Latest Offenders York

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A dangerous Keighley sex offender has been been given a life sentence by a judge after it was discovered he was sexually abusing children.

Judge Andrew Hatton said Jonathon Warren, 33, would have to serve a minimum term of six years and eight months and would be on licence for the rest of his life after being given permission to be released by the Parole Board.

Bradford Crown Court heard on Friday that Warren was locked up for eight years when he was still a teenager in 2005 for previous sexual offending including the rape of a boy. In November last year Warren, who had been the subject of a life-long sexual offences prevention order, admitted a series of sexual abuse charges relating to two young girls who must not be identified for legal reasons.

He was arrested last October after police received information that he had been involved in the distribution of indecent images. Officers seized Warren's devices and discovered 2,086 indecent images of children. Among the images and videos were ones which showed him committing sexual acts on the two complainants, who were nine and 12-years-old at the time.

Warren admitted offences relating to his sexual abuse of the two girls and possession and distribution of indecent images and videos He also admitted assaulting an emergency worker. His barrister Abdul Shakoor said Warren himself had acknowledged that his offending was “heinous”.

Jailing him for life Judge Hatton said he was satisfied that Warren posed a significant risk of causing serious harm. He told Warren, who appeared in court via a video link from HMP Leeds: “I am also sure that that is a risk that is likely to carry on long into the future and I am satisfied that your offending is so serious that a sentence of life imprisonment is required and that’s the sentence that I impose."

The judge also made Warren subject to a new lifelong sexual harm prevention order. Detective Constable Adam Flaxington said: "I am particularly pleased that the judge has today recognised the abhorrent offending of Warren against two vulnerable girls. This sends a clear message to offenders committing these sorts of offences and I am delighted that his victims will now have justice.

"The lengths that Warren went to try and avoid detection and arrest signifies he knew he was looking at a significant sentence when caught. I would also like to thank the Digital Forensic Unit and all their work on the case. Our close work with them has again brought a positive result."

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John William Renel, 68, was wearing a tweed jacket when he pinned the girl down and raped and indecently assaulted her in a locker room at Cundall Manor School near York, prosecutor Rupert Doswell told a jury at York Crown Court.

The victim, who can’t be named for legal reasons, didn’t report the matter to police until 2021, more than 20 years after the alleged sexual abuse.

She said that before the alleged rape at the fee-paying independent school, she and Renel were “joking about something” in the school kitchen when he picked her up and joked that he was going to “throw her in the bin”.

He then carried her out into the corridor and touched her on the thigh near an intimate part of her body, said Mr Doswell.

“He then took her into a side room – a changing room or locker room – where (pupils) hang their clothing,” added the prosecuting barrister.

“He put her down on the ground on her back. He was on top of her and she remembers him wearing a tweed jacket.”

She said she turned her head “to stare at the wall” as Renel allegedly raped her.

A family member later noticed that the alleged victim, who was very young at the time of the alleged offences, had become withdrawn and in adult life she had developed post-traumatic stress disorder which led to counselling and therapy.

Mr Doswell said that about five months after the alleged victim’s first police interview, she contacted them again about the alleged incident in the school locker room.

She said she could remember that during the alleged rape, she felt as if Renel’s “body (was) crushing her” and that she was struggling to breathe.

According to the alleged victim, Renel “simply walked away” after the alleged incident, “leaving her on the ground”.

“She (told police) she had one further memory of another incident (at the school) when she was older,” said Mr Doswell.

She said that before this alleged incident, Renel again picked her up and dropped her on a bed in a dormitory.

He then laid down next to the victim, sexually assaulted her and then forced her hand onto an intimate part of his body.

“Her next memory is of the defendant’s face close up to her,” said Mr Doswell.

“She remembers feeling terrified. He was staring at her and scowling. He told her not to tell anyone, before leaving the room.”

Predatory child abuser

Renel, of Main Street, Sessay, near Thirsk, was brought in for questioning in 2021 but denied even knowing the girl.

He told police he had always taught in a tweed jacket but denied raping or sexually assaulting the girl.

