Search results for Mansfield

Description

A man who thought he could 'get away with' touching and trying to kiss a young woman has been jailed.

Robert Winter, aged 35, approached the victim from behind and tried to engage her in conversation as she walked along Ratcliffe Gate, Mansfield, at about 11.30am on Friday May 1 this year.

Winter, who was tracked down and arrested about 15 minutes after police were alerted, suggested to officers he thought he could "get away with it" – adding that he was just being "boisterous "and cheeky."

Winter, who was found sat at a computer in Mansfield Library, later pleaded guilty to one count of sexual assault.

Appearing at Mansfield Magistrates' Court on Thursday 3 September he was jailed for a total of eight months.

The sentence included the activation of a previous suspended sentence order imposed in August 2025 for possessing a knife, criminal damage and a public order offence.

Winter, of Houfton Road, Mansfield, was also added to the sex offenders' register for seven years.

PC Simon Christian, of the Mansfield town centre policing team, said:

"Winter seemed to believe that he could get away with this kind of behaviour.

"He couldn’t and was soon tracked down and arrested with help from members of the public.

"I hope the victim in this case can draw some comfort from this sentence, and that other men with similar attitudes take note of the consequences of this type of behaviour."

Sergeant Catherine Darby, also of the Mansfield town centre policing team, said:

"This was an excellent response by multiple members of the team – from the PCSO who took the initial account to the officers who made the arrest

"Together – and with support from members of the public – they had the suspect in cuffs about 15 minutes after we first learned of this incident."

Description

A sex offender was exposed by an undercover police officer after sending explicit messages to a young girl.

Neil Wilson sent the officer sexually explicit messages after they met on an online chatroom.

Despite being told that she was 13, he went on to request explicit photos of her too.

Nottinghamshire Police were alerted to the 46-year-old’s behaviour and arrested him at his home address on 14 December 2023.

His devices were then examined, and explicit messages sent to an actual young girl were exposed.

Indecent images of children were also uncovered.

This included 25 ‘Category A’ images - the most severe classification of indecent images of children.

Six images classed as ‘Category B’ and 80 labelled as ‘Category C’ were also found.

Wilson, formally of Osmaston Walk, Mansfield, went on to plead guilty to inciting a female child under 13 to engage in sexual activity, attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child, and possession of extreme pornographic images.

He also pleaded guilty to three counts of making indecent photos of a child.

Appearing at Nottingham Crown Court on Friday (8 May), he was jailed for a total of 15 years – an eight-year jail sentence with an added seven-year extended license.

Wilson was also made the subject of an indefinite sexual harm prevention order and was placed on the sex offenders’ register.

Detective Constable Oliver Pemberton, of Nottinghamshire Police, said:

“Wilson’s actions were completely disgraceful, and it was thanks to the fantastic work of officers that he was exposed.

“Keeping children safe from harm means keeping them safe from people like Wilson who attempt to prey on them online where they think nobody can see what they are doing.

“I’d like to take this time to praise the strength of the victim throughout the investigation and lengthy court process.

"I hope this result helps give the victim and their family some closure and also serves as a warning to others about the consequences of such depraved behaviour.”

Description

A man who raped a young woman while she slept, has been jailed.

Joshua Downing raped the woman, who was in her late teens, while she was asleep.

The following morning the woman noticed she was in pain and experienced flashbacks of Downing, who was known to her, raping her as she drifted in and out of sleep.

Downing, of Barton Court, Mansfield, initially denied the attack that took place at an address in Derby in June 2024 before going on to admit it to the victim and her family.

The 21-year-old was arrested shortly after the rape and subsequently charged to appear at court.

He admitted charges of rape, sexual assault (x2), and assault by penetration during a hearing at Derby Crown Court on 29 January this year.

On 15 March, at the same court, a judge sentenced Downing to eight years and two months’ imprisonment.

He was also ordered to register with police and issued a restraining order in respect of his victim.

Both orders will last indefinitely.

Detective Constable Ellen Sanders, officer in the case, said:

“The victim in the case has been deeply traumatised by Downing’s actions and has struggled to function normally since the rape happened almost two years ago.

“It has been a long road for her, and I want to thank her for her courage, during our investigation and the court process.

“While it can’t take away the emotional anguish, I hope that seeing Downing sentenced and held accountable for his offences will allow her the strength to move forward.”

