Latest Offenders Merseyside

Description

A paedophile tried to hide his phone in a freezer to stop police finding dozens of videos of children being raped.

Athanasios Konstantinidis had already been caught with child abuse images once in June 2019 but a judge had spared him jail on that occasion.

Yet instead of abiding by rules aimed at stopping him offending again, the 57-year-old bought a new phone the following year and began downloading hundreds of images and videos of child sexual abuse.

Derek Jones, prosecuting, said Konstantinidis kept the existence of his phone hidden from officers who were monitoring him at regular meetings.

He said: We now know that the defendant failed to disclose that he had purchased a new phone.

It came to light because police, in the meantime, had received intelligence that somebody had shared and uploaded indecent images of children.

The IP address was then tracked to this defendant.

When police arrived at his home in Southport on Wednesday, October 28, 2020, to carry out a search he was caught out trying to hide the phone.

Mr Jones said: He then tried to hide the mobile phone in a freezer in the kitchen.

This attempt was seen by an officer and the phone was seized.

Later analysis of the phone found a large trove of child abuse images had been downloaded.

They included 557 Category A images, the most serious, as well 929 Category B images and 1,514 Category C images.

The court heard there were 284 videos on the phone, one of which showed a girl believed to be around eight or nine years old being raped by a man while showing clear signs of distress.

Separately, Konstantinidis also sent two separate Category C images to other individuals over email.

The court heard that in one of the emails, sent in August 2020, Konstantinidis attached the picture and wrote: Enjoy.

Charles Lander, defending, said Konstantinidis quickly admitted all of the offences when arrested by police and pleaded guilty in court at the earliest opportunity.

He said there was nothing that could be said to lessen the seriousness of the offences themselves but said Konstantinidis was extremely isolated socially due to his responsibilities as a carer.

Mr Lander said Konstantinidis is the main carer for his wife, who has chronic leukaemia, and had become increasingly cut off from the outside world as he took steps to ensure she was isolating when the pandemic began as she was clinically vulnerable.

His caring responsibilities for her increased so significantly that he had to quit his job.

He was also grieving the loss of his mother in Greece, having not been able to travel to see her before she died due to Covid restrictions.

Mr Lander said the pandemic had also delayed a number of the courses he had been due to undertake to tackle his offending.

Mr Lander said: All I submit on his behalf is the background against which he did what he did.

The judge, Recorder Eric Lamb, said Konstantinidis had failed to use the second chance given to him by the courts to change his behaviour.

Recorder Lamb said: Not only were you given the opportunity of a suspended sentence, you were also made the subject of a sexual harm prevention order and the terms of that order were to ensure that you would have a constant reminder of the steps you needed to take to ensure that you did not fall prey to the temptation to download these disgusting images.

He said the actions of people like Konstantinidis fuelled the abuse of children.

Recorder Lamb said: Without people like you who take an interest in these images there would not be this abuse against children.

Konstantinidis, of Ashdown Close, Southport, admitted possessing, making and distributing indecent images of children and numerous counts of breaching a sexual harm prevention order.

He was jailed for a total of 32 months.

Description

A boxing coach who sexually assaulted a stranger was a wannabe actor who had appeared on Hollyoaks and touted himself as playing a good villain.

Daniel Jones was jailed for 16 years yesterday after luring a woman into his house on the premise of helping his injured dog before sexually assaulting her.

He then trapped a female police officer in his living room as she tried to rescue his victim in July last year.

It has now emerged that, as well as running his gym and boxing business, the 47 year old had in fact been pursuing acting in the years running up to the pandemic.

He had a number of roles as an extra on TV shows like Hollyoaks and ITV drama Paranoid.

In his IMDB profile, Jones build is described as lending itself to henchmen, security guards and villains.

The profile reads: Having spent several years working in security management, and then owning his own security company, and boxing gym. Daniel was inspired by the many famous actors he would meet and a few years later and after some soul-searching his artistic nature guided him into acting towards the end of 2008.

Due to his physique, 5'10 and 185 Pounds, Daniel tends to be offered the roles of henchmen, security guards and villains which includes appearances in Channel 4's prime time show Hollyoaks in 2016, and Channel 4's gathering time in 2010. and the ITV Drama Paranoid in 2016.

It appears that Jones' roles were mainly as extras and he had pursued acting less in the years immediately preceding the pandemic.

Instead, he had focused on his gym and coaching business, Bespoke Bodies.

The court heard the coronavirus lockdown had a devastating impact on his business when gyms were forced to close, putting significant strain on his mental health

Trevor Parry-Jones, defending, said: He was unable to continue training when the lockdown happened.

That had a catastrophic effect on the gym and started to impact massively on the defendant.

While the court heard Jones had previously suffered with some mental health issues and drug use, this escalated as the pandemic wore on.

At this point, he then began to try to set up a business selling cannabis oil to supplement his income but also began to take DMT, a psychedelic drug.

Evidence provided in court indicated this was a catastrophic decision, with psychiatrists saying the drug was not an appropriate way of dealing with his mental health issues.

Sourcing the drug off the dark web, people around Jones began to notice his mental state deteriorate.

While he reported feeling happier and healthier, his family members became increasingly concerned by his erratic behaviour.

In a bizarre incident just before the attack, the court heard that while at a swimming pool, Jones told family members he could swim underwater indefinitely without breathing.

Despite this, there was little to suggest Jones, who had no similar previous convictions, would launch what a judge ruled was a planned attack on a stranger in the middle of the day.

While his neighbours thought he was not in a good mental state, they apparently described him as "daft as a brush" rather than a violent threat.