He was charged with one count of rape and four counts of sexual assault against the girl. He denied all offences but was today found guilty on all counts.

Recorder Anthony Hawks moved straight to sentence and jailed Renel for 18 years.

Renel was also placed on the sex-offenders’ register for life and made subject to a sexual-harm prevention order for the protection of children. That order will also run indefinitely. 

In 1997, a few years after Renel left Cundall Manor, he was convicted of three counts of indecently assaulting a girl at another school in Keighley.

Detective Constable Alison Morris, of North Yorkshire Police’s Non-Recent Abuse Investigation Team, said: “John William Renel is a predatory child abuser who has caused unimaginable trauma to the courageous victim in this case.

“I truly hope the outcome at court along with the significant custodial sentence handed to her perpetrator, provides comfort, strength and hope for the future.”

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A MAN has been jailed for four and a half years for sexually abusing a teenager in Bradford.

Carl Harrison, 40, of Pickles Street, Keighley, was today sentenced at Bradford Crown Court after admitting offences of sexual assault.

He was given a restraining order and must sign on the sex offender register indefinitely.

After the hearing, Detective Sergeant Matthew Harrison, of Bradford Safeguarding Unit, said: “We welcome the sentence handed down to Harrison today. 

“I would like to praise the bravery of the victim in coming forward and reporting these crimes. I hope today serves as some justice.

“Bradford Safeguarding Team would encourage anyone who has been a victim of sexual assault to come forward and report it. Your case will be treated with sensitivity and we will do all we can to bring offenders to justice.”

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A pervert pinned an underage girl to the ground as he attempted to rape her in a horrific sexual assault on a Teesside beach.

Oliver Goddard was 19-years-old when he sexually assaulted and tried to rape a teenager while hidden amongst the tall grass on Redcar beach. His "helpless" victim was only able to get away after Goddard was spooked by a phone call from her father during the terrifying attack.

In a heartbreaking victim impact statement, the girl spoke of how she was terrified to leave the house and couldn't go anywhere alone. She turned to self-harm and still has panic attacks almost three years on from the assault.

Teesside Crown Court heard how Goddard, who is now 21, had met the teen for a walk where they spoke about how the vulnerable girl was struggling with a stressful time. They arranged to meet the following day and they walked along the beach until they lay down in a section surrounded by tall grass.

As they spoke, Goddard kept moving her legs across his body and when she moved them he'd get angry with her and put them back. Summarising the case, Judge Paul Reid said: "You began kissing her neck and she kept trying to move away from you."

He put his hand behind her neck so she couldn't pull away. The sexual assault continued and he pushed her down, hands around her neck so she had her head on the ground.

"She was scared. There was nothing she could do," said Judge Reid. "You were much older than her and much bigger than she was.

"You were disturbed by her phone ringing - it was her father. You jumped up and this time she was able to get away and left."

Goddard, of Durham Road, Redcar, was found guilty by a jury of attempted rape, sexual assault and engaging in sexual communication with a child.

Flashbacks

In a victim impact statement, read out by prosecutor Robin Turton, the teenager said: "I couldn't sleep as well as I could before what happened - it was going over and over in my head. It went on for some time, I went to the doctors and was prescribed anti-depressants.

"I had a phobia of leaving the house and I needed to be with someone all the time." The court heard the teenager's education was affected as she struggled to return to school and when she did found it difficult to stay in lessons.

She began to self-harm and said: "It's been almost three years and I still have panic attacks." She also can't go to the beach as it causes flashbacks.

Goddard had claimed the sexual activity was consensual and said in evidence that he believed she was 16 - claiming he only told police he thought she was younger because he was "forced".

Robert Mochrie, mitigating, said: "This is his first experience before the courts. He himself suffers psychological ailments and has been diagnosed with emotionally unstable personality disorder. It is something he has to live with and work with to move forward."

The court heard there was a "significant difference in age" and the author of a pre-sentence report commented that he was in denial and had "little victim empathy". After the attack, he text the teenager and apologised blaming an injection which gives him too much testosterone.