Description

A rapist who sexually assaulted two teenage girls after befriending and grooming them has been jailed.

Peter Whetstone abused the two victims during the spring and summer of 2020 after meeting them at a skate park in Mansfield.

He repeatedly messaged them, persuaded them to send him intimate images and videos and went on to sexually assault both girls.

Whetstone, who was aged 23 at the time of the offences, then raped one of the girls on 5 September 2020 at his home in Mansfield.

Police were made aware following a social media post and began an investigation while the victims were interviewed and supported by specialist officers.

Both victims had vulnerabilities and were targeted by Whetstone.

They later described in victim statements how Whetstone was part of an older group and was a ‘talented skater’ who tried to impress them.

They also spoke of how the abuse continues to impact upon their lives half a decade later and how they felt their teenage years had been stolen from them.

Following his arrest, Whetstone gave a ‘no comment’ interview to officers.

The 29-year-old, of Mansfield, eventually pleaded guilty almost five years later to inciting sexual activity, sexual communications with a child, two counts of meeting a child following grooming and four counts of sexual activity with a child.

He continued to deny rape and two counts of sexual assault but was found guilty following a trial in September 2025.

At Nottingham Crown Court on Tuesday (10 March) he was jailed for a total of 10 years.

He was also made the subject of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order until further notice and will remain on the Sex Offenders' Register for life.

Detective Constable Kerry Stringfellow, of Nottinghamshire Police, said:

“Whetstone’s behaviour was predatory and manipulative with evidence he had targeted these victims because of their vulnerabilities.

“He knew perfectly well that what he was doing was illegal and would have a profound impact on his victims and their families.

“As he begins a jail sentence I would like to pay tribute to the two victims at the centre of this case for the bravery they have shown during the legal process and Whetstone’s repeated denials.

“I would also like to send a very clear warning to other adults thinking of committing similar offences against children – you will be caught and go to prison.”

Description

An online sexual predator who used computer games to groom and abuse a vulnerable 11-year-old boy has been jailed.

Christopher Collinge, now aged 33, used a mutual love of computer games to befriend the boy, before bribing him with to share explicit images in return for credits to his PlayStation account.

Collinge was exposed when the boy’s father was alerted to virtual purchases made by the boy, who had no money of his own.

He then discovered a series of sexualised messages sent between the victim and his abuser on the Discord app – a communication platform popular with gamers.

Collinge, who was well aware of the boy’s true age, had coached him to pose as a 13-year-old in order to download the app.

He then offered virtual gift-cards in return for the completion of a series of “dares” that grew more serious in nature over the course of several weeks.

Information was passed to Nottinghamshire Police and Collinge was arrested in February 2023.

A subsequent search of his mobile phone and hard drive revealed several hundred images of child sexual abuse – around half of them graded as Category A.

Collinge gave no comment answers in each of his police interviews, but later pleaded guilty to two counts of causing or inciting a boy under 13 to engage in sexual activity, two counts of making indecent photographs, and four counts of possessing indecent photographs.

Appearing at Nottingham Crown Court on Tuesday 6 May, Collinge, of Clifton Place, Mansfield, was jailed for four years.

He was also added to the sex offenders’ register and made the subject of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order that will tightly restrict his online activities and access to children when he is released.

Description

A sex offender who raped a woman while she slept has been locked up.

James Spedding and the victim, who were known to each other, had been drinking together on the evening of 15 March 2022.

In the early hours of the following morning she awoke to discover Spedding lying on top of her.

The victim, who was vulnerable and unable to consent to sex, told family members who reported it to police.

Spedding, aged 26, of Mansfield, was arrested a short time later and the victim was interviewed and supported by specialist officers.

He denied rape but was found guilty after a trial at Nottingham Crown Court in November last year.

On Thursday (13 February) he was given a seven-year custodial sentence which he will begin in a secure hospital.

He was also given a 10-year restraining order and must register with police under the Sexual Offences Act indefinitely.

Description

This paedophile admitted to police he had downloaded sick abuse images of children as young as three as he had a sexual interest in juveniles.

Simon Cutts made the admission after being stopped in his car when he failed to answer the door to his home when officers went knocking.