Yet standing outside on the street and behaving so erratically that members of the public called the police, Jones drew the attention of a woman after saying his dog had been hit by a car.

In a conversation which his victim later told police was very persuasive, Jones convinced her to come to his home to help him call a vet as he was distressed.

However, once through the door he immediately attacked her, tearing off her clothes and submitting her to a terrifying sexual assault.

When police, who were responding to earlier calls about Jones behaviour, arrived at his home, he dragged one officer into his living room, blocked the door and threatened to kill her.

He also ripped off her body worn camera before she managed to escape and the 47 year old was arrested.

The judge in his case, Recorder Ian Unsworth, QC, said Jones posed a significant risk to women and that without the proper support he could offend again.

He said Jones heaped humiliation on his victim during a brutal, ruthless and sustained assault before targeting a lone female police officer.

Jones was sentenced to 16 years in prison, with a further eight years on licence.

Description

A paedophile who downloaded child rape videos behind his mum's back today walked free from court.

Nathan Critchlow amassed a "foul, obscene and revolting" collection of 1,529 child sex abuse images.

The 25-year-old - who said he was snorting cocaine and drinking heavily at the time - now says he's "cured" of his paedophilia.

But a judge said he didn't accept this claim and the pervert needed to complete a sex offender treatment programme to reduce the risk he poses to children.

Liverpool Crown Court heard police raided Critchlow's home, where he lives with his mum in Wolverton Street, Anfield, on September 4, 2020.

Officers seized his laptop and iPhone, before they interviewed Critchlow, who denied that they would find any indecent images on the devices.

But when they were examined, said indecent images were found on both, which he had downloaded between February 2018 and September 2020.

Derek Jones, prosecuting, said Critchlow had searched online for "boy a***", "boy a***" and "nonce Liverpool" and downloaded illegal files with names such as "toddler rape" and "10-year-old boys" from cloud storage platforms Mega and Dropbox.

He had 431 Category A files - the most serious category showing child rape - including five videos, one showing a boy as young as eight being raped.

Critchlow had also collected 328 Category B and 754 Category C files.

Mr Jones said there were a further 12 extreme porn files showing bestiality.

Critchlow was interviewed again on April 27 last year, when he was confronted with the evidence, but gave a no comment interview.

He later admitted three counts of downloading and one count of possessing indecent images of children, plus possessing extreme porn.

The court heard he had no previous convictions but as a youth received a conditional caution for battery.

Recorder Ian Harris said he had read a letter from Critchlow's mum, sitting at the back of court, who was greatly concerned by his behaviour.

Peter White, defending, said Ms Critchlow was unable to work due to health conditions and his client was "now essentially her carer" on a day to day basis.

Mr White said: "At the time he was using heavily alcohol and cocaine and he suffers from ADHD."

The lawyer said: "It is conceded every image and every video represents an innocent victim and without people downloading such images, there could arguably not be demand for that abuse to be recorded and distributed."

He added: "Mr Critchlow has his difficulties, but he can grasp that concept your honour."

Mr White said his client was "adamant" that since the raid there had been no repeat offending and he had been "frank" with the author of a pre-sentence report and his mum about his "motivation" for the crimes.

He said his client had "particular difficulties", adding: "He's clearly been the victim himself of quite unpleasant behaviour directed towards him, be it in the workplace or during his school years."

Mr White urged the judge to spare him jail so he could undergo a sex offender treatment programme for adults with learning difficulties, "which seems to be all the boxes that Mr Critchlow unfortunately ticks".

Recorder Ian Harris told Critchlow he collected the files over more than two years, adding: "This isn't a one off, this is a lot of images downloaded over a period behind your mother's back.

"Obviously she wouldn't have stood for this had you spoken to her about it and you did it, as your pre-sentence report says, for your own sexual gratification.

"You say you're cured of this now - I'm afraid I don't accept that. This is a deep rooted concern but the orders I'm about to make I hope will punish you and assist in the long run."

The judge said: "These images are foul, obscene and revolting, collected as I've said over a two-year period.

"The degradation and the suffering the victims went through to provide people like you with some sort of pleasure must have been horrendous and the effects on them and their wellbeing are incalculable.

"People who act as you did perpetuate this market and lead to the further corruption of young children, all as I've said for your pleasure.

"By using these images you perpetuate and fuel an evil market."

However, the judge said he believed there was a "realistic prospect of rehabilitation" and that if he jailed Critchlow, he would then come out of prison without receiving the type of treatment that could reduce his risk to children.

He said: "I'm giving you the opportunity to benefit from that work - if it fails you will go to prison."

Recorder Harris gave Critchlow 15 months in jail, suspended for two years, with a sex offender treatment programme, 25-day Rehabilitation Activity Requirement and 160 hours of unpaid work.

Description

A convicted child sex attacker who keeps downloading indecent images of children was branded "dangerous".

Patrick Downey, 40, has been in and out of jail for the last two decades because of his twisted perversion.

Last year police caught him with 426 sick photos, including one of a boy aged just four being raped.

Judge Andrew Menary, QC, said: "The offence plainly is bad enough in and of itself, but in your case it's particularly grave, because of your history of this type of behaviour.

"On any view, by any measure, you are plainly someone who has a very serious and unhealthy interest in young children.

"You are, by the strict definition of that word, frankly a paedophile."

Liverpool Crown Court heard police raided Downey's home in Peel Road, Bootle on May 13 last year.

Paul Blasbery, prosecuting, said they seized a Samsung mobile phone, a laptop and a MacBook.

On the devices they discovered 98 Category A images - the most serious category showing child rape - one involving a boy as young as four.