He also told her that if she told anybody he would kill himself but the girl bravely spoke up and disclosed what had happened. Goddard had also sent nude pictures of himself to the girl.

Judge Reid said he believed Goddard did pose a significant risk and handed the defendant an extended sentence "to protect the public in the future". Goddard was jailed for seven years and will serve an additional three years on licence. An indefinite restraining order and notification requirement - sex offenders' register - was made.

Goddard heard he must serve two thirds of his sentence before he will be considered for release. Investigating officer Catherine McKenzie said: Firstly Id like to praise the victim in this case for her courage in coming forward and throughout the judicial proceedings.

"Goddard preyed on a teenage girl who was sexually assaulted before he tried to rape her. He took advantage of the young girl and pleaded not guilty throughout the trial.

"He will now he will spend a significant time behind bars due to his actions. Any victims of sexual assault or sexual offences can contact the police with the confidence that they will be believed and supported and that a thorough investigation will be carried out.

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A Yorkshire teen rapist who filmed himself carrying out his sick attack has been jailed for five years.

Cameron Kyle Edwards, 19, raped a 14-year-old girl at a house in a North Yorkshire village in December 2020. He was arrested the same day after the victim was able to identify Edwards to officers.

Following the arrest, police discovered 6,200 indecent images on his phone, many of which were category A, which is considered the most serious. Edwards had also filmed himself sexually assaulting a 16-year-old girl during a separate incident.

Edwards, of Selby Road, Holme-on-Spalding-Moor, pleaded guilty to eleven sex offences when he appeared at York Crown Court on November 7 in 2022. The offences include one count of rape, three counts of assault by penetration, three counts of sexual assault, three counts of making indecent photographs of children and one count of possessing extreme phonography.

On April 28, he was sentenced to 65 months detention in a Young Offenders Institute. He has also been issued with a Sexual Harm Prevention Order until and ordered to sign the sex offenders register indefinitely.

North Yorkshire Police investigating officer Detective Constable Martin Willoughby, said: "First of all I would like to comment on the bravery of the two victims which helped secure the conviction of Edwards today. The pattern of behaviour shown by Edwards is extremely worrying and demonstrated how it quickly escalated into the serious offences which he will now spend time in prison for.

I know the sentence will never undo the anguish Edwards put his victims through but I hope it will go some way to reassure them, knowing he now off the streets of North Yorkshire for some time.

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A serial sex offender who targeted a vulnerable boy for a "campaign of rapes" that had a "corrosive and exploitative" effect upon the victim has been jailed for 12 years.

Perverted loner Kevin Smith groomed the boy with "highly sexualised" messages that had a "tragically sad" effect upon him during the "disgraceful and despicable" abuse.

The boy had been left "devastated and distressed" by what happened and was "feeling sick and horrible" about his long-running ordeal, Hull Crown Court heard.

Smith, 35, of Stornoway Square, Hull, admitted seven offences of rape of a child under 13 and two of making indecent images of children, between March 2019 and March 2020.

Charlotte Baines, prosecuting, said that Smith targeted the boy during a series of sexual incidents and sent sexualised messages to him. The abuse had left the victim very upset. The boy told Smith to leave him alone but the incidents continued after Smith used "grooming behaviour" including buying the boy sweets and treats. The police were later called in.

Smith was found with 13 indecent images of children on a computer drive and two on a phone.

David Godfrey, mitigating, said that Smith had not challenged any of the boy's claims. "There are multiple offences here," said Mr Godfrey. "There are messages here that are damning. He has not made this boy come to court and go through the difficulty of having to be cross-examined."

Smith had given out the "overriding message" that he felt "shame, regret and remorse" for his actions. "There is no reason for what he has done," said Mr Godfrey. "It's a disgraceful and despicable thing."

During his life, Smith had not really had any friends or relationships. He spent most of his time in his bedroom on computers and lacked social skills.

Recorder Peter Makepeace KC said: "This is a campaign of rapes." There had been "highly sexualised" messages from Smith to the boy and Smith encouraged and caused him to watch sexual acts. "You bribed him with offers of gifts," said Recorder Makepeace.

