Latest Offenders Somerset

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A paedophile who sexually assaulted four children - including one who was just two years old - has been sent to prison. During a sentencing hearing at Taunton Crown Court yesterday (June 8), Karl Pitcher was jailed for 10 years and four months after being found guilty of 11 counts of indecent assault of four children in the 1990s and 2000s.

The 54-year-old of Great Orchard, Ilchester, has also been given a Sexual Harm Prevention Order. He has also been ordered to register as a sex offender for the rest of his life.

During proceedings, the court heard how Pitcher - who has been described as a "predator" by Recorder Judge Millard - had abused four girls between the ages of two and 14 on a number of occasions. Avon and Somerset Police said the force was approached by two of his victims in 2020, leading to an investigation.

Police enquiries led to two more cases being unearthed from the early 2000s which had been investigated at the time. However, police said they were "unfortunately unable to prosecute" at the time.

Two of Pitcher's victims spoke about the impact his sexual abuse had on them. One victim said: "I was a vulnerable young girl all those years ago and he knew it. He used that to his advantage to be able to behave how he wanted towards me.

"He destroyed my confidence. I spent all those years rebuilding my life and was then made by him to relive it all again during a trial.

"I wanted to say thank you to the police for all their hard work and for the result we got. It’s been such a relief to know, after all this time, I have been believed by you all."

Another victim said: "The day we found out the jury had reached a guilty verdict, I cried with relief. Relief that the truth had been told and heard and that, as victims, we were finally getting the justice we deserved.

"I hope that, by me going through the process of this trial, it will help and support other victims with coming forward and having their story heard."

Speaking after the sentencing hearing, investigation officer PC Victoria Doble said: "The victims have shown incredible strength to report these incidents and support the police investigation. They have shown such courage throughout the trial and have bravely taken the stand to get the justice they so rightly deserve.

"Pitcher is a horrendous criminal, who has taken advantage of young children and impacted their lives, even beyond his offending. I hope more victims of recent and non-recent sexual offences read about this conviction and are encouraged to come forward and seek justice, and I hope this sentence will give Pitcher’s victims some closure."

Recorder Judge Millard also commended the "strong women" who came forward to give evidence against Pitcher. He also blasted the paedophile for his actions and lack of empathy towards his victims.

"You are a predator of young girls," Judge Millard said. "Over 10 years, you demonstrated a long-term commitment to abuse young girls. You’ve displayed no victim empathy in this case. They are strong women.

"It takes strength and courage to report the offences and come to trial. I commend them for it. They do not deserve to hear your continual denial."

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A convicted sex offender was looking at ‘dog porn’ within weeks of being spared prison for sharing child sex abuse images.

Simon Jenkins, 62, received an 18 month jail sentence suspended for two years at Isleworth Crown Court in September 2021 for distributing indecent images of children and possession of extreme pornography.

But within barely a month he was searching Google for ‘bestiality images’.

Prosecutor Steven Molloy told a judge in Oxford on Thursday (April 13): “The defendant had [also] accessed a website which it would appear contained extreme pornography bestiality involving dogs.”

When the police caught up with him last summer, he was living at a new address.

Although the probation service was aware of the new address, he had failed to register it with the police - a breach of the requirements encumbent on him as a registered sex offender.

Jenkins, of Knowle End, Wormington, pleaded guilty at the magistrates’ court last month to possession of extreme pornography and breaching sex offender notification requirements.

Mitigating, Kellie Enever asked the judge to follow the recommendation in a probation service pre-sentence report and sentence her client without sending him to prison.

At the time, Jenkins had been drinking heavily and had not yet had the chance to start working with the probation service.

Since his arrest, he had got sober and was working in exchange for his bed and board at a caravan park. He received a very modest weekly income.

Ms Enever said her client had ‘no recollection’ of the bestiality material police were to find on his phone. He accepted that he had looked at them.

Recorder John Ryder KC told the advocate: “Speaking for myself, I’d have thought they were somewhat memorable.”