There were 178 Category B images, one involving the abuse of a toddler, and 150 Category C images, one of a boy aged three to four.

Downey admitted three counts of downloading and one count of possessing indecent images of children.

Possessing Category A indecent images has a sentencing range of 26 weeks up to three years in sentencing guidelines.

Downey has 46 previous convictions, which include offences of dishonesty but also multiple sexual offences.

He was put on the Sex Offenders Register in 2003 when he was convicted of gross indecency with a child and indecent images offences.

In 2007 he was hit with a lifelong Sexual Offences Prevention Order (SOPO) after allowing a 16-year-old boy to stay at his home.

He was convicted of downloading indecent images again in 2008, and then again in 2014, when he was also caught distributing them.

On that occasion, Downey, formerly of Wellfield Road, Walton, was found to be a "dangerous offender", as defined in law.

He was jailed for three years, with an extended five years on licence - meaning he was still on licence when he downloaded these latest images.

Downey was jailed for two years and eight months in March 2019, after he lied about his identity to get a job at a Blackpool hotel while on licence.

He had used his husband's name to get the managerial role at the hotel, and a judge pointed out the job "gave him direct access to children

Downey, then 38, was caught out after police learned he had moved from Merseyside without telling them - in breach of notification requirements.

That sixth breach on his record also involved him meeting up with another registered sex offender, while he was at the tourist resort.

John Weate, defending, today said Downey no longer stood by comments he made in a pre-sentence report and took responsibility for the offences.

Mr Weate asked for full credit of one third for his client's early guilty pleas.

He accepted Downey was assessed to be a "high risk" and said he understood the judge might again conclude he was dangerous.

Description

A paedophile who said he wanted to take a girl to bed has avoided jail.

Philip Street, 41, sent sexually explicit messages to a person he believed was a 13-year-old child.

He asked the supposed girl whether she would make him wear a condom if they were to have sex.

The pervert, of Bedford Avenue, Rock Ferry, was actually talking to an undercover police officer.

But a judge said his "very significant disability" substantially reduced his responsibility for the crime.

Street admitted attempting to engage in sexual communications with a child, which carries a maximum sentence of two years in jail.

Liverpool Crown Court heard Street's solicitors previously raised concerns about whether he was capable of entering a plea.

Derek Jones, prosecuting, said Street had a profile on Chat Avenue, a social media website "mainly used by teenagers aged between 13 and 18", with 13 being the minimum age.

He said Street entered a chat room called "teen chat" on February 12, 2021 and messaged the decoy profile "Kaylee13".

Mr Jones said: "The defendant told her straight away he was 40 years of age and asked her whether she had a girlfriend.

"She then informed him that she was 13.

"It was actually Kaylee who said 'we can move to Skype because we can't share pictures on here'.

"The defendant did say at that point 'I haven't asked for any pictures', but they then agreed to go onto Skype."

The prosecutor added: "When they went onto Skype, he jokingly said to her 'you will be after a picture of my d*** next' and then said 'I will show you my d*** later if you're good'.

"He then asked her whether she would make him wear a condom if they were to have sex."

Street sent a clothed picture of himself to Kaylee, before telling her: "I would like to take you to bed, I would be gentle with you."

He asked further sexually explicit questions and requested a photo of her face, to which the officer sent a generic photo, which Street said was "pretty".

Mr Jones said the pair discussed a female friend of Kaylee, and Street talked about "him being involved with the two girls".

Street did not suggest meeting up with the girl during three conversations, which lasted around an hour and a half in total.

He was traced by his email address and arrested at his home on April 13, when a police search did not reveal any illegal material.

Mr Jones said: "He was interviewed, your honour will have seen not just with an appropriate adult, but somebody acting as an intermediary.

"He accepted the messages were from him, albeit he couldn't remember some of them. He claimed to be drunk when he sent some of them and denied having a sexual interest in children."

Bernice Campbell, defending, said her client, who had no previous convictions, was accompanied at court by his uncle, who is his carer.

Judge Stuart Driver, QC, said: "This is an exceptional case Ms Campbell. The recommendation in the pre-sentence report is realistic and that's the course that I'm going to follow."

The judge told Street he would have to sign on the Sex Offenders Register and comply with a Sexual Harm Prevention Order for five years.

Judge Driver said he would not read out the details of the order "as I think it will be hard for you to understand''.

However, he said they included restrictions on Street's use of the internet, and he must not attempt to contact, have unsupervised contact with, or live in the same house as anyone under 16, unless exceptions applied.

He said: "This is a complicated order. I'm afraid it's your responsibility and the responsibility of your carers to make sure you know the rules and that you stick to them, or you will be committing an offence for which you could be sent to prison."

Judge Driver said: "In mitigation, there was no child, this was an adult impersonating a child, and your messages were confined to a single day.

"However, the most important piece of mitigation in this case is the fact that you suffer from a very significant disability.

"You have cerebral palsy and spastic paraplegia, which substantially reduces your culpability for this offending.

"You're in your 40s and have never offended before and of course you pleaded guilty."

The judge handed Street a two-year community order, with a 15-day Rehabilitation Activity Requirement and a sex offender treatment programme.