The abuse had a "pernicious, corrosive and exploitative" effect on the boy, who became "corrupted" because of Smith's behaviour. "That sort of pressure by you can be extremely damaging," said Recorder Makepeace.

The boy had been left "devastated and distressed" and this was "tragically sad". The victim was left "feeling sick and horrible" because of Smith's actions, which were "exploiting his vulnerabilities and naivety" and demonstrated how deep the damage caused was.

"There was the clearest possible grooming behaviour," said Recorder Makepeace. "You have spared him from having to give evidence."

Smith will have to register as a sex offender for life.

After the hearing, Detective Sergeant Kevin Fenwick-Denton, who led the investigation for Humberside Police, said: “I’d like to commend the bravery and the courage of the victim and their family throughout the entirety of the investigation and court proceedings.

“I hope the outcome will provide them with some comfort in knowing that, by having the courage and strength to come forward, they have undoubtedly prevented others from sufferings at the hands of this sexual deviant.

“I would like to provide reassurance to anyone who may have suffered sexual abuse to come forward. We will listen to you and support you.

“I would strongly appeal for anybody who believes they are being manipulated into doing something they don’t want to do, to speak with an adult or friend and report it to us.

“I would encourage anyone to speak to us, partner agencies or the independent anonymous charity Crimestoppers, when they’re ready, whether they decide to pursue it through the justice system or not. You will be believed and we will thoroughly investigate your report.

“We are committed to making our streets safer by preventing these types of crimes, investigating reported offences and pursuing perpetrators and bringing them to justice."

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A sex offender who altered innocent pictures of other people to make them obscene or sexual has been jailed.

Adam John Stephenson, 38, used computer software on one photo to make it look as if two men were touching a child sexually, said David Hewitt, prosecuting.

Police also found evidence Stephenson had been a voyeur for 11 months and found many photos on his phone, each featuring a woman who was unaware that the picture had been taken.

The last had been taken the day before he was arrested.

Some of the voyeurism photos had been altered digitally in a sexual manner.

Stephenson, of Farro Drive, Rawcliffe, York, pleaded guilty to two charges of making indecent photographs, two of making pseudoimages of children and one of voyeurism.

Judge Simon Hickey told York Crown Court: In my judgement the only proper punishment that can be meted out in this case is an immediate prison sentence.

He jailed Stephenson for two years, put him on the sex offenders' register for 10 years and barred him from working with children or vulnerable adults.

You still pose a risk to certain members of the public, he told Stephenson.

The judge made the 38-year-old subject to a 10-year sexual harm prevention order, including banning him from taking photos of children, having devices capable of taking covert photos, a ban on having internet capable devices or online storage without the knowledge of the police and using computer wiping software or software that concealed his identity online.

Mr Hewitt said police went to Stephensons home after receiving a tip-off on April 13, 2021.

They arrested Stephenson who said he couldnt believe it and protested his innocence and expressed shock at having been arrested, said the barrister.

He initially claimed he had received unsavoury photos via WhatsApp which he had deleted as well as leaving the WhatsApp group.

He had also joined Tumblr in order to access pornography but some images had appeared to contain young girls and he had deleted them.

Interviewed again after police had analysed his phone, he said nothing.

Mr Hewitt said police found search terms for child sex images which Stephenson had used on an adult pornography website, 21 sexual images of children of the least serious category and one video and three images of the middle category of sexual images of children.

They had also found that he had downloaded Adobe Photoshop which he had used to alter pictures to make them more sexual.

For Stephenson, Nicholas Wragg said: He is entirely remorseful in respect of his behaviour and the harm he has caused, seeking general therapy for some years and then focussed sexual therapy in more recent time.

He had suffered from generic anxiety and health issues all his life.

Mr Wragg said that for months prior to being arrested, Stephenson had suffered from insomnia.

He had escaped into the internet and offended in the way he has, said Mr Wragg.

He had been very close to his father whose death in 2018 had profoundedly affected the defendant and exacerbated his mental health. His partner had left him after Stephensons sexual crimes were discovered.