The judge spared Jenkins an immediate prison term. Sentencing, he told the defendant: “You must understand that it is an obligation to comply with all the terms of your court order and you’re not entitled simply to forget those terms.

“You have an obligation and it is your responsibility to act in accordance with it.”

In imposing a three year community order for the bestiality material and fining him £50 for breaching the suspended sentence order, he said: “I am not trivialising that. I am not trivialising the breach of a court order.

“As Mrs Enever said, these breaches occurred very early in the order and putting it, really, in practical terms the therapeutic aspects of it had had no opportunity to take effect.”

As part of the community order, Jenkins must complete up to 60 rehabilitation activity requirement sessions with the probation service and pay £85 in costs.

Ending the hearing, Recorder Ryder said: “Engage with this order and overcome this inclination.”

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A Yeovil sex offender has been jailed for repeatedly breaching the terms of a court order banning him from contacting children. David Reynolds, 35, lied about his identity and background in order to befriend a family with children.

He became 'obsessed' with one child and would regularly visit and buy gifts. There was no evidence of inappropriate sexual behaviour but his actions put him in breach of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order issued by the court following a conviction back in 2014.

Reynolds, of Goldcroft, admitted a series of breaches, including having his photo taken with other children at an animal centre, and has been jailed for three years and nine months at Taunton Crown Court.

Judge Paul Cook said the offences started a month or so after a suspended sentence imposed for a previous breach ended. He befriended a family, lied about his name and told them 'a fiction about your circumstances, background and prospects'.

He made regular visits to see the child and bought gifts. The judge said Reynolds had used his time in custody since his arrest to reflect on his behaviour.

"This was a very serious and persistent breach against a backdrop of you lying about your name and identity," he said. "It was predatory contact."

Description

A 52-year-old Yeovil man has been jailed for the depraved sexual abuse of a girl which started when she was just 13. Paul Morgan carried out 'an extensive campaign' of grooming and manipulation on the young victim.

He exploited her young age and vulnerable background and threatened to kill himself for sympathy. When suspicions were raised he lied and said she was to blame. He even forced her to apologise.

Morgan admitted abusing the child on multiple occasions.. He had sex with her more than 50 times when she was aged between 13 and 16, Taunton Crown Court heard. The victim said in a statement that her childhood had been destroyed by his deviant and obsessive behaviour.

Morgan has been jailed for seven years. The defendant, of Muchelney Way, pleaded guilty to six offences of sexual activity with a child and one of sexual communication with a child.

Prosecutor Miss Mary McCarthy said Morgan manipulated the child and groomed her so that he could have sex with her on a regular basis. He was 47 when the abuse started.

He began by sending her messages with sexual comments. He 'normalised' his behaviour sending hundreds of messages and progressing to full sexual contact.

"He was the driver of all that happened," said Miss McCarthy. The abuse happened over a period of two and a half years. When sexualised photos of the child were found on his phone he said she was to blame. When the girl told him the abuse had to end he started to scream, cry and threatened to take his own life, said the prosecutor.

The girl tried to get on with her life but revealed the truth in April 2021. The victim, who was in court to see her abuser jailed, says she suffers severe anxiety and flashbacks as a result of the abuse.

"Her teenage years were destroyed," said Miss McCarthy.

Mr Harry Ahuja, defending, said Morgan fully accepts the consequences of his actions and is sorry. His family remain supportive and references 'talk about these offences being wholly out of character'. His elderly father has dementia and he also helps look after his mother and worries he will never see them again.

Mr Ahuja said there was no further evidence of an unhealthy sexual interest in children. "He wants to move on with his life when he gets out of prison," he added.

Judge Paul Cook said: "You groomed her and manipulated her feelings. You drove how matters progressed. There was significant grooming and a significant disparity in age. It was an extensive campaign of sexual abuse over a significant period."

He said Morgan was hard working and had no previous convictions. The defendant was granted a third credit for his guilty pleas reducing the sentence to seven years, some of which he will serve on licence.

He must sign the sex offenders register and was made subject to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order for life.