At first, the 26-year-old denied he even had a mobile phone on which the vile video and photos were later discovered. But detectives found it in his car and analysed it.

On the device were both moving and still pornographic images of little boys and little girls. Handing him a three-year community order, Judge Julie Warburton said: “People like you create a market for children to be abused. It is not a victimless crime because further images cause further children to be abused.

“I have read the pre-sentence report and your letter to me and the background involving the stress you were dealing with at the time. But that doesn't even begin to excuse your behaviour.

“You admitted these matters and were candid with the police as to why you did this.” Rawaid Javed, prosecuting at Nottingham Crown Court, said police received information that an account linked to Cutts had been downloading the images and videos through the Kik messaging and chat app.

He said on November 3, 2022, they went to his home in Cox's Lane, Mansfield Woodhouse, but there was no answer. The prosecutor said: “They then saw the defendant leave his address, get in a car and so they stopped him.

“He refused to get out of the car and denied having a mobile phone but it was searched and one was found.

“That was examined and was found to contain seven (of the most serious) category A images of both boys and girls aged three to 12; 11 category B images of videos of girls and boys aged three to 14 and seven images and videos of category C which were boys aged seven to 10. They had been downloaded between July and October 2022.

“The defendant was arrested and interviewed and made full admissions.” Cutts pleaded guilty to possession of indecent images of children and has no previous convictions of any kind.

Lauren Manuel, mitigating, said he denied having a mobile phone when he was in his car as he “panicked” having seen the officers. She said: “He fully admitted not only having the images but also, and this is very rare in these cases, that he admitted to having a sexual motivation towards children.”

As part of the community order, the judge ordered the defendant to attend a 43-day programme designed to steer child sex offenders away from that type of offending. She also ordered him to attend 30 rehabilitation sessions with the probation service.

Description

A man who subjected a teenage girl to multiple sexual assaults nearly 20 years ago has been jailed.

Christopher North, now aged 58, was living in the Newark area when he repeatedly targeted the same girl.

North, who has previous convictions for offences including assault and false imprisonment, was reported to Nottinghamshire Police in May 2022 when his victim found the courage to come forward.

The woman, now an adult, gave a detailed account to police of multiple sexual assaults that took place at different locations.

When North was arrested and interviewed by officers, he denied any sexual activity with the girl and answered no comment to most of the questions put to him.

He maintained his innocence until he finally pleaded guilty to multiple counts of sexual activity with a child. 

Appearing at Nottingham Crown Court today (Friday), North, formerly of Bagshaw Street, Pleasley, was jailed for 11 years and will spend an additional four years on extended licence.

He was also added to the sex offenders’ register for life.

Description

A sex offender has been returned to jail after breaching the terms of his release.

Daniel Anthony, aged 26, was jailed in 2020 for sexually assaulting a teenage girl and possessing an extreme pornographic image.

Under the terms of his release, he was made the subject of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order which prohibited almost any contact with girls under the age of 16.

He was also banned from using the internet unless his electronic devices could regularly be monitored by police.

In February 2022 Anthony was arrested again after officers found out he was regularly spending time with a young girl, without declaring his contact to police.

Appearing at Nottingham Crown Court on Thursday (5 October), Anthony, of Butler Crescent, Mansfield, was jailed for eight months after pleading guilty to breaching a Sexual Harm Prevention Order.

Sexual Harm Preventions Orders are often part of the sentencing process and tightly restrict what offenders can do online and in person once they are released from prison.

Compliance is monitored by a team of officers who regularly check in with offenders to ensure they adhering to their orders.

Breaching an order is an offence in itself and is highly likely to result in an additional prison sentence.

Detective Constable Kate Taylor, of Nottinghamshire Police, said:

“Offenders need to understand these restrictions have real teeth and that the courts take an extremely dim view when they are breached.

“Anthony would certainly have known he was in breach of his Sexual Harm Prevention Order so I can only conclude he thought we’d never find out.

“As he has found to his cost, however, it's our business to monitor people who pose a potential risk to children, and we do find out when they are breached.

“Nothing is more important to us than the safety of children, so I hope this sentence serves as a warning to others with Sexual Harm Prevention orders about the consequences of ignoring them.”

Description

Alan Copeland, aged 59, began abusing the girl nearly a decade ago and told her to keep what happened a secret.