Description

Ian Watson, 56, of Churchfields, St Helens was sentenced to five years imprisonment after being found guilty of arranging and facilitating the commission of a child sexual offence. A 56-year-old man has been caught arranging to travel to Cheshire to have sex with a nine-year-old boy. Ian Watson, of Churchfields in St Helens, was caught by police making arrangements online to meet a nine-year-old boy in Cheshire to engage in sexual activity with the child. Watson was making the horrifying arrangements with another adult online, but what he did not know was that his dark web accomplice was actually a police officer from the North West Regional Organised Crime Unit (NWROCU) On March 30, 2020 he was arrested at his home address and appeared in Liverpool Crown Court on Friday, January 28 charged with child sexual offences. A judge sentenced him to five years in prison after he was found guilty of arranging and facilitating the commission of a child sexual offence. Detective Inspector Andy Buckthorpe of NWROCU said: Ian Watson was a significant risk to children and were extremely glad that our investigation has stopped him from being able to act on his abusive intentions. Here at the NWROCU were committed to protecting children from sexual exploitation. Law enforcement operates across the internet and we're committed to ensuring those who use this means of communicating with those believe to be children to arrange sexual abuse are brought before the courts to face justice." I would urge anyone who has been a victim of child abuse, or thinks a child is being abused, to contact police immediately on 101, where a report can be made in confidence. Detective Sergeant Rob Deponeo, from Merseyside Police said: Offenders often think that the internet will offer them complete anonymity to commit offences, but, as todays sentence shows that this is not the case. Merseyside Police has specialist officers working tirelessly in partnership with other agencies such as the North West Regional Organised Crime Unit to identify offenders, no matter where they live or what devices they use. "A huge amount of work is done by law enforcement agencies throughout the world to identify offenders, infiltrate their networks and uncover the evidence we need to put them behind bars and ensure that suitable safeguarding measures are put in place. We work with other UK forces, agencies and CEOP (the Child Exploitation Online Protection centre), as well as agencies in other countries who share our desire and determination to protect children from depraved and dangerous offenders such as Watson. "We will use every tactic and technological advancement available to ensure people cannot and do not get away with the terrible crimes they have committed.

Description

A "despicable" rapist who forced his victim to go through her ordeal again in court was handed a lengthy jail sentence.

Lee Cunliffe, 37, appeared before Liverpool Crown Court to be sentenced on charges including three counts of rape, two counts of assault by penetration and false imprisonment.

After denying the charges, Cunliffe was found guilty following a trial on Wednesday, November 10.

Now Cunliffe, of St Helens, has been sentenced to 17 years in prison, plus five on extended licence.

Speaking after the sentencing, Detective Inspector Yoseph Al-Ramadhan said: We share the victims relief and satisfaction that Cunliffe has been dealt with by the courts.

While no sentence can repair the pain and suffering Cunliffe has caused to his victim, I hope that he will reflect on his despicable actions while behind bars.

By denying the offences, he has put his victim through the additional pain of being forced to relive her ordeal through his trial and it is pleasing to know he has been jailed for a long time.

I would like to pay tribute to the strength and bravery shown by the victim in coming forward to provide evidence against Cunliffe so that justice could be served.

"To be a victim of such offences, and then go through the additional stress of a court case, is extremely tough and she will continue to be supported by specially trained officers."

Description

A female paedophile who raped a young girl and shared images of the abuse online has admitted 34 charges in court.

Vicki Bevan, 37, repeatedly sexually assaulted the child under 13, who cannot be identified, and on some occasions carried out the perverted attacks alongside Paul Rafferty, 62, and a second man, 42-year-old Tony Hutton.

The abuse was filmed and photographed which ultimately led to the arrests of all three.

They had been set to stand trial in April, but the two men entered guilty pleas to a string of sexual offences earlier this month.

Bevan, of St Helens, Merseyside, cried as she appeared at Liverpool Crown Court yesterday via video link from HMP Styal and pleaded guilty to 34 sexual offences, including one count of rape and five counts of assault by penetration.

Bevan also pleaded guilty to 17 counts of making an indecent image of a child, with two of these counts made up of 52 Category A and 42 Category B images.

She also admitted two counts of possessing extreme pornography, relating to 100 'grossly offensive, disgusting or otherwise obscene' animal porn images.

The rape, one count of penetration and another of sexual assault on a child under 13 were carried out jointly with Rafferty, of St Helens.

A count of sexual assault involved Bevan and Hutton, also of St Helens, both performing a sex act on the victim

Jonathan Duffy, defending Bevan, yesterday said the two co-accused would be sentenced on March 25 this year and asked that Bevan be sentenced on the same date.

He said: 'Steps are currently in place for her to be seen by a psychiatrist. It's likely there will be a psychiatric report served in due course.'

Martine Snowdon, prosecuting, said pre-sentence reports had already been ordered on behalf of Rafferty and Hutton.

Judge Andrew Menary QC, Honorary Recorder of Liverpool, said he would also require a pre-sentence report from the Probation Service on Bevan.

Judge Menary directed that the report must consider exclusively 'the issue of dangerousness' - whether Bevan is a dangerous offender, as defined by law.

If the three paedophiles are found to be dangerous offenders, then they may receive extended sentences of at least two thirds - rather than half - of their custodial term behind bars.

He told Bevan she would now be subject to interim requirements of the Sex Offenders Register.

Bevan sobbed as Judge Menary remanded her in custody ahead of sentencing on March 25.

Description

A paedophile's cover story was busted when police officers heard the ringtone of the mobile he pretended he had sold.

Leon Clark claimed he no longer owned the phone that investigators had linked to his home.

But his lie was quickly exposed and the recovery of the device led to the discovery of horrific images of children being sexually abused.

Police raided Clark's Wirral home in June of last year after his email address and phone number were linked to the property.

The 46-year-old denied downloading indecent images of children and claimed he had sold his mobile.

But when the officers called his number they heard it ringing and found it hidden behind a radiator.

