video.

Norton, of Cheadle, Stockport, was sentenced to 12 years imprisonment, with three years on extended licence.

Norton admitted three counts of causing a child to engage in sexual activity between October 1 and December 1, 2017.

He also pleaded guilty to making dozens of indecent moving images of children - across all three categories of severity - and possessing extreme pornographic images - which depicted children involved in sexual activity with animals.