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A 76-year-old man has admitted making thousands of indecent images of children.

Keith Taylor admitted to a string of offences at Teesside Magistrates' Court after he was found with more than 7,000 indecent images of children. Of these, there were 287 category A images - the most serious - as well as 338 category B images and 6,585 category C.

Taylor, who appeared to be carrying a bag of groceries in court, also admitted breaching a sexual harm prevention order and failing to comply with the notification requirements he's subject to on the sex offender's register. He did not register a Vanquis gold credit card and a Santander credit card within three days of obtaining them.

Given the number of images, magistrates decided that the case should be sent to the higher court for sentencing. Taylor, of Dalby Close, Redcar, will next appear at Teesside Crown Court on May 12.

Taylor, who was represented by Andrew McGloin, was given unconditional bail and an a probation report will be carried out for his sentencing hearing. Taylor spoke only to confirm his name, date of birth and address and to enter pleas of guilty during the short hearing.

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A convicted sex offender who absconded from HMP North Sea Camp in November last year has now been arrested.

Paul Marshall, 54, was serving a life sentence for rape and wounding with intent.

Lincolnshire Police and their Nottinghamshire colleagues have been investigating since Marshall was reported missing from HMP North Sea Camp near Boston on November 22 last year.

Humberside Police shared an appeal last week saying they believe “Paul may now be in the Bridlington area” in East Yorkshire, and he was arrested in the Humberside area. This comes after there were previous sightings of him in Mansfield town centre, and in Doncaster.

On Monday (April 17), Lincolnshire Police said: “A 54-year-old man who was wanted after absconding from HMP North Sea Camp, in November, has been arrested. Thank you to everyone who shared our appeals.”

Boston and Skegness MP Matt Warman previously said the “fault lies with the system that puts people in the wrong kind of prison” after Marshall absconded from HMP North Sea Camp.

The local MP later told The Lincolnite that, despite it being the first abscond since a tightening of the open prison system, it was a “sign of failure”.

He added that it is important to look at various factors when considering those placed in open prisons.

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A MAN who invaded a womans home at night and threatened to rape her has been jailed.

She woke in the early hours to find Eric Bristow Smith standing by her bed, said Tony Dunne, prosecuting.

He put a hand over her mouth and said: You want raping, you whore.

He appeared to be drunk or high on drugs.

He grabbed her twice sexually and tried to expose her legs, but she fought him off and fled from her home, the court heard.

In a personal statement to the court, she said she had had to move address and was now on medication for depression.

I cannot understand why he did it to me or why it happened, she wrote.

Smith, 37, of Outgang Lane Caravan Site, east York, pleaded guilty to two charges of sexual assault.

He was jailed for 27 months at York Crown Court and will have to register as a sex offender for 10 years.

Mr Dunne said Smith got into the womans York home through an unlocked door.

When she realised he was there, she told him to get out, but he sexually assaulted her.

She told police she was struggling for breath and panicking.

The incident lasted 10 minutes, said Mr Dunne. The defendant was drunk or had taken drugs.

Smith was arrested the same day and told police that he had been in the womans home, but denied sexually assaulting her.

He said he couldnt remember what had happened because he had been intoxicated.

For Smith, Caroline Abraham said he had not offended in any way since the incident some months ago.

There is a different side to the defendants personality, she said.

He had major family commitments and responsibilities including to his mother who had ill-health.

In the months leading up to the incident, his father-in-law had died of Covid and another family member was also ill with the illness, the court was told.

He resorted to drinking as a means of coping, Ms Abraham said.

Since the offences, with support from his family, he had stopped misusing alcohol.

Ms Abraham said there had been a significant delay before Smith had been prosecuted.

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A RYEDALE sex offender who had a vast hoard of more than 330,000 sexual images of children - and distributed some of them online - has been jailed.

Stephen George Garside’s collection of videos and pictures included some featuring children as young as two, said Brooke Morrison, prosecuting.

He had printed off some of the images off and made a photo album of them.

Garside had been downloading sexual images of children for 12 years by the time police put a stop to his crimes.