He was finally exposed when the girl was old enough to understand what had happened and confided in her family.

Nottinghamshire Police was informed, and Copeland was arrested and interviewed by specialist child abuse detectives.

Copeland angrily denied the allegations against him but was later charged with three counts of causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity.

During a two-day trial at Nottingham Crown Court, a jury heard compelling video testimony from the girl, and were also made aware of two similar convictions against Copeland dating back to the 1990s.

On Wednesday, September 5, he was found guilty of all three offences and jailed for six years.

Copeland, formerly of Third Avenue, Rainworth, was also added to the sex offenders’ register and made the subject of a sexual harm prevention order, which will tightly restrict his access to young people once he is released.

Detective Constable Gemma Sidebottom, who led the investigation, said: “Copeland is an unrepentant sex offender who thought he could abuse an innocent child with impunity, but he clearly hadn’t reckoned on the bravery and determination of his victim.

“As she grew older, she realised what had happened to her all those years ago was wrong and told someone about what had happened to her.

“That is a huge step for anyone to take – let alone for someone who is still a child – so I really am full of admiration for the dignity and resolve she has shown throughout this process.

“With no physical evidence to rely on, the success of this prosecution really came down to the meticulous details she provided in her evidence and her believability as a witness.

“Thanks to her, Copeland has been exposed as a danger to young girls and will now spend a considerable amount of time in prison.

“I hope this case provides encouragement to other young people who have been abused in similar ways in the past.

"We will listen to you, we will investigate and we will seek criminal charges where we can.”

Description

Officers attended the address, in Mansfield Woodhouse, to arrest 29-year-old Kyhl Sykes after reports he had sexually assaulted a girl.

They knocked on the door and shouted through the letterbox but Sykes, who was alone inside, didn’t answer.

When officers broke in through the front door they smelt gas.

As they entered, Sykes struck a match which caused a backdraft.

The kitchen door exploded open in front of police who swiftly exited the property in fear for their safety.

Neighbouring properties were evacuated before Sykes was arrested and the house was made safe.

Sykes suffered burns to his face and hands during the incident which happened on February 16. Fortunately, no-one else was injured.

The day before, Sykes had engaged in sexual activity with a girl and his offending was reported to police.

At Nottingham Crown Court on Thursday, August 10, prosecutor Steven Bailey said Sykes had groomed the girl and built up her trust before abusing her.

The court heard Sykes had also taken photographs of the girl, when she didn’t know what was happening, and had sent pictures and messages to her which caused her to feel worried and confused.

He also searched for pictures of young girls on the Internet and was found in possession of 20 indecent Category C images of a child.

Sykes, of Mansfield Woodhouse, pleaded guilty to charges of arson with recklessness as to whether life was endangered, two counts of engaging in sexual activity with a girl and a further count of making indecent photographs of a child.

Victoria Rose, defending Sykes, told the court he had suffered with his mental health and a personality disorder and was extremely remorseful for his actions.

Jailing Sykes for a total of six-and-a-half years, Judge Stuart Rafferty KC, said: “You abused this girl and treated her as an object. You began to groom her and encouraged her to have feelings about you by telling her you had feelings for her, in a wholly improper way.”

In respect of the arson, Judge Rafferty told Sykes: “Fortunately for you, the police arrived before the house began to fill with gas.

"It’s perfectly obvious from their radio communications and shouting through the letterbox that you were in no doubt the police were coming into the house.

“You utterly selfishly struck the match. The backdraft could easily have been a fireball had time gone on. If the police had come about half-an-hour later you would have blown them, the house, yourself, and other people to kingdom come.”

Sykes received four-and-a-half years in prison for the sexual activity offences and two years, to be served consecutively, for the arson offence. He was handed a three-month concurrent sentence for the possession of indecent images.

He was also made subject of a 10-year restraining order and will be a notifying sex offender for life.

Detective Inspector Craig Hall, of Nottinghamshire Police, said “Sykes is a dangerous sexual offender, and I am pleased he is now behind bars where he can no longer pose a risk to children.

Description

A former police community support officer from Nottinghamshire has been jailed for 14 years after admitting to multiple child sex offences.

Matthew Shaw, aged 38, was reported to police after he was caught filming a girl in a swimming pool changing room at Center Parcs.