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A SEX offender released early from prison for good behaviour is back behind bars after breaching the terms of his parole. The precise reason for 60-year-old former Taunton DJ Christopher Reynolds's recall to prison has not been revealed. But he may now have to complete his six-year sentence imposed in April 2019 at Taunton Crown Court. He could only be released before his licence ends in March 2025 if agreed by the Parole Board. Reynolds, who committed the offences after grooming two girls aged 12 and 14 around 30 years ago, only admitted his guilt after putting them through the trauma of two trials. One of his victims this week told the County Gazette: "A leopard doesn't change its spots. "It's unknown why he's back in prison. It's possible he might have to complete the rest of his sentence in jail." Reynolds, who worked in clubs and on Apple FM radio and the former Taunton TV and was also known as Chris Young, was found guilty of seven indecent assaults and received three six-year terms in jail, three three-year stretches and one 12-month sentence, all concurrent. He must sign the Sex Offenders' Register for life and has a 20-year restraining order banning him from contacting his victims. During his trial, the 14-year-old victim said he "manipulated my mind and made me feel special and wanted". But her "dirty secret" made her feel "worthless". "I felt ashamed and disgusted," she said and since Reynolds' crimes have come to light she has cried every day. "The demons have come out but never left me," she said. His other victim met Reynolds at "a low point in my life" and viewed him as her "saviour" who "felt like my only friend, a father figure". She said: "I looked forward to him texting me and meeting up with me, but he was just grooming me for his own gains." She had recently established contact with her father, who had hardly previously figured in her life and was dying of cancer at the time. She added: "He robbed my teenage years and took away my only chance to have a short relationship with my dad." Reynolds' behaviour led to her self-harming, taking drugs and alcohol and considering suicide. The judge told Reynolds, who was married with children: "You no doubt regarded yourself as something of a local celebrity." The judge added: "You have an unhealthy interest in young girls."

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THE victim of a child rapist from Bridgwater said he has had his life stolen from him. He was speaking after Simon Wheaton, 37, was found guilty of multiple historic offences at the end of a trial at Taunton Crown Court. The jury yesterday (Thursday, June 23) returned guilty verdicts on the following five offences: - inciting a boy under fourteen years of age to commit an act of gross indecency; - indecent assault on boy under the age of 14 years; - indecently assaulting a boy, under 14, on at least two further occasions after that; - rape of a boy under 16 years; - rape of a boy under 16 years, on at least two further occasions. In the early 2000s, Wheaton sexually abused a nine-year-old boy, including committing multiple rapes against him. The victim, who cannot be named for legal reasons, disclosed the abuse to girlfriends over the years before finally opening up to a counsellor, who agreed to report the matter to the police on his behalf. Officers worked with the victim to complete a thorough investigation, including speaking to the victims former partners and other witnesses. In a statement, the victim said: I was only a child when Wheaton did what he did to me. "He took advantage of me being young and trusting. "He took advantage of this, using it to get what he wanted from me, to abuse me. "He made me feel like it was my fault, that I would get into trouble, that I had no choice in what happened to me. "He calculatedly used thing after thing to keep me under his control, taking away from me my dignity, my trust and my life. "It destroyed my trust in people, my ability to emotionally connect with them, to be able to open up. "The last 18 years of my life were stolen from me, by what he did to me. "I wish I had spoken to someone sooner, but I spent too much of my life hating myself for what he did to realise that I was the innocent one. Wheaton will be sentenced at Taunton Crown Court in August. Investigating officer DS Charlie Pulling said: I would like to thank the victim for coming forward and showing incredible bravery by disclosing the awful abuse he suffered at the hands of this predatory paedophile. "Wheaton showed no remorse for his actions towards a child who trusted him. "I would like this result to give victims of similar crimes the confidence to come forward and speak to the police so we can help get them the justice they deserve. Officer in the case DC Charlotte Hodgkiss said: I hope this shows other survivors of serious sexual assault that it is never too late to come forward and speak out. "We recognise the courage it takes, and this is a prime example of justice being served.