Ken Grant, prosecuting, said dozens of indecent images of children were recovered when it was examined, the most serious involving the abuse of a little girl of around three-years-old.

Liverpool Crown Court heard Clark had 39 convictions for 88 offences - including being jailed for two years in 2010 for sexually assaulting a girl under 13, and for downloading indecent images of children.

His convictions also include repeatedly failing to comply with the requirements of the Sexual Offences Register.

Clark, of Lingdale Road North, Birkenhead, pleaded guilty to possessing a total of 58 indecent images on the day of the raid and three offences of making indecent images of children in the previous three months.

Jason Smith, defending, said his client's previous offences of non-compliance with the Sex Offenders Register related to homelessness but that he now had a more settled lifestyle and the ability to comply with court orders.

He added that Clark wanted to co-operate and: "do something to deal with what he accepts is a problem. He wishes to address the problem and show maturity."

Judge Neil Flewitt, QC, pointed out: "All he needs to do is stop looking at pictures of children."

The judge jailed Clark for a total of 18 months, including activating a 16-week suspended sentence imposed in April last year for again breaching requirements of the Sex Offenders Register.

The judge said he accepted the number of indecent images of children found on Clark's phone was not particularly large but he said: "You have an extensive record for other forms of criminality."

He pointed out that a probation officer said Clark "holds a negative attitude and poses a high risk of re-offending and a medium risk of serious harm to children".

In an earlier pre-sentence report another officer said the defendant had little motivation to engage with the probation service and Judge Flewitt said he had not seen anything to show a change.

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

He said he imposed the latter order "in the hope that over that period you mature and change your attitudes and no longer pose a risk to children. If it is considered you do, an application can be made to extend the order."

Description

A primary school deputy head teacher and her partner have been jailed for dozens of child sexual abuse offences, including nine counts of rape. Julie Morris, 44, the safeguarding lead at a school in Wigan, and David Morris filmed themselves abusing and raping a girl under the age of 13. The teacher was jailed for 13 years and four months. Her 52-year-old partner, of St Helens, admitted 34 offences at a previous hearing and was jailed for 16 years. Julie Morris, of Hindley, worked at St George's Central C of E Primary School in Wigan but the charges are not related to her employment. Liverpool Crown Court heard the videos showed Julie Morris giggling as the abuse took place. Honorary Recorder of Liverpool, Judge Andrew Menary, said: "Every now and again you see cases, the circumstances of which are almost beyond belief. This is one of those cases. "It demonstrates that human depravity really knows no depths."

'Disgusting and depraved'

The Crown Prosecution Service said it was one of the most horrific cases they have had to deal with. "It truly appears like both of them were equally involved," district crown prosecutor Damion Lloyd said. "They've formed this horrendous sexual interest in children and they've acted out their most unpleasant fantasies on the victim. "It feels like the relationship between them is just a self-feeding cycle where they have effectively driven each other on to worse and worse acts." In his 20 years of prosecuting, he said it was the "pinnacle" of the most "disgusting and depraved types of acts that people can discuss and do". Prosecutor John Wyn Williams said the couple met on dating app Plenty of Fish in 2016 after both had separated from their partners and the relationship "quickly became intensely sexual". "The communication between them became graphic and depraved which led to some of their sexual fantasies becoming a reality," he said. Mr Wyn Williams said the couple's "sordid secret" was revealed when police found a conversation about sexual abuse of children involving David Morris in a phone seized during a search warrant. He was arrested but cautioned and released and a number of devices were seized, which showed the recordings of rape and sexual abuse, the court heard. Mr Wyn Williams said both defendants were arrested the following day as they appeared to be trying to evade police. "They were on their way to the Lake District in a camper van with £10,000 in their possession," he said. As well as videos and images on David Morris's phone, officers trawled through 175,000 pages of messages between the couple, revealing sexually explicit communications, which spanned three years. The pair also set up a group chat with the victim in which they would talk about how they would abuse her, the court heard. In a statement, Wigan Council said it had sought reassurances from police that there was no evidence any children at the school were harmed. "We fully understand the school community will be appalled. "These are despicable offences and behaviour, especially from someone in a position of trust." Det Ch Insp Bev Hyland of Merseyside Police said the "deplorable" offences had had a "devastating impact on the victims and their families", adding that the couple were "fully aware of their actions" when committing them. The pair were both given indefinite sexual harm prevention orders and must sign the sex offenders' register for life.

The charges:

Julie Morris admitted two counts of rape, nine of inciting a child under the age of 13 to engage in sexual activity and two of engaging in sexual activity in the presence of a child. She also admitted three counts of taking indecent images of a child, one of engaging in sexual communication with a child and one of possessing indecent images of a child. David Morris admitted seven counts of rape, 13 counts of causing or inciting a child under 13 to engage in sexual activity, and two counts of engaging in sexual activity in the presence of a child. He also pleaded guilty to taking indecent images, of categories A, B and C, possessing and distributing indecent images and two counts of engaging in sexual communications with a child. He also admitted three counts of voyeurism, possession of an extreme pornographic image and possession of a prohibited image of a child.

Description

A man from Southport has been jailed for 17 years for raping a toddler and sexually assaulting another child.

Ryan Hawkins, 29, was identified by NCA investigators as username 'bigladuk6' who had been discussing the sexual abuse of children with other paedophiles online.

In September 2021 he shared a graphic sexual image of a baby and told another user about his plans to abuse a young girl the following week.

Hawkins was arrested by NCA officers eight days later and his phone was seized.

Two identical videos of Hawkins raping a female toddler were recovered from the device, along with four graphic sexual images of baby.

