Search results for Stoke-on-Trent

Description

Pervert Neil Ogden has been jailed after he had a discussion with a like-minded individual about engaging in sexual abuse of children. And the 46-year-old downloaded and distributed indecent images of children.

He also had prohibited images and extreme pornography on his phone when it was seized by police. Now Ogden has been jailed for two years and two months at Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court.

Prosecutor Antony Longworth said police, acting on intelligence of internet activity involving indecent images of children, went to Ogden's Cobridge address on January 25. He was arrested and his phone was analysed.

The examination found 46 still indecent images at category A - the most serious; 31 images at category B and 33 at category C. There were also two prohibited images and two extreme pornographic images. And there were 32 moving images at category A; five at category B; five at category C; and two moving extreme pornographic images.

Mr Longworth said the children being abused were aged between three and 14. He said: "The defendant had shared seven category A images with another individual. He used search terms indicating he has a sexual interest in children. He created folders for the storage of the images. He also engaged in a discussion about the sexual abuse of children.

"Between May 13 and May 27, 2022 this defendant and another discussed the physical development of children. The messages went on to describe how they wanted to engage in sexual abuse of those children. They also discussed having joint sexual activity with all the children together. It is clear that they exchanged images."

Ogden, of Sneyd Street, Cobridge, pleaded guilty to three charges of making indecent images of children; three charges of distributing indecent images of children; possessing prohibited images of children; possession of extreme pornographic images and publishing an obscene article.

Rob Holt, mitigating, said: "He acknowledges there is a problem. He has made some limited steps to try and address his behaviour. He has had some support from the liaison and diversion team and the mental health team."

He said the loss of Ogden's dad; the breakdown of his marriage and being on sick leave from work have impacted on his client. Mr Holt said: "He has had suicidal ideations."

He said Ogden may struggle to work as an HGV driver now he is on the sex offenders' register as the police would need to know his whereabouts. Mr Holt added: "He is unlikely to possess the skills to survive in the prison system. There is scope for work in the community, scope for a two year community order."

But Recorder Julian Taylor said offending was so serious it had to be marked with an immediate prison sentence. He said the discussion about sexual abuse with children was the most serious offence. Recorder Taylor said: "It was thoroughly disgusting. I do not accept you were manipulated."

The judge ordered the forfeiture and destruction of the phone. Ogden was placed on the sex offenders' register for 10 years and made the subject of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) for the same period.

Description

A pervert who was caught having sex chats with a police officer posing as a young girl is back in jail. Dean Warren was jailed for 20 months last September after he tried to persuade a 13-year-old 'girl' to take part in sex videos

But the 'girl' was in fact a decoy. In his police interview he admitted his behaviour was for his own sexual gratification. In his police interview he admitted his behaviour was for his own sexual gratification.

As well as the jail sentence, 34-year-old Warren was made the subject of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) for 10 years which prohibits him from using any device capable of accessing the internet unless it has the capacity to retain internet use and does not delete internet history.

But Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court heard the police visited Warren on May 13, the day after his release from prison. They checked his phone and gave him advice about removing some apps.

Officers returned to his home on June 29 and again checked his phone. Prosecutor Rupert Jones said: "It revealed a Virtual Private Network (VPN), which allows the user to browse the internet without the history being recorded. He told the police he had used it to view adult pornography. The usage placed him in breach of the SHPO.

"He had installed the My Cleaner app which is designed to delete evidence of activity. And he had used WhatsApp and Facebook social messaging platforms but had deleted some of the messages sent."

He was arrested. He said he used the VPN to view adult pornography. He said he realised he should have paid more attention to the detail of the terms of the SHPO.

Warren, of no fixed address but formerly of Bentilee, pleaded guilty to three charges of breaching a SHPO. Rob Holt, mitigating, said Warren accepted he would be jailed as he has been recalled until March.

Mr Holt said: "These offences started quickly after his release. He deleted the history. There is no suggestion that there was any contact with children. My instructions are that he was in contact with adults and viewing adult pornography. There seems to be no inherent interest in children."