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A depraved monster abducted a 14-year-old schoolgirl before raping her in his caravan, a court heard. Jason Hawkins, now 49, lured the child to the South West after they began chatting on the karaoke app StarMaker.

Hawkins drove to the West Midlands to pick her up - leaving her parents in a state of frantic worry. Plymouth Crown Court heard how the drug user sexually abused and raped her at a campsite in Devon.

As reported by Devon Live, Judge Simon Carr jailed the twisted man for 11 years. He spoke of he defendant's "depravity" in overpowering the teenager on his bed as she repeatedly told him to stop.

He said: "This escalated into an extremely manipulative, controlling and threatening relationship, where sexualised matters were discussed between a 48-year-old man and a 14-year-old girl." The court heard that Hawkins threw the girl's phone in the river as he moved her into his caravan.

However, police were able to catch up with him through details on the girl's computer. She had started using the singing app StarMaker - a social media channel popular with teenagers, especially girls.

Hawkins had also previously contacted officers himself. The defendant had complained before picking her up that she was being sexually abused by someone else.

He pleaded guilty to rape, sexual activity with a child and child abduction in November last year. He also admitted meeting a child following sexual grooming.

Hawkins, who has no previous convictions, will not be released until two thirds of the way through his sentence, at more than seven years.

Bathsheba Cassell, for the Crown Prosecution Service, said Hawkins paid the teenager compliments and at one stage claimed he had been a hero in secret services. Miss Cassell said that the conversation became sexual and they began exchanging sexual images of themselves.

The barrister added that in November Hawkins hired a car and drove to pick her up from a shop near her home in the Dudley area. Miss Cassell said her parents were "frantic with worry".

It was added that Hawkins moved her into his caravan. They watched television and went shopping together.

But he went on to perform a sex act and then went on to rape her. Miss Cassell read a statement from the girl which said that she had self-harmed and suffered flashbacks and sleepless nights.

The victim, who cannot be identified under the law., wrote: "I just feel so low after all of this. I just want to lie in bed all day. I have felt that I am worth nothing. I have hurt myself to get rid of this feeling. I have gone to sleep hoping that I would not wake up the next day."

William Parkhill, defending Hawkins, said that he had not intended to rape the girl when he drove to the West Midlands to pick her up. He added that the defendant had told the probation officer that he felt shame for his offending.

The barrister said that he did not want to make excuses. He added that Hawkins had lost his partner, his wider family and his job over the five years leading to the offence before spiralling into drugs misuse.

Mr Parkhill added: "He sought comfort and a life in the online world which he did not have in the real world and then matters progressed."

Judge Carr passed an indefinite restraining order banning Hawkins from contacting the girl in any way. He also made a ten-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order to allow police to monitor his behaviour around children and on the internet. Hawkins will be on the Sex Offender Register for the rest of his life.

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A paedophile who downloaded an app to hide his internet search history has been jailed. Basil Al-Mudalal, 68, was caught out by police when they made a surprise visit to his home.

Al-Mudalal is a convicted sex offender who was banned from owning any device which did not retain information about what he had been looking at online. But when police analysed his devices they found pictures and films of children being sexually abused.

The defendant, of Silver Road, Street, was sent back to jail for his latest offences. Taunton Crown Court was told he still poses a risk of reoffending, despite previously completing a sex offender programme.

He admitted three offences of possessing indecent images of children and breaching the terms of his Sexual Harm Prevention Order. Al-Mudalal was jailed for 26 months.

Prosecutor Mr Paul Grumbar said police went to his house on February 22, 2022. Al-Mulalal gave police his phone. On it was an app called 'DuckDuckGo' which does not retain search history. No images were found on the device but downloading the app put him in breach of his SHPO.

Police then found a hard drive connected to his TV in his bedroom. Officers found multiple indecent images and movies but stopped counting at 1,000. They included material in the most serious category and the abuse of children as young as four.

The defendant has previous convictions for possessing indecent images and has served stints in prison. He was given the SHPO in 2017.