Shaw, who has since resigned from Derbyshire Police, was challenged by the girl’s mother after he passed a camera under a cubicle wall in a changing room on April 27, 2022.

He was subsequently reported to Nottinghamshire Police and arrested at his home two days later.

Officers seized several electronic devices, including a mobile phone found hidden in the roof of his garage. Examination of these devices revealed additional videos recorded in changing rooms.

Evidence was also recovered of Shaw, of Bernard Avenue, Mansfield Woodhouse, engaging in online sex acts with several children.

Shaw initially denied any wrongdoing, but later admitted 21 charges of causing a child to engage in sexual activity, and three of voyeurism.

At Nottingham Crown Court on Monday, Shaw was jailed for a total of 14 years. He will also serve an additional six years on licence.

He was also added to the sex offenders’ register and made the subject of a sexual harm prevention order.

Detective Chief Inspector Gemma Scott, of Nottinghamshire Police, said: “Shaw is a devious and manipulative sex offender now starting a well-deserved prison sentence.

“While he did not come into physical contact with his victims, he still caused very real harm to vulnerable young people by exposing them to things they were simply too young to understand let alone consent to.

“Nothing is more important to us than the safety of children and we will always robustly pursue those who commit offences of this nature.

“I am pleased Shaw has now been jailed and hope this case serves as a warning to others about the consequences of this kind of behaviour – sooner or later we will catch up with you and you are likely to end up in jail.”

Deputy Chief Constable Simon Blatchly, of Derbyshire Police, said: “The offences Shaw has been dealt with at court are shocking.

“As soon as the allegations came to light Shaw was suspended from his role as a PCSO and the force assisted colleagues in Nottinghamshire Police with their investigation. He subsequently resigned from his position last year.

“Through that investigation it was concluded none of Shaw’s offending was found to have taken place while he was on duty and no victims were identified as being linked to his role.

“While all officers and staff hold a position of trust, PCSOs have a unique role that puts them in contact with a great many different groups within our communities, including young people.

“His role and position of trust make his crimes all the more shocking to the public and I share their revulsion at his actions.”

Reacting to the sentence, a spokesman for the NSPCC child protection charity. said: “As a PCSO, Shaw was supposed to be helping the community. Instead he betrayed them in a terrible way, committing a string of sexual offences against a number of children and helping fuel the awful industry of online child abuse material by seeking out indecent images.

“These crimes can have a devastating impact on the victims.”

Description

A sexual predator who targeted two women and a girl in violent, opportunistic attacks has been jailed for life.

Constantin Covaliu preyed on his victims, who were all previously unknown to him, over the space of four months last year in Nottingham and Mansfield.

After a determined and detailed investigation by Public Protection detectives and their uniformed colleagues, the 22-year-old has now been brought to justice and received a life sentence at Northampton Crown Court.

Covaliu, of Broxtowe Drive, Mansfield, previously pleaded guilty to two counts of rape, one of attempted rape and one of sexual assault on the day his trial was due to begin.

Detective Sergeant Neil Allsop, of Nottinghamshire Police, said: “Covaliu is a predatory sex offender who targeted victims in their own home, while alone in the street and after luring them to a place of danger.

“He only pleaded guilty as his trial was due to begin - causing needless additional distress to his victims.

“He has rightly been handed a life sentence and I hope this gives his victims some closure after what has been a harrowing time for them and their families since the shocking events took place.”

Covaliu attacked his first victim, a 53-year-old woman, after he attended a house party in the building in which she lives.

He had entered her flat twice earlier in the evening and was told by the victim to get out.

On the third occasion, at around 2.30am on 24 July 2021, he again went into the flat and this time attempted to rape the victim.

She was eventually able to fight him off and called for help after locking herself in the property’s communal bathroom.

The second attack took place when a 17-year-old girl was lured to an address in Mansfield while on a night out on 31 October 2021.

He befriended the teenager, who was alone after her friend had gone home, and took her to the property.

After snatching the woman’s mobile phone from her, Covaliu raped the girl in an upstairs bedroom.

In the third attack, Covaliu grabbed a 21-year-old woman from behind as she walked home alone in Church Lane, Mansfield, on 20 November 2021.

He attempted to rape the woman but stopped and ran from the scene when she tried to get help from a passing taxi driver.