Recorder Anthony Warner said: "The SHPO made at the time you were sentenced is an important part of the protection of the public in the case of a sex offender such as you going forward.

"Very shortly after you were released you were visited by the police and it was quickly discovered that you had been deleting messages and using apps designed to disguise internet activity. All were a breach of the SHPO.

"It is a deliberate and very serious breach involving the deletion of social media messages and the use of apps designed to disguise internet activity.

"The aggravating features are there were three breaches of the same order and they were very soon after your release from the sentence passed on you for the offences which gave rise to the order in the first place.

"You need to consider how you are going to respond going forward because if you continue to breach the SHPO you will be in the cycle of returning to prison, unless you engage and are assiduous in following the requirements of the SHPO."

Description

Ex-pub manager Mark Smith has been jailed for eight years after sexually abusing a schoolgirl. The 52-year-old - who used to run The Black Horse, in Chesterton - had always denied seven charges of sexual assault and two charges of assault by penetration.

But he was found guilty of all nine charges by a jury at his trial earlier this month. He was jailed at Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court yesterday.

The court heard that Smith - of Lincoln Road, Cobridge - had grabbed the teenager's breasts and thighs, kissed her, and touched her breasts and bottom. He once exposed himself to his victim and told her he wanted to have sex with her 'whether she wanted it or not' and on another occasion sexually assaulted her at a 'creepy old park and building.

The abuse has had a profound effect on the victim. She said: "I am constantly looking over my shoulder to see where he is. This is not my fault. It is all his.

Darron Whitehead, mitigating, said: "He knows it is to be a custodial sentence measured in years. He knows he will be on the Sex Offenders' Register and subject to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO)."

The defendant will be subject to the Sex Offenders' Register and his SHPO indefinitely. He must serve two-thirds of his prison sentence before he is released.

Recorder Anthony Warner told Smith: "You threatened her and told her she would not be believed. Your threats worked as she never told anyone at all about what you were doing."

Description

Pervert Bobby Whalley sent an indecent image to a 12-year-old boy. The 25-year-old was busted after he discovered 12-year-old James was an undercover police officer.

A search of his home later uncovered an indecent video of a child. Now Whalley has walked out of Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court after landing a 16-month prison sentence, suspended for two years.

Prosecutor Ben Lawrence said: "Whalley sent a friend request on Snapchat to an undercover officer posing as James. He sent a message which showed the private area of a white nude man being held in a hand. James told him he was 12. Whalley said he was 24."

It was then weeks later when Whalley sent five images to James, including one of a man not wearing a shirt with the text 'Hey' and two kisses. James responded. The defendant said he was in Stoke and he is a 'daddy to you'.

Mr Lawrence added: "He asked how old James was again. He said he was 12. The defendant sent an image of a black and white photo of a private area being held by a hand. He sent a message saying, 'Your turn. Send me a pic'."

Whalley was arrested on May 9 at his address. His phone was seized. It was found to contain an indecent video of a child at category A - the most serious.

Whalley, of Leek Road, Stoke, pleaded guilty to attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child and making an indecent photograph of a child.

Paul Cliff, mitigating, said Whalley had a very difficult personal history and was subjected to a dysfunctional childhood. He went to university, began to use cannabis, became isolated, and dropped out of university.

Mr Cliff said: "He began to misuse alcohol and drugs and social media."

The court heard Whalley has now stopped using drugs and reduced his alcohol intake. He is working in a pub, has accommodation, and his partner is 'shocked and disturbed' by his offending.

The suspended sentence includes a 55-day rehabilitation activity requirement and 80 hours unpaid work.

Judge Graeme Smith told him: "The contact you had with the undercover officer posing as a 12-year-old was brief. It took place on two occasions. On the first occasion you ended it as soon as it was discovered he was 12. On the second occasion you had some contact with him and you did send an indecent image.

"It was an attempt and no real children were involved. It is unusual to only find one image. Nonetheless it is serious. But cases invariably involve dozens, if not thousands, of images."

Whalley is now subject to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order and the Sex Offenders' Register for the next 10 years.

Description

Rapist Thomas Hayward has been jailed - after leaving his victim 'disgusted and numb'. The 31-year-old, of Meir View, Meir, has been locked up for three years after admitting one count of rape.