Mr Harry Ahuja, defending, said he was ashamed of his behaviour and wanted the chance to do the Horizon sex offender programme - even though he had previously completed the course in 2017.

He said Al-Mudalal had been in the UK for 50 years and had an income through rented property. He was worried that if he went to jail he would not be able to send his sister in Jordan 450 a month.

A report by probation assessed him as a high risk of reoffending and not manageable in the community.

Judge James Townsend said: "You've been convicted yet again of possessing images of serious child abuse. Quite clearly they were viewed by you until recently. It was a very large number of images involving significant number of victims.

"You have previously offended in precisely this way and continue to offend. Probation services have little confidence that future intervention is likely to stop you offending. You have attended the Horizon programme but further work is unlikely to achieve much."

Al-Mudalal will serve half of his sentence in prison and rest on licence. He will remain subject to the SHPO and sex offender register for 10 years.

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Four men, including two from Bath and one from Radstock, have been convicted of child sex offences following a five-week trial at Bristol Crown Court.

On Tuesday 19th April, the four men were sentenced over a total of 45 offences which took place between 1996 and 2003.

Their crimes were committed against two girls between the ages of seven and 15.

The convictions follow a police investigation which began in 2016 following a disclosure by one of the victims.

The subsequent enquiries led officers to conduct numerous enquiries throughout the UK and the review of significant amounts of historical records held by social care, education establishments, digital media, previous investigations and complaints to other forces.

Grant McGill, 41, of Radstock, was jailed for 16 years for 35 offences of indecent assault and indecency with a child. He was handed a further eight-week sentence after absconding during the trial.

Brian Parker, 48, of Wrexham, was convicted of eight offences of indecent assault, indecency with a child and possession of indecent images of children. He was handed a nine-year jail term with an extended licence period of three years.

Derek McBride, 62, of Lansdown, Bath, was jailed for two years and six months for four offences of indecency with a child and indecent assault. Having admitted the offences in interview, he received a reduction in sentence for his early guilty plea.

Tim Dale, 42, of Twerton, Bath, was sentenced to two years imprisonment, suspended for two years, for two offences of indecent assault.

Lead investigating officer Detective Sergeant Neil Wood said: These men acted independently of each other but all identified and took advantage of two young girls who were extremely vulnerable because of their age and personal circumstances. Their offending was predatory and abhorrent.

The two victims have shown immense patience with what has been a long and complex investigation and demonstrated significant bravery both in disclosing what had happened and giving evidence in court.

These sentences reflect the seriousness of the offences they committed, but also the significant and long lasting impact that it has had on these survivors.

Victim Impact Statements from both women were read to the court.

One addressed the effect that it had had on her, saying: If I see men with children I feel certain those children are being hurt and I feel powerless to stop it. If I hear children crying from another house, my imagination goes through the roof.

She thanked the jury for hearing me and helping me begin this road to recovery.

The second woman told the men: What you have done will never be okay, it will never be fixed. This isnt something that sorry makes all better.

Our lives are forever impacted by your actions and your choices toward us. I can only be thankful that you cant hurt anyone now and I hope that this experience and outcome has taught you something valuable that your actions have consequences and you have no control over us. We are now stronger than we have ever been.

In sentencing, His Honour Judge Mark Horton commented that the men had all targeted young girls who they knew to be vulnerable and unlikely to report the abuse or get support from anyone who should have been there to protect them.

He said both women would be living with lifelong feelings of betrayal.

He found Parker to be a dangerous offender who was predatory, calculated and manipulative and had shown no remorse whatsoever.

Finding him to pose a significant risk of physical, sexual and emotional harm to young people, he directed that he should not be released from prison until assessed by a parole board as no longer being a risk.

HHJ Horton also commended DS Wood for his dedication and exceptional contribution to a complex investigation.

If you have been affected by sexual abuse or know someone who has, you can find out how to report it on the dedicated information page on the Avon and Somerset Police website.

If you would prefer not to speak to officers, the page also has details of support organisations that you can contact in confidence who will provide help and support.