Officers arrested him at his place of work and searched his work locker and his home near Malton.

After pleading guilty to a series of online sex charges, Garside claimed to a probation officer that he was interested in adult pornography and never looked for sexual images of children online, York Crown Court heard.

But deputy circuit judge Deborah Sherwin dismissed that claim.

“It is clear to me you have held an interest in child pornography for many years,” she said. “This was sexually motivated by the need to satisfy your needs, you not having experienced a sexual relationship in your adult life.”

She jailed Garside for 18 months. She also put him on the sex offenders’ register for 10 years and made him subject to a sexual harm prevention order (SHPO) indefinitely.

The order will restrict his use of the internet and enable police to monitor what he does online.

Garside, 58, of Saxon Drive, Rillington, near Malton, pleaded guilty to six charges of making indecent images of children by downloading them, one of distributing a small number of images from the least serious category, one of having extreme pornography and one of having prohibited images of children.

He represented himself and when asked by the judge if he wanted to give any mitigation, declined.

Ms Morrison said police went to Garside’s home and place of work on July 7, 2020. They found him at work and searched him. They also searched his work locker and his home and seized a number of internet devices and related items.

Forensic checks revealed that between them, the seized devices and items contained 333,337 videos and pictures, all but 115 of them were of children. There were 373 videos of which all but one were of children. There were 94 sexual videos of children of the most serious category, 51 of the middle category and 219 of the least serious category. There were seven prohibited videos of children and one sexually extreme video.

There were 321 sexual pictures of children of the most serious category, 606 of the middle category and 332,237 of the least serious category, 114 sexually extreme pictures and 59 prohibited pictures of children.

The earliest material was dated 2008 and dates on other material showed he had continued to download material up until his arrest 12 years later.

On two occasions, he had used “torrent” software to distribute a very small number of the images of the least category online.

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A man has been jailed for a “humiliating and degrading” sex attack on a young woman at a property in Harrogate.

Andrew Reekie, 33, left the woman “haunted” and an emotional wreck following the “absolutely disgusting” assault, York Crown Court heard.

Prosecutor Shaun Dodds said the victim tried to kick Reekie off her during the assault and told him to “get off”. She was crying afterwards and told a friend what had happened.

Reekie told her she “wouldn’t dare ring the police” but she plucked up the courage to do so.

Reekie, of Bramham Drive, Jennyfields, was brought in for questioning two months after the attack but refused to answer police questions.

He was charged with sexual assault but denied the offence, only to plead guilty on the day of trial in January. He appeared for sentence yesterday.

The court heard he had previous convictions for serious violence, public disorder, acquisitive crime, possessing an offensive weapon, robbery, criminal damage and breaching court orders.

The victim, who cannot be named for legal reasons, said that “life as I knew it came to an abrupt and sudden halt” following the sex attack. She added:

“I was paralysed (with fear) and completely helpless.”

She said she was “powerless” to stop Reekie and she had felt an inexplicable but “overwhelming shame” since the incident, adding:

“I felt completely alone and unable to trust anyone.

“The sound of his voice will (continue) to play in my head. It was like a knife in my guts.”

Nightmares and shame

She said that after the attack she “couldn’t eat, I couldn’t sleep or socialise”.

She had nightmares of other women being sexually assaulted and she was “more and more anxious that it was going to happen to somebody else”.

She said that even reporting the attack only “intensified the shame” and she developed serious mental-health problems.

It had affected her work and she had felt “traumatised” about the prospect of giving evidence in court.

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A man who raped and sexually assaulted a woman as she slept, immediately tried to cover his tracks by washing his clothing on his return home, a court heard.

Stephen Durward committed the offences on a woman in the early hours of a night in 2019, but, following the report of the crime soon afterwards, police traced him to his home address shortly after 3am.

Durham Crown Court was told the defendant was arrested for suspected rape and the officers asked for the clothing he had been wearing for forensic examination.

He told them they were in his bedroom, but those garments that were retrieved were neatly folded and appeared not to have been worn.

The court heard that Durward then conceded the clothes that he had most recently been wearing had just been washed.