In a harrowing statement, his victim said: "I was traumatised. I felt disgusted and completely numb."

Prosecutor Miles Wilson added: "He has no previous convictions."

The court heard that Hayward pleaded guilty to the offence at a pre-trial preparation hearing at Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court.

Rash Mohammed, mitigating, said: "He accepted in an interview with police that he raped his victim. I do not seek to undermine the seriousness of this crime.

"He recognises well and truly the seriousness of his crime. He is of previous good character and has remained in custody since. He accepts responsibility for this offence."

Hayward is now on the Sex Offenders' Register for the rest of his life.

Judge David Fletcher said: "Rape is a horrendous offence. I have read your letter explaining and I accept that you are genuinely remorseful. The mitigating factors are you have no previous convictions, you express remorse, and you are of previous good character. I am handing you a starting point of four years and six months in prison. That is reduced by a third for your guilty plea."

Description

Pervert Paul Kelly has admitted making two indecent pseudo images of a child. The 61-year-old has already served an eight-month prison sentence in 2018 after admitting three offences of making indecent images of children and possessing a prohibited image.

But he did not learn his lesson and an officer from Staffordshire Police's sex offender management unit found indecent images of a child on his phone when she carried out a routine visit at his home in Moorland Road, Burslem, in September 2022.

North Staffordshire Justice Centre heard that Kelly handed the officer his iPhone 14. She checked it and found two images of a child under 16 with a picture of another girl's face superimposed on to the body.

Paige Morgan, mitigating, asked magistrates to adjourn the case for a pre-sentence report to be prepared on Kelly. She said he has mental health issues and is on antidepressants and unfit for work.

Magistrates sent the case to Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court. Kelly will appear there on a date to be fixed. His bail was extended.

Description

Sex offender Luke Jackson who stayed in the same house as a child without informing the police has been spared jail. The 34-year-old was convicted of sexual assault and intentionally touching a woman in 2018.

He was sentenced to a community order and placed on the sex offenders' register for five years. But he failed to comply with the notification requirements of the register by staying 12 hours or more in a house without telling the authorities; spending seven nights or more at an address in Fegg Hayes without notifying the police; and failing to register a Snapchat user name of 'Jacko01p*sshead'.

Now Jackson has been sentenced to 24 weeks in jail, suspended for two years, at North Staffordshire Justice Centre. Prosecutor Shelley Galluccio said Jackson was convicted of sexual assault on October 24, 2018 and was placed on the sex offenders' register for five years.

She said Jackson completed his notification with the police on February 4. Miss Galluccio said: "However, he did not provide any alias names he had used.

"On April 20 police were made aware he had been in a relationship with a woman and was having contact with her child and staying over at an address he had not given them.

"The woman said she had met him in a bar in Newcastle. He used a social media name of 'Jacko01p*sshead' which had not been notified to the police.

"He stayed at the woman's house for five to seven nights in one block and her son had been present.

"On April 20 her ex-partner arrived and made him leave the property. The child had been present at the address during this time. The woman was not aware of Jackson's history."

Jackson, of Vale Street, Stoke, pleaded guilty to three charges of failing to comply with the notification requirements of the sex offenders' register.

Janice Sain-Reiners, mitigating, said: "It was a new relationship. He did not want to tell her of his past. That was his error. He should not have been in the company of a child without any proper notification or exploration by the authorities.

"There are alcohol issues which affect his way of thinking. He self-referred to Stoke-on-Trent Community Drug and Alcohol Service (CDAS) but they did not phone back."

She added that Jackson has the offer of work with a fencing and timber company.

Magistrates suspended the sentence as they believe there is a good prospect of Jackson being rehabilitated. As part of the suspended sentence Jackson must complete a six-month alcohol treatment requirement; an accredited sex offenders' programme and a rehabilitation activity requirement for 55 days. He was ordered to pay £185 costs and a £154 surcharge.

Description

A man who raped a woman in Congleton in 2021 has been jailed for more than five years.

Daniel Shaw, 32, of Burslem, was previously found guilty after trial of one count of rape.