When interviewed, he admitted to sexually abusing the toddler on two separate occasions and to sexually assaulting a young boy.

He was charged with the rape and assault of a girl under 13, sexual assault of a male under 13, two counts of making indecent images of a child (IIOC) and one of distributing IIOC.

Hawkins pleaded guilty to all the charges on 16 November 2021 at Liverpool Crown Court.

He was sentenced today [17/12/2021] at the same court to 17 years in prison.

NCA operations manager Phil Eccles said: "Ryan Hawkins' crimes are absolutely horrific.

"The fact he openly discussed the abuse with strangers on the internet shows his callous nature and the fact he had no regard for the profound impact this would have on his victims.

"He is an example of the highest risk and most dangerous sexual offenders targeted by the NCA and it is only right he is behind bars where no longer poses a threat to children."

Description

A man who raped a sleeping woman tried to deny the crime by saying he was also asleep when he sexually assaulted her.

Alan Tyson said he had sexsomnia, a type of sleep disorder and recognised medical condition, which causes people to engage in sexual activity while asleep.

Tyson argued in court earlier this year that this meant he could not have the intent required to commit rape but a jury found him guilty.

His victim did not know Tyson but was a friend of another resident of the house in Wirral where the attack took place in August 2019.

She had been invited there for drinks and, after a few hours of drinking, became unwell and went to sleep on a camp bed in the living room of the house.

She then told him to stop and went upstairs to one of the bedrooms to get away from him and tried to sleep in a bed with her friend.

Tyson then followed her and also tried to get in the bed next to her despite her protests. Hours later she awoke in the morning to find Tyson raping her.

Tyson denied having any sexual contact with the victim in interviews with police and it was only when DNA swabs linked him that he admitted he had sex with her.

John Wyn Williams, prosecuting, said Tyson then said he suffered from sexsomnia and pleaded not guilty to rape on that basis but a jury found him guilty earlier this year.

In a statement to the court yesterday morning, the victim said the attack continued to have a profound impact on her, derailing her career, causing her serious mental health problems and straining her relationships with her close family.

She also criticised Tyson for continuing to plead not guilty.

She said: "If he had just pleaded guilty originally then I wouldn't have had to go through all this for two years."

David Birrell, defending, said Tyson had no previous convictions and, despite a difficult upbringing, had previously been contributing to society and had shown no signs of this type of offending.

However, he acknowledged that the guilty verdict delivered by jurors earlier this year undermined Tyson's claim the assault was caused by sexsomnia.

Birrell said: "It may well be that your honour has doubts about whether he has the condition.

"The jury's verdict could be interpreted that he does not have that condition."

However, Mr Birrell said Tyson had taken numerous steps to address what he believed had been an assault caused by sexsomnia, including switching jobs so he didn't work at night and eliminating his alcohol intake.

Judge David Potter said Tyson's conviction meant the idea that he was asleep when he raped his victim had been roundly rejected.

The judge said: "That a condition called sexsomnia exists is well documented.

"Yet in convicting you a jury rejected the notion that you were asleep when you penetrated her."

He continued: "I conclude you were conscious of what you were doing at the time of the rape."

Tyson, of Ladyfield, Prenton, was jailed for seven years for rape and will have to serve at least two thirds of that before being released on licence.

He will be made the subject of a sexual harm prevention order for 15 years and an indefinite restraining order to stop him contacting the victim.

Description

A dad-of-two sexually assaulted a girl after sending her a vile threat.

"Depraved" Anthony Cubitt bombarded the 15-year-old victim with sexually explicit texts and molested her.

The 36-year-old kissed the child and put his hand down her pants - and a court was told she later attempted suicide.

While on bail, he then tried to groom a 12-year-old girl online, only to realise he had been stung by paedophile hunters.

Liverpool Crown Court heard Cubitt, of Grange Road West, Birkenhead, first sent the 15-year-old sick messages.

Frances Willmott, prosecuting, said one night Cubitt told her he wanted to perform a sex act on her, called her beautiful and sexy ,and said if he was her age "he would be f***ing her tonight".

He told the child to keep their conversation secret, before he asked if she was 16 and called her his girlfriend, when she replied she was 15.

Ms Willmott said: "Anthony Cubitt's response was he couldn't believe that she was that sexy at 15."

He asked questions trying to find out what the girl thought of him, but when she didn't reply, warned: "Answer me sexy before I f*** ya brain out."

Ms Willmott added: "He then sent a message telling her to leave her window open because he was going to climb up to see her and when she got back he would be waiting naked in her bed."

The victim confided in an adult, who advised her to block Cubitt, before the adult told him to "back off".

However, after a time he sent the victim another message, again saying she was "sexy".

Cubitt next messaged the girl after meeting her at a party.

While there he text to say she was "sexy" and commented on what she was wearing.

When the victim left, he accompanied her home, grabbed her around the waist and started kissing her.

Ms Willmott said the girl described "freezing and didn't know what to do with a grown man in her words 'manhandling' her".

Cubitt tried to kiss her again, so she went back to the party, only for Cubitt to do the same.

Ms Willmott said: "She tried to leave to walk home but was followed by Anthony Cubitt, who again kissed her and this time also put his hands down her pants and touched her bottom."

He tried to do this again on her doorstep but she shut the door in his face, before he sent texts saying she was a good kisser and he loved her.

The prosecutor said the girl informed the same adult she previously confided in, "but it is clear she was not believed, and as a result, took an overdose".

The girl went to the police in September 2020, but when Cubitt was interviewed, he denied sending sexual messages, touching or kissing her.