He went on to be charged with offences of rape and sexual assault, which he denied, claiming both were consensual acts, but, following a trial at Teesside Crown Court, he was convicted of each of the offences by the jury, on January 12.

The 38-year-old defendant, of Sherwood Road, Thornaby, was remanded in custody to Durham Prison, from where he appeared by video link at todays (Tuesday February 14) sentencing hearing at the nearby crown court.

Defendant Stephen Durward, jailed for 90-months for rape and sexual assault

Rebecca Brown, for the prosecution, read the victims impact statement to the court, in which she said she felt, physically sick and disgusted at Durwards actions.

She said it resulted in her having recurring nightmares and it led her to having to take, significant time away from work, before leaving the job due to a breakdown.

In the statement she outlined: Not a day goes by without thinking about what happened.

She said that her anxiety reached the point where she took an overdose last year as she could not, see a way out, and she feels that the offences, changed my life.

Miss Brown asked the court to consider the imposition of a restraining order for the protection of the victim.

Stephen Littlewood, for Durward, presented a number of character references to the court on his behalf.

He told the hearing: It appears these offences were completely out of character for someone who has led a productive and kind-hearted way of life and who has been an otherwise productive member of society.

I think it can be considered as a one-off for Mr Durward.

He has touched many peoples lives in a positive way and there will be a loss to those in his close family of not having him around.

Mr Littlewood also spoke of the significant delay in the case reaching a conclusion through the courts, given that the offences date from July 2019, which was not the fault of the defendant.

Recorder Paul Reid, who presided over last months trial, agreed and said the delays were, a matter of great regret, affecting both defendants and complainants in such cases.

In the light of his conviction the Recorder said the defendants remarks to police and his actions in immediately washing his clothing were cynical, due to the nature of the investigation.

He said it was clear from the victim statement that Durwards actions on a vulnerable victim, given that she was asleep, have, shattered her life.

Recorder Reid added that despite the many positive sides to the defendants character that the court was told about, only an immediate lengthy sentence can be justified.

Imposing a 90-month (seven-and-a-half years) prison sentence for the principal offence of rape, with 50 months to run concurrently for the sexual assault, the Recorder also made Durward subject to both registration as a sex offender and a restraining order, prohibiting him from contacting or approaching his victim, both to run indefinitely.

Speaking after today's sentencing hearing, Detective Inspector Lou Sproson, from Stockton CID, said: This horrendous incident had a huge impact on the victim, who was raped and sexually assaulted by someone she had trusted.

"Thankfully, he is now behind bars for a significant length of time, where he cannot harm anyone else.

Anyone who reports that they have been a victim of rape or sexual abuse can expect to be treated with sensitivity and by specially trained officers, with support available to those wish to access it.

"We will carry out a thorough investigation and those who carry out appalling offences like these will be brought to justice.

Anyone who has been a victim of rape of sexual abuse is encouraged to report the incident to police, by calling 101.

Alternatively, victims can contact Teesside Sexual Assault Referral Centre (SARC) for help and support, regardless of whether or not the offence has been reported to police.

SARC provides 24-hour crisis intervention and a range of options, working in partnership with local specialist services, such as Barnados, A Way Out and Arch.

It can also access support on behalf of victims.

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A ‘sexual predator’ who persistently abused a nine-year-old girl in her own bed has been jailed.

David Howie, 52, has been handed a six and a half year sentence today after he was found guilty at a trial of sexual assault on a child under 13, and causing or inciting a child under 13 to engage in sexual activity.

The court heard how the girl, who was aged between nine and 13 at the time, was ‘relieved’ when she could finally report the ’persistent’ abuse to her grandmother.

The incidents took place between the Blackburn and Scarborough areas, with some incidents taking place in the girl's bed.

Prosecutor Kristian Cavanagh said: “She felt relief at being able to tell her Grandma.

“She knew what was happening wasn’t right but she was scared and the years were tough.

“She has struggled to concentrate in school. The court proceedings were hard but she is glad she was believed by the jury.

“She is hopeful for the future.”