He appeared in Chester Crown Court on Monday 7 August where he was sentenced to five years and six months.

The court heard in April 2022, a woman informed police she had been raped by Shaw in December 2021 in Congleton, following a night out.

She had managed to record the incident on her phone.

Shaw was arrested on 9 April 2022 on suspicion of rape and was subsequently charged.

When he was shown the video of the incident in interview, Shaw confirmed it was him in the footage but could not recall what took place and said he was drunk at the time.

He denied raping the victim but was found guilty on Monday 26 June after a six-day trial.

As well as a custodial sentence, Shaw was made subject to an indefinite restraining order, and notification requirements for life.

Description

Sex offender Bryan Hill has been jailed after a phone call to his mum proved he had flouted a court order. The 39-year-old was convicted in 2017 of a child grooming offence which led to him being made the subject of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO).

But he breached the order by failing to inform police of a new phone he had. A 'keen-eyed' officer checking up on him discovered he had a secret mobile.

Despite denying that he had used the phone, records showed he had rang his mother only that morning. Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court heard he also breached the notification requirements of the sex offenders' register by using a new user name which had not been notified to the police.

Now Hill, who has breached the SHPO on two previous occasions, has been jailed for two years at Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court. Prosecutor John Oates said the SHPO was made in 2017 after Hill was convicted of a child grooming offence.

Mr Oates said: "Police attended Star Accommodation in Hanley on March 6 this year. The defendant declared a mobile phone the officers already knew about.

"But when they searched the house they found a Samsung smartphone which had not been declared. He denied using it but it was found he had been using it that very morning.

"The SHPO requires him to inform the police of any device he has.

"It was also found he had been using a new user name BH9644010. That had not been notified. He had not told the police he was using that name, which was a breach of the notification requirements."

Hill, of Marsh Street North, Hanley, pleaded guilty to breaching a SHPO and failing to comply with the notification requirements of the sex offenders' register.

Steve Hennessy, mitigating, conceded it was a concern that Hill was back in court for a further breach. He said the officer was 'extremely keen-eyed' to notice the charger plugged in was for a different mobile to the one Hill declared.

He said the Samsung was not well hidden. Mr Hennessy said: "It had been used that morning to call his mother.

"He is motivated by boredom and loneliness. He has now learned his lesson. He has had quite a conversation with his mother who said any further returns to prison and she will never speak to him again. He promises there will be no breaches in the future."

Judge David Fletcher said: "This is the third time you have breached this order.

"When you are released on licence that is the time to really prove to those who are interested in your progress that you really mean what you have said."

Description

A convicted paedophile has been slapped with extra jail time after he came clean about additional child sex offences. Michael Frank Shallcross repeatedly abused his victim over a number of years, a court heard.

The victim bravely came forward in 2014 to report the historical abuse. Shallcross, 67, who is currently locked up at HMP Oakwood in Featherstone, pleaded guilty to eight counts of gross indecency with a child and one count of indecent assault of a child.

The defendant, who was sentenced for previous offences in 2016, was interviewed and admitted these latest offences in court. He was sentenced at Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court on Thursday, March 30, and was given an additional 20-month sentence to run consecutively with his previous sentence.

Following the hearing, Staffordshire Police's Det Const Dan Martin said: “The victim in this case has shown immense bravery to report the abuse suffered at the hands of Shallcross. I hope this demonstrates that the force will continue to pursue offenders and investigate reports, no matter how long ago they took place, in order to secure justice for victims.”

Anyone affected by sexual abuse can report incidents by calling 101 or using the live chat function at www.staffordshire.police.uk. To make a report anonymously, call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

Description

A wheelchair-bound pervert was told he had brought 'shame' on his wife after appearing at court for possessing extreme pornographic images. Bryan Flack was already on the Sex Offenders' Register before he was arrested by cops.

He was detained after downloading images of people having sex with a horse and a dog. Due to the 71-year-old suffering lung cancer, Parkinson's and kidney and heart failure, magistrates could only hand Flack a fine.