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A 21-year-old from Somerset has been jailed for underage sexual activity with schoolgirls. Zach Peploe was aged 17, 18 and 19, when he targeted five girls aged between 12 and 14.

He pestered some of the young girls on Facebook, Instagram and Snapchat and sent them naked sexualised videos of himself. He told others they were beautiful and he loved them before having sex at his house or in his car.

Taunton Crown Court was told his vulnerable victims were all upset following their encounters with him. They now suffer flashbacks, anxiety and find it hard to trust men. One self-harmed and another tried overdosing due to the trauma.

Peploe, of Huntspill Road, Highbridge, has been jailed for three years and ten months. A probation report said he had shown little remorse, was immature and came from a difficult background.

The defendant pleaded guilty to nine offences against five victims. The offences included engaging in sexual activity with a child and causing or inciting a child under 13 to engage in sexual activity.

The offences included groping a 14-year-old's breasts after she fell asleep in his car when he was aged 17. Another victim was aged just 12 when he sent her videos of himself masturbating. He was 18 when he "begged her" for naked pictures on Instagram, told her she was beautiful and sent her sexually explicit messages, said prosecutor Ms Nikki Coombe. The victim said the contact "made her feel sick".

A distressed third victim told her teacher she had sex with Peploe when she was 14 and he was 18. She had felt pressured into doing it.

Peploe carried on offending after being released under police investigation. He targeted two more girls. One 14-year-old consented to sex with him at his house having felt too frightened to say no. When she told him how old she was he said "cool" and bragged about how many times he had had sex. He also had sex with another girl when she was 13 and 14 and he was 19.

When police investigated his phone they found he had been contacting hundreds of girls a month on Facebook and trying to chat.

Mr Harry Ahuja, defending, said Peploe was a 'vulnerable young man' himself. He had a borderline personality disorder and did not come from a stable background. He had been making good progress since his arrest. He said Peploe never lied about his age to the girls or forced the victims into sex or sexual activity.

Judge Paul Cook made restraining orders not to contact victims and Peploe was given a 10-year sexual offences behaviour order to manage his risk once he is back in the community.

Peploe must also sign the sex offender register for an indefinite period.

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Roland Long, who has been jailed for a historic rape. Picture: South Wales Police AN elderly Somerset man has been jailed for 12 years for a stranger rape dating back 42 years. Following an investigation by the South Wales Police Review Unit, Roland Long, 67, was arrested on September 15 2020 at his home in Nailsea. His arrest was the result of enhanced forensic work into an attack in Elm Street, Cardiff, on August 17 1980. The victim, then aged 26, had asked Long for directions after becoming lost after returning to the city following a visit to see her mother in Gwent. She heard footsteps behind her and was pushed to the ground, turned on her back and raped by Long. Detective Inspector Patrick Catto, former Head of the Major Crime Review Unit, said: In 1980, a woman who had recently moved to the Cardiff area got off a bus and whilst on her way home, Roland Long followed her and violently raped her. There was an extensive investigation at the time, however a suspect was never identified. "But South Wales Police never gives up on serious crime investigations, and evidence was kept. Thanks to the application of advanced DNA technology, Roland Long was identified as the person responsible and has now been brought to justice. Scientists from the Joint Scientific Investigation Unit (JSIU) conducted a review of the original case papers and provided specialist advice to the Review Unit, including how advancements in science and technology could assist the investigation. Items of clothing were reassessed, which revealed Long to be a match, with an almost billion-to-one chance of the DNA belonging to anybody else. Detective Superintendent Mathew Lewis, head of the JSIU, said: The JSIU works closely with our investigative teams, with a team of highly skilled and dedicated members of staff who look to deliver justice through science. In this case, that is exactly what has happened. By utilising forensic advancements, we were able to work with the Review Unit to bring a perpetrator to justice 42 years after committing the crime. DI Patrick Catto added: The sentence handed out by the judge will hopefully go some way to help the victim of this awful incident, something that she has had to live with daily for the past 42 years. The fact that the offender has lived his life over this time without thought or care for his victim is unjustifiable. After all these years, the victim can now finally begin to rebuild her life safe in the knowledge that Roland Long is behind bars and has been brought to justice. The officers involved in this case have shown professionalism, determination and tenacity in bringing to justice those who cause the most harm within our communities, regardless of the passage of time. Help and support is available for all victims of sexual violence and we encourage any victims; no matter how long ago the offence happened, to come forward.