Mr Kavanagh said between 2016 and 2020, Howie slept in the girl's bed a number of times when he would touch her legs, bottom and vagina.

She once stayed at his home where he also touched her inappropriately.

Between 2018 and 2020, Howie and the girl would have video calls where he asked her to show him her pubic hair and asked her to perform provocative dances.

Howie also told her ‘not to tell her mum she had seen his willy’.

The girl's mother told police about how she could not believe the allegations her daughter was making and is upset Howie had 'stolen her daughter's innocence'.

Mitigating, Matthew Moore-Taylor said Howie had been diagnosed with prostate cancer and he would struggle to access the necessary treatment in hospital.

Mr Moore-Taylor added Howie also struggles with mental health issues and he has already lost a lot since the prosecution.

Mr Moore-Taylor said: “He has reached a terminus in his life.

“He is already suffering the consequences. He has lost what gave his life value. He had a family, a child.

“He lost his work, he lost his home and will lose his liberty.”

Judge Heather Lloyd said she did not believe Howie felt any remorse or insight into what he did.

She said: “You were well loved. You stayed in the girl's family home and in same bed as the girl.

“Unbeknownst to the risk of the family, you were a man who became a sexual predator.

“You took advantage of the opportunity you had to sexually abuse a girl in her own home.”

Howie, now of Bridlington, in the East Riding of Yorkshire, was jailed for six years and six months in a hearing at Preston Crown Court.

DC Jo Billington, of Lancashire Police's East Rape and Serious Sexual Offences team (RASSO), said: “David Howie has taken advantage of this young girl to satisfy his own perverted sexual desires and by doing so has effectively stolen her innocence.

"I would like to commend her for having the courage to both come forward and disclose what happened to her and for going through the court process which has meant reliving her abuse.

“I hope this conviction and sentence will give others who may have suffered similar abuse the courage to speak up in the knowledge that we will believe them, we will investigate professionally and sensitively, and we will do all we can to bring offenders to justice.”

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A teenage rapist has been jailed for seven and a half years for forcing himself on a girl in York.

Police have praised the girl for her “incredible courage” in coming forward and giving evidence against Brandon Hewlett.

York Crown Court heard the crimes happened some years ago when Hewlett was a teenager.

Hewlett, now aged 21, of Edinburgh Street, Goole, East Yorkshire, denied four charges of rape and an online sex offence. The jury convicted him of three of the rapes and the online offence.

They were unable to agree on the fourth rape charge and he was formally acquitted of it after the CPS decided not to retry him on it.

Recorder Tahir Khan read a personal statement from the girl in which she described the effect of Hewlett’s crimes on her.

He told Hewlett: “I have absolutely no doubt whatsoever that there was psychological harm done to her as a result of what you did.”

He jailed Hewlett for seven and a half years.

Hewlett will be on the sex offenders’ register for the rest of his life.

Had Hewlett been older at the time of the rapes, he would have been jailed for 10 years, said the judge.

DS Mike Hewitt, of North Yorkshire Police, said: “The victim in this case showed incredible courage to stand up to Hewlett, and with the support of her family and friends she was able to provide evidence against him.

“Her strength and bravery saw him convicted of the horrendous crimes he committed against her – and will also prevent others becoming victims of Hewlett’s depraved behaviour.”

Hewlett had no convictions before he was convicted at the end of his trial in November. He was then remanded in custody.

Julian Goode, for Hewlett, said he had found life behind bars hard and had been assaulted on two separate occasions.

“He is the author of his own demise,” said the defence barrister.

He handed in a document as part of his mitigation, the contents of which he did not make public and which was read by the judge.

The defence barrister said that since Hewlett had been remanded, the defendant’s partner had had problems.

She had health difficulties and Hewlett had been her help and looked after her.

Since November, she had found life looking after herself increasingly hard.

North Yorkshire Police said anyone who believed they had been raped or sexually assaulted could contact them online, by phone or in person.

If the person felt unable to talk to police, the force’s website has details of organisations to whom they could speak in confidence and get support, advice and medical help.