Flack, of Scotia Road in the Burslem area of Stoke, had previously been imprisoned for sexual assault, which was committed on a woman while he was a masseuse. He admitted to possession extreme pornographic images at North Staffordshire Justice Centre, reports StokeonTrentLive.

His wife wheeled Flack into court, where it was said he had brought 'shame' on her. Magistrates fined him a total of £465.

They told him: "Whatever punishment we impose, the main punishment is the shame you have imposed on your wife. The only option is a fine."

Prosecutor Zaine Riaz said: "The defendant is a registered sex offender and is on the register until 2027. He was visited by a manager of the sex offenders' probation service for a routine check. He provided his mobile phone. He appeared to be nervous.

"The officer saw videos of animals and humans engaging in sex acts with each other. He was arrested. Eighteen images were found. He admitted the content. He's not sure why he accessed the content."

The images were discovered in March, 2022. Andrew Turnock, mitigating, said: "A lot has happened in terms of his physical health and its deterioration since then. He's in terrible physical state. He is dependent on his wife for his care.

"Whatever was going on a year ago has changed dramatically. He has no access to any devices and he's not physically able to operate a device. He poses no risk of further offending and little risk of causing any harm."

Description

A child sex offender has been jailed for 12 years after he admitted a string of sick crimes. Thomas Nellist, 23, previously pleaded guilty to five counts of incite a boy under 13 to engage in sexual activity, three of engaging in sexual activity with a boy aged 13 to 15, eight of making multiple indecent photographs/pseudo-photographs of children, attempt to cause a child under 13 to watch/look at an image of sexual activity.

He was sentenced at Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court on Monday, March 20. Nellist, of Biddulph, also admitted possession of multiple prohibited images of children and possession of an extreme pornographic image.

The offences took place in Staffordshire between 2017 and 2022. Nellist - who pulled a bizarre expression in his custody mug shot - was placed on the Sex Offenders Register and will be subject to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) for life.

Det Con Emily Raybould, the officer in the case, said: “I would urge anyone who has been a victim of such crimes to come forward and report this to us. We will listen to you, and you and your families will be supported by specially-trained detectives and support workers.

“If you are or have been a victim or you are worried about something, and you don’t feel ready to talk to the police, please speak to someone you trust.”

Description

A convicted sex offender has been jailed after striking up a relationship with a 'vulnerable' woman he met on Facebook.

Scott Bray, 24, was handed a 12-month suspended jail sentence and a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) in July for three offences of making child abuse images. But he breached the SHPO by failing to tell police within three days that he had a phone and an Xbox games console.

Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court heard Bray used the phone to contact a 23-year-old woman with learning difficulties who has become his girlfriend.

He also breached the notification requirements of the sex offenders' register by using three social media accounts with different names without informing the authorities. And he was in breach of the suspended sentence by staying at an address in the Potteries without prior permission from his offender manager. Now Bray has been jailed for 16 months at Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court.

Prosecutor Ben Lawrence said on January 4 police visited an address in Stoke-on-Trent where Bray was living with his new girlfriend. Mr Lawrence said: "He was twice asked for a phone and he denied having one. Eventually he admitted he did have one. He had it from at least December 31, more than three days.

"It was that phone he used to communicate with the vulnerable woman. In his police interview Bray said he used the phone since mid November.

The court heard police visited his home again on January 18 and recovered an Xbox games console. Mr Lawrence said: "His grandmother was spoken to. She revealed he had been using social media accounts in three different names. That put him in breach of the notification requirements.

"She also confirmed he had been speaking online to the vulnerable woman, his girlfriend, using those accounts and names. He was interviewed about it and agreed he was in breach of the SHPO."

Bray, of no fixed address, pleaded guilty to two charges of breaching a SHPO; failing to comply with the notification requirements of the sex offenders' register; and breaching a suspended prison sentence.

Rob Holt, mitigating, said: "He says he is genuinely sorry and remorseful for his behaviour. He has learned his lessons and won't be making the same mistakes again."

He said Bray met the vulnerable woman on Facebook and did not target her. He said his client had been assaulted in custody and is suffering from anxiety and depression.