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'It is only through the courage of the three victims coming forward that you have been brought to justice today and I pay tribute to them' A convicted sex offender has been sent back to jail for abusing three boys more than 30 years ago. David Byrne, 60, was convicted after a trial of six offences against victims in the mid 1980s. Some of the offences were committed when the victims were under 13 but spanned several years. The defendant, of The Hill, Langport, has a history of similar offending and was jailed for six years for crimes against other children in 2018. A judge at Taunton Crown Court sent him back to prison on Friday (March 4). Byrne was jailed for six years and four months. The offences involved touching the children while they were naked. The victims said in statements read in court that they had suffered psychological issues as a result of the abuse and from trying to bury all memory of what Byrne did to them. One said the experience of coming to court to give evidence had been 'horrendous' but he slept afterwards knowing he had done the right thing. Mr Patrick Mason, defending, said Byrne was an intelligent man who for many years had run a gardening business. He was now virtually bankrupt. Judge James Townsend said: "I have to sentence you for an appalling series of acts on young boys in the 1980s. "It is only through the courage of the three victims coming forward that you have been brought to justice today and I pay tribute to them. Not only did you cause them suffering at the time they had to live through years with the memories and speak publicly about embarrassing issues and they have done a public service." He said a pre-sentence report prepared in 2018 assessed Byrne as a low risk of reoffending. The defendant will serve half of his sentence in jail and the rest on licence. He is subject to the sex offenders register and a Sexual Harm Prevention Order for an indefinite period. has issued a further statement on the sentencing, saying that the force hoped the renewed sentencing had Investigating officer DC Vicki Edwards said: David Byrne has committed abhorrent offences against six boys and it was important we did all we could to obtain justice for each of them, which is why he was brought back before the court to face further charges. I hope these new convictions will help all the victims find some form of closure and I want to thank each of them for the fortitude and courage theyve shown in speaking to us about the abuse theyve suffered.

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A man has been caught having sexually explicit chats with a child - who did not exist- for the second time in two years.

In 2019 Michael Tedstone received a suspended jail term for attempted child sexual activity.

Bristol Crown Court heard he had been caught by an adult in a paedophile sting - and last year he was caught again.

Tedstone, 25, of Weston-super-Mare, pleaded guilty to attempting to incite child sexual activity, breaching a Sexual Harm Prevention Order and attempted sexual communication with a child in October last year.

The recorder Mr Malcolm Gibney jailed him for two years and eight months.

He told Tedstone: "It would appear you have not learned your lesson from your appearance in this court."

Emma Martin, prosecuting, said when Tedstone engaged with "Olivia, aged 13" online in reality he was chatting to an undercover police officer.

The court heard he was recognised from his previous offending as he used the platforms Kick and Snapchat to chat with the 'child', the court heard.

Contact progressed from Tedstone sending Olivia photos of his face and chest and asking her to send him photos.

Mrs Martin said chats became increasingly sexualised, and he was sent a photo of a young female wearing underwear before he reciprocated with a photo of his naked private parts.

The court heard he went on to make sexualised suggestions to the 'youngster' - and he was removed from the platforms.

Tedstone was frank with police when they came to call, telling them: "I pretty much screwed up again, haven't I?"

His phone was analysed and though no indecent photos of children were found, it contained "predatory search terms", the court heard.

Matthew Jackson, defending, said: "It is one one of the more open and honest accounts given by an offender for offences of this nature.

"He is realistic.

"This is his first time in custody.

"He knows he will remain there for a significant period of time.

"I ask that the sentence is tempered by a degree of mercy."