He was released on bail and on August 25 started talking on Facebook to a paedophile hunter posing as a 12-year-old girl called "Rosie".

Cubitt called Rosie "beautiful, a sweetheart, cute, stunning and good looking", then asked her out and told her she was his girlfriend and not to tell her mum.

Ms Willmott said in one chat "he claims that he is not a paedophile and then sends topless pictures of himself".

She added: "He then says he would have sex with her, make her moan and get her pregnant."

Rosie repeatedly reminded him she was 12, but he offered to take her to the cinema, to buy her gifts and to meet her at Southampton train station on September 3 and "teach her everything".

He was confronted by the paedophile hunters on August 30, before police arrested him on September 18.

Ms Willmott said: "He initially blamed his brother for the offences and when interviewed later that day accepted sending messages and knowing Rosie's age, but denied sending the most explicit messages, again suggesting that his brother could have sent them."

Cubitt admitted three counts of sexual communication with a child, one of inciting child to engage in sexual activity, two counts of sexual activity with a child and one of attempted sexual communication with a child.

The victim said Cubitt's abuse left her afraid to walk around Birkenhead and scared and wary of older men.

The girl, who attended court, said she was even anxious around friends' dads.

In a victim statement she said what the "predator" did was "disgusting" and he "made her life a misery", but she wanted to stop it happening to someone else.

Cubitt has eight previous convictions for 16 offences, mainly for dishonesty.

Rebecca Smith, defending, said the dad, who has limited contact with his children under supervision, knew he would be jailed.

She said: "The defendant himself has had a very disruptive childhood and upbringing."

Ms Smith said her client had been addicted to alcohol after he began drinking at 12, and while this was "no excuse", alcohol was perhaps a "disinhibitor" for him.

Recorder Ian Harris, described Cubitt's behaviour towards the girl as "depraved" and said he sent her "crude and inappropriate" texts.

The judge said Cubitt might not have realised, but he was a "catalyst" for his victim's suicide attempt.

Recorder Harris said Cubitt exchanged more than 100 messages with the decoy, who he tried to groom.

He said Cubitt was assessed in a pre-sentence report as "a high risk of serious harm to children", based on factors including "the predatory sexual nature of these offences" and "the fact that you minimise the seriousness of your offending and express no victim awareness or empathy".

The judge said he only accepted limited responsibility and "often blamed" the girl for his behaviour.

He labelled Cubitt's offending "determined, unpleasant, predatory and persistent" as he jailed him for three years.

Recorder Harris told Cubitt to sign on the Sex Offenders Register and abide by a Sexual Harm Prevention Order for life.

He then commended the bravery of the victim, who cried as she was consoled by a friend.

Description

A depraved pervert blackmailed teenage girls from all over the world into performing humiliating sex acts by threatening to kill himself if they refused.

Elliot Nicklin used a web of online personas to lure his victims into his sadistic world and then abused them online, on one occasion making a girl carve his name into her breast.

Detectives believe he abused more than 70 teenage girls and have traced more than two dozen of them. Many have been left psychologically scarred by Nicklin's twisted actions and, in some cases, suicidal.

Nicklin appeared at Liverpool Crown Court on Friday, where his sentencing hearing was initially delayed after paramedics were called when he suffered a panic attack and complained of chest pains.

He was later ruled fit for the proceedings to continue after being examined at the court complex.

The 22-year-old had admitted 27 offences, including the possession of hundreds of indecent images of children.

Of those, 85 were classed as Category A, the most serious category and one that can include images of child rape.

He also sent eight pictures and videos of his victims to other contacts.

Nicklin pleaded guilty to further counts of inciting child pornography, blackmail, sexual communication with a child and causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity.

The offences took place between 2014 and the day he was arrested - May 21, 2020.

Nicola Daley, prosecuting, said: "The arrest took place due to two referrals that came from the United States of America. After that arrest had taken place the police seized a series of mobile telephones which included three Samsungs and one iPhone, together with a laptop and tablet.

"When those various devices were examined it was established that at least from 2014 onwards the defendant appeared to have been communicating with more than 70 potential victims."

The devices seized from Nicklin contained more than 1,500 indecent images of children and Ms Daley said it became clear "that a significant number of the videos and images had been sent following threats or coercion".

She added: "In terms of the scale and nature of the images, they were particularly degrading and humiliating."

An extensive 12-month Merseyside Police investigation revealed how sinister Nicklin had preyed on vulnerable children, typically befriending them online before encouraging them to perform for him.

In some cases he used multiple fake personas to develop relationships with a victim then told them either himself or one of those other bogus profiles would self harm or commit suicide unless they complied with his demands.

In other cases, once he had received sexual images and videos from a victim he then requested more - telling them the footage he already had would otherwise be sent to their family, friends, school or local police.

Nicklin therefore created a vicious circle for his victims where many felt the only way they could prevent their private images from being released was to cave into his ever-increasingly sadistic requests.

The court heard Nicklin ordered some victims to choke themselves on camera. Other demands included for one girl to hold her head in the water of her toilet bowl, one to strip in her school toilets and another carve his name into her breast.

Terrified, the victims complied.

Ms Daley said one of the images retrieved in Merseyside Police's Operation Greenband, a year-long investigation that was led by Detective Constable Wayne McGuffie and which established the true extent of Nicklin's crimes, showed the victim told to carve her breast performing the act while crying into the camera.

Among Nicklin's various personas was a female character that he pretended to be while he sent images to other people online.

In one case he even sent a photograph of a victim naked from the waist up, though with her breasts covered, to her sister along with the comment: "Go and talk to your sister and see whats going on."