Det Sgt Allsop added after sentencing on 9 September: “Detectives in Nottinghamshire Police’s public protection teams work every day to investigate cases of rape and sexual abuse and it is thanks to their hard work and tenacity that people like Covaliu are held to account and their victims are offered the support they need.

“Had it not been for their very thorough investigation and attention to detail Covaliu may very well have evaded justice.

“So if you have been the victim of sexual assault we want to hear from you.

“If you make an allegation we will listen carefully to you, we will investigate and we do everything we can to get justice for you.”

Description

A rapist who carried out a string of sexual assaults on a young girl has been jailed.

Luke Riley, 36, subjected the girl to more than two years of appalling sexual abuse.

The long list of offences took place in the Mansfield area at a time when the child was still of primary school age.

In total Riley, of Mansfield, had 11 separate child sex charges brought against him but always denied doing anything wrong.

Rileys lies meant that the girl was forced to relive her horrifying ordeal all over again in court as part of a week-long trial in April of this year.

In a victim impact statement read out in Nottingham Crown Court, the girl revealed how Rileys wicked actions had ruined her childhood and had caused her to self-harm in the years that followed.

Following the trial, a jury found Riley guilty of 11 child sex offences, including two counts of rape of a child under the age of 13.

Riley then appeared before Nottingham Crown Court for sentencing today (10 June), where he was jailed for 18 years.

Detective Sergeant James Primrose, of Nottinghamshire Police, said: Riley subjected a vulnerable young girl to more than two years of horrifying sexual abuse, the likes of which nobody should ever have to go through.

Put simply, his actions were completely unforgivable and just pure evil.

At no point has Riley shown any level of remorse or contrition for his horrendous behaviour and actually forced the girl to relive everything that happened to her all over again by lying about what he did in court.

I can only imagine how difficult and upsetting an ordeal this must have been for the victim but I hope that the knowledge that her abuser will now be behind bars for a very long time will serve as some form of comfort for her.

Description

A Mansfield paedophile who sexually abused an underage girl and ruined her childhood, left her paralysed by fear and haunted by hallucinations afterwards, a court has heard. Sarel Van Der Merwe, aged 41, of Carter Lane, Mansfield, pleaded guilty to seven counts of sexual assault of a child under the age of 13, and two charges of causing a child under the age of 13 to engage in sexual activity. Van Der Merwe told police the abuse happened on three occasions, prosecutor Ian West said, shortly after his victim told her teacher she had been abused. Nottingham Crown Court was told on Wednesday how he kissed and sucked her breasts, touched her vagina and got her to masturbate him to ejaculation. In a statement, the victim's mother said unexpected things can trigger flashbacks and described her daughter seeing him as a black figure in crowded places. On one occasion the girl cried out: It's there, it's there it's coming for me. She said her daughters fear was so strong she was paralysed. And because she kept seeing black figures in the mirror, we have had to take down all the mirrors in the house. The court heard Van Der Merwes victim has since tried to harm herself and once locked herself in the bathroom with a knife. She mainly stresses about being gotten by him, the girls mother said. She is physically exhausted by the whole experience. This has ruined her childhood. Gregor Purcell, mitigating, said Van Der Merwe, of previous good character, made admissions from the start. He knows he should never have behaved in the way he did. There is nothing he can do to put right what he has done wrong here." Mr Purcell said Van Der Merwe has sought assistance for his offending with 'offence-focused work' which will hopefully reduce the risk he will present. Judge Gregory Dickinson QC, the Recorder of Nottingham, told him: "This is serious sexual abuse. You used her as a sexual plaything. "It has ruined her childhood. In some ways this will stay with her to the end of her life." He jailed Van de Merwe for four years and eight months and imposed a sexual harm prevention order for 10 years. Detective Constable Kate Waters, of Nottinghamshire Police, said: Van Der Merwe has now been jailed for his crimes and I hope it brings some closure both for the victim, who showed a huge amount of courage in coming forward to report what had been happening to her, and for her family, who have also been impacted by his offending. I hope this case serves as a reminder to other victims of sexual assault that even if incidents happened some time ago, if you speak to us and report it, we will listen to you and carry out a full investigation to do everything we can to bring those responsible to justice. We would urge anyone with any concerns to speak to an officer, or call 101, to have a chat and report any incidents of sexual abuse.