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Predatory paedophile Harley Palmer, 27, targeted the young boys and molested them when they were alone.

He would buy his terrified victims gifts in order to buy their silence.

He was described at Taunton Crown Court as a dangerous and 'manipulative' abuser with a sexual interest in young boys.

His victims, aged nine and 13, were initially too scared to tell anyone what had happened and feared they would not be believed.

When the offences did come to light earlier this year Palmer initially denied doing anything wrong and described himself as a 'cuddly person' who would just tickle the children. But police found naked images of a child on his phone and he pleaded guilty to four offences.

Palmer was jailed five years and three months with an extra extended licence period of four years imposed due to the danger he poses to children.

The parents of one of the victims said in a statement they were 'devastated' by what he had done and he had destroyed their son's childhood.

The teenage victim said he still had nightmares.

Mr Harry Ahuja, defending, said Palmer was immature for his age, anxious, confused about his sexuality and sorry.

Palmer, of Friarn Avenue, Bridgwater, pleaded guilty to two offences of sexual activity with a child under 13 and two charges relating to the indecent pictures.

He was put on the sex offender register for life

Recorder Philip Mott QC told the defendant: "What took place was classic grooming behaviour by you.

"You are described as a manipulative person and a high risk of causing serious harm to pre-pubescent boys."

Palmer must serve two-thirds of his five years and three months sentence in jail before he can be considered for release by the parole board.

Recorder Mott said: "It is quite clear from the victim personal statements that there has been a serious psychological effect on the children.

He added: "It is very important to say to the two victims you are not to blame for anything that happened. It was not your fault.

"To your parents this is perhaps your worst nightmare and what your children need now is calmness, and above all love. For you to be strong and not to allow fear and anger to turn into a prison for your children."

Description

A man from Glastonbury has been jailed for 12 years after he admitted posing as a teenage girl to manipulate schoolboys into sending him naked photos and videos of them abusing other children.

The National Crime Agency began investigating Oliver Derbidge, 25, in January 2021, after the Australian Federal Police shared details of a UK-based online account with links to an Australian offender, who had been sharing indecent images of children (IIOC).

NCA investigators identified Derbidge as the person behind the account and found that he had expressed a sexual interest in young boys across a number of child abuse forums.

He was arrested soon after and his electronic devices were seized. These were found to contain indecent images of multiple teenage boys, as well as records of online conversations in which Derbidge blackmailed a boy into sexually abusing another child.

The evidence gathered showed that his offending spanned a five-year period from 2016 until his arrest this year.

Derbidge admitted to posing as a teenage girl during that time, using the alias Emily Beecham to target schoolboys on Snapchat. He would send them friend requests and ask them to send naked photos of themselves, sometimes sending back naked images of a female he had found online.

In total 23 boys, aged between 11 and 16, were identified by NCA officers as victims of Derbidge. Each of them confirmed they had sent photos to Emily Beecham, as they believed they were speaking with another teenager.

Some explained that Derbidge had threatened to share their naked photos with friends and family if they did not send him additional images or footage of them abusing another child.

Derbidge pleaded guilty to causing or inciting a 15 year old child to engage in penetrative sexual activity, five counts of causing or inciting a child aged 13-15 to engage in sexual activity (non-penetrative) and three counts of making IIOC (categories A-C).

Today (14 January) at Taunton Crown Court he was sentenced to 12 years in prison. He was also placed on the sex offenders' register for life and a given a lifetime sexual harm prevention order.

NCA Senior Investigating Officer, Phil Eccles, said:

"Derbidge went to great lengths to satisfy his sexual attraction to young boys.

"Like many online offenders, he attempted to mask his real identity with a convincing persona to exploit teenagers into sending him sexual content.

"When they did not meet his demands, he even blackmailed some of them into abusing other children.

"His abuse has had a profound impact on these vulnerable young victims who have been extremely brave throughout the course of our investigation.

"Sadly, this can happen to anyone. I'd encourage parents to speak with their children about who they communicate with online and what they share.