Victim personal statements revealed the torment, anguish and lasting consequences of Nicklin's abuse, which started when he was a youth but continued into adulthood.

In one heartbreaking statement, read to the court on Friday, one of his victims said: "It was six years of hell... you spun a story of abuse and sick threats to kill yourself and release your pictures to my family to gain sympathy. It worked. You had me falling for you."

In reference to that victim's comments in his sentencing remarks, Judge David Aubrey, QC, simply told Nicklin: "You broke her."

John Weate, defending, started his mitigation by stressing that nothing he would say sought to diminish the severity of the impact of Nicklin's crimes on his victims.

He said his client had no previous convictions, the majority of his offences took place when he was aged between 16 and 20 and that he co-operated with police following his arrest.

Mr Weate said Nicklin, of Bebington Road in Rock Ferry, had suffered "extensive bullying", depression and anxiety and had complied with his bail conditions.

He added: "He was a young man who, with the problems associated with him, lacked the maturity to deal with aspects of his life in a proper way."

Mr Weate said a lengthy custodial sentence and the following conditions of his release may provide an opportunity for the defendant to "mature".

Judge Aubrey accepted Nicklin had indicated guilty pleas from an early stage and that some of the offending took place while he was a youth.

But, highlighting the number of victims and offences, persistence of the offending, psychological harm caused and the "sadistic element" to many of the crimes, he concluded Nicklin was so dangerous to the public he should be subject to additional sentencing conditions.

He said Nicklin "left a trail of psychological destruction" upon vulnerable girls, adding: "You were invading your way into the lives, the homes, the phones of teenagers by your charm, guile, skill and, on many occasions, subterfuge.

"In respect of some of the girls you became their knight in shining armour. At least one, if not more, fell in love with you.

"But you would coerce and encourage them into doing sexual acts upon themselves and much more.

"The coercion involved threats by many a means and if they did not comply their whole persona would be posted online, in effect for all to see across the globe."

He added: "They were unable to stand up to you and chose the humiliation and degradation and performed your demands rather than suffering public humiliation."

Judge Aubrey today jailed Nicklin for 10 years.

That sentence will consist of an initial 12 month sentence for his possession of indecent images that will run consecutive to an additional nine year sentence for his other crimes. That nine year term includes an extended licence period of five years.

This means Nicklin can only be considered for parole after serving two thirds of that sentence.

When he is released he will be under strict conditions for the remainder of that nine year period plus a further five years.

Nicklin was also made the subject of a sexual harm prevention order and ordered to sign the sex offenders register.

Concluding, Judge Aubrey said of Nicklin's crimes: "In my judgement it became an obsession to you but an obsession that had devastating consequences to so many of your victims."

Description

A paedophile who called himself 'Papa Bear' on the app he used to distribute child rape images was found with kids' underwear in his home.

Anthony Contento, from Birkdale, admitted to distributing the worst kind of child abuse images of children as young as four across the Randochat app earlier this year.

Liverpool Crown Court heard that despite avoiding jail for similar offences in 2019, and being offered support to improve his behaviour, he went on to offend again.

Police raided his house on Welbeck Road in September this year and found children's underwear and more than 130 disturbing pictures and videos on his phone.

They also discovered Contento had been using the RandoChat app to distribute images of child rape.

The court heard the 54-year-old was using the name 'Papa Bear' and conversing with another account, sending a range of child abuse images including the most serious Category A images.

Prosecuting, Mark Stephenson said that Contento denied to police that anything incriminating would be found at his house after officers forced the door in.

Mr Stephenson said: "He said he did not think anything would be found and said that he had learned his lesson previously.

"Some items of children's underwear were recovered in the house as well but the charges are really built on the contents of the phone."

Mr Stephenson said police found a range of indecent pictures and videos, ranging from Category C to the most serious Category A, and that they involved "some very young children, four to six years old".

It was while searching his phone that officers also found Contento was using the RandoChat app to distribute images of child rape.

Despite the evidence against him, Mr Stephenson said Contento continued to deny that he had a sexual interest in children.

To that assertion, Judge Stuart Driver, QC, replied: "The defendant says in the pre-sentencing report that he has no sexual interest in children.

"I do not know if he actually believes that but no one else does."

Kate Morley, defending, said it was "extremely disappointing and alarming" that Contento had not followed a programme aimed at deterring reoffending after his 2019 conviction, which saw him handed a suspended sentence.

Ms Morley said: "He was given an opportunity on the last occasion.

"Had he completed the Horizon programme perhaps he would not be here today."

She said the only substantial mitigation for Contento was that he had pleaded guilty to the crime early but that he realised a jail term was likely to be the only outcome of today's hearing.

Contento was sentenced for ten counts, including possession of 135 images of child abuse.

Judge Driver said Contento was in denial about his sexual interest in young children and had reoffended shortly after a previous sexual harm prevention order placed upon him had lapsed.

He said: "Within a few months of the order coming to an end you committed these offences.

"It shows you to be a determined and persistent offender who enjoys making, watching and distributing images of young children being raped."

Contento was sentenced to three years in prison for the charge of distributing the Category A child abuse images.

He was sentenced to two years for making and possessing Category A, B and C child abuse images and distributing Category B and C images.

He was sentenced to 18 months for possession of extreme pornography and breach of a separate sexual harm prevention order.

He will serve his sentences concurrently, meaning he will be eligible for release on licence after 18 months.

He was also made the subject of another sexual harm prevention order which can only be lifted if a judge orders it.

Contento must also pay a statutory surcharge.