Mr Holt added: "He has not given proper regard to the order in detail and the level of consideration that needs to be given to these orders. It will not be repeated, he tells me."

Recorder Julian Taylor said: "I regard these as very serious breaches." Bray remains subject to the 10 year SHPO and is on the sex offenders' register for the same period.

Description

Pervert pensioner Stephen Bradbury has been jailed after he was caught with hundreds of child abuse photos - including one of a baby girl being raped. The 75-year-old sex offender was arrested after police visited his Bucknall home in January last year.

Officers could see him trying to conceal a device as they looked through his window. He came clean and told the officer there were indecent images on his iPad.

It was analysed and contained hundreds of pictures at category A, B and C. There was also an extreme pornographic image and an one of an 18-month-old toddler in considerable distress as she was being raped.

Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court heard he has previous convictions include indecent assault; gross indecency with a child; indecent assault on a girl under 14; and possession of indecent images of children. Now Bradbury has been jailed for 20 months.

Prosecutor Mark Brookes said police analysed the iPad and it contained 126 still images and 75 movies at category A - the most serious; 35 still images and eight movies at category B; and 34 still images and six movies at category C.

Bradbury, of no fixed address but formerly of Fellbrook Lane, Bucknall, pleaded guilty to three offences of making indecent photographs of children; possession of a prohibited image of a child; and possession of extreme pornography.

Paul Cliff, mitigating, said the case did not involve any onward distribution of images. And he said there was a relatively modest amount of images compared to other similar cases.

He said Bradbury suffers with chronic emphysema, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), asthma, diabetes and arthritis. Mr Cliff added that Bradbury admitted his offending to the police and pleaded guilty.

Judge Sally Hancox said: "You were asked if there was anything you had not declared. You responded, 'There is child porn on it. I am going back to prison, aren't I'?

"You accept that you have an ongoing attraction to children. The children were disturbingly young. One is a child aged 18 months being raped. She is clearly in extreme distress."

Judge Hancox added that Bradbury will serve half the sentence before he can be considered for release by the parole board but the 'likelihood is he will remain in custody for some time'.

She made him the subject of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) for 10 years and he will be on the sex offenders' register for the same period.

DC Darren Bithell, from the sex offender management unit, said: "We welcome the sentence imposed upon sex offender Stephen Bradbury. He is a person that poses a risk to children and to the public overall.

"We will always investigate and seek to bring to justice those who commit sexual related offences. Safeguarding victims is also of paramount importance to us."

Description

Architect David Baines-Davies has been sentenced after taping a secret camera to a sink in his workplace toilets. The 50-year-old married father-of-two admitted to a charge of voyeurism following the incident at Hewitt & Carr in Cheadle.

Baines-Davies's boss discovered the camera after it fell to the floor while he washing his hands, and he reported the matter to the police. Video footage on the camera showed Baines-Davies fixing it under the sink, but nobody else was filmed.

Baines-Davies, of Chesterwood Road, Burslem, was subsequently sacked by Hewitt & Carr. Magistrates at North Staffordshire Justice Centre have now handed him a community sentence following his guilty plea.

Prosecutor Zaine Riaz told the court that employees at the firm had expressed 'concern and disgust' after the camera had been discovered, in October 2020.

Mark Holder, mitigating, said that at the time of the incident, his client had been 'going through a breakdown' due to stress.

Mr Holder said: "He has struggled to find a reason why the offence was committed. It was about as unsophisticated as it gets. The only images on the camera were of the defendant at home and the defendant taping it to the sink. It wasn't pointing in the right direction, and it fell off straight away."

Mr Holder said Baines-Davies's family had suffered after his guilty plea was publicised in January, and he had been dismissed from his new job. Since then Baines-Davies has found alternative employment.

The court heard that the offence was aggravated by the fact that it was a breach of trust. Baines-Davies had no previous convictions.

Magistrates told the defendant that voyeurism was a serious crime. They handed him an 18-month community order with a 30-day rehabilitation activity requirement, and ordered him to complete 100 hours of unpaid work.

He will also have to sign the sex offender register, and pay £185 in costs and a £114 surcharge. The court also ordered the destruction of the camera.