Latest Offenders Yorkshire

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Two men who "laughed and boasted" about raping a girl outside a nightclub have been jailed for nine years.

Kristofer McLaren and Craig Whitelaw, both 21, attacked the 18-year-old on 10 August after meeting her at Club Amadeus, in Elder Road, Northallerton.

Teesside Crown Court heard the two men bragged about the assault to a taxi driver as they left the scene.

Police said McLaren and Whitelaw, both from Thirsk, treated their victim "like a piece of meat".

They were were found guilty of rape following a trial, but cleared of a second count of rape.

Whitelaw was also convicted of sexual assault, for which he was sentenced to four years in jail to be served concurrently.

'Sustained attack'
Det Insp Fiona Wynne, from North Yorkshire police said: "I am delighted that justice has been delivered for the victim.

"She was subjected to a sustained attack by McLaren and Whitelaw. They treated her like a piece of meat and left her bleeding and distressed.

"They laughed and joked about it afterwards, even boasting to the taxi driver about what had just happened when they left the scene."

The victims' parents paid tribute to the force, saying: "From the minute the police picked our daughter up she has been treated with the utmost respect and sympathy by everyone who has had contact with her."

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A family wept as the bus driver who sexually abused their teenage daughter was jailed at Bradford Crown Court today (Monday).

Dale Codling, 26, of Kirk Lane, Hipperholme, who had previously pleaded guilty to two charges of grooming and engaging in non-penetrative sexual activity with a 13 year old girl on October 21, 2013 was jailed for 12 months.

The offences took place while Codling was working as a First Bus driver on a school route in Calderdale.

Judge Rose, sentencing Codling - a father of one - said: The grooming of a child is not something that happens as an error of judgement or a one-off mistake - you were 25 and she was 13.

No man of your age has the right to act in such way with a child.

Codling groomed her by lavishing her with compliments on Facebook and by phone, which the prosecution said made her feel good about herself.

The court heard that when Codling took the girl for a drive on October 21, 2013, he kissed her. After she kissed him back, he then touched her inappropriately and the girl asked him to stop.

Codling drove the girl home but continued to remain in contact with her.

The girls mother later found out a month later and reported him to the police.

Gerald Hendron, defending, said Codling felt ashamed of himself and asked the judge to consider his immediate admission following his arrest and subsequent guilty plea.

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A pervert who sexually abused a 13-year-old schoolboy has been jailed for three years.

Adam Greenhough, 30, drove over to the Bradford area in January 2011 to pick up the boy after school and a judge heard yesterday that the teenager was still wearing his school uniform when he was driven on to moorland where the abuse took place.

Bradford Crown Court heard how Greenhough, who has since been diagnosed with Aspergers Syndrome and autism, initially contacted the boy through an internet chat site which was meant for over 18s. But before their meeting he became aware that the youngster, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, was under 16.

Judge Peter Benson said despite that Greenhough, who had no previous convictions, went on to arrange a meeting with the teenager where the sexual abuse took place.

The judge said Greenhough, who was himself 26 at the time, must have appreciated that the complainant was much younger than him and a vulnerable young man.

You, nonetheless, went on to seek sexual gratification with him, said the Judge Benson.

Greenhough had always denied the offences until he entered guilty pleas in March this year and last September a previous trial at which the complainant gave evidence had to be abandoned.

Judge Benson said the impact statement relating to Greenhoughs offences indicated the strain and misery suffered by the boy and his family as a result of his refusal to accept his responsibility until a late stage.

Greenhough, of Mixenden Court, Halifax, pleaded guilty in March to two offences of sexual activity with a child and one of meeting the youngster after sexual grooming.

In addition to the three-year prison sentence, Judge Benson made an order banning Greenhough from having any contact with the boy again. And he will also have to register as a sex offender with the police for the rest of his life.

Barrister Edward Bindloss submitted that a suspended prison sentence could be considered in his clients case, particularly bearing in mind his difficulties and the impact that any prison sentence would have on him.

Mr Bindloss pointed out that the case did not involved any threats or inducements towards the young boy and Judge Benson accepted that it was not the usual case of predatory grooming.

This was out of character and there is no pattern of misbehaviour,'' said Mr Bindloss. It is a single incident and it is three-and-a-half years ago. In the three-and-a-half years there has been no repeat of this incident at all.

After the case Detective Inspector Chris Stones, of West Yorkshire Polices Protective Services Department, said: Greenhough took advantage of his victims age and vulnerability to carry out a sex attack on him. I would like to thank the victim for his courage in coming forward, and hope that the sentence passed down today will give him some closure.

West Yorkshire Police will always investigate offences involving the abuse of children thoroughly and sensitively, with a view to bringing those responsible to justice.

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AN evil rapist and paedophile who abused victims as young as eight has been jailed for 18 years - after admitting a 15-year reign of terror.

Glen Turton, 59, groomed, raped and assaulted his innocent victims.

As well as being put behind bars, he was also placed on the sex offenders' register and banned from working with children for life.

The former fairground worker and roadie pleaded guilty to a catalogue of offences.

He admitted 16 counts of rape and indecent/sexual assault over a 15-year period.

His abused victims ranged in age from as young as eight to 20.

Turton, of Burrows Grove, Wombwell, a three times divorcee, pleaded guilty to all 16 counts when he appeared at Sheffield Crown Court last month.

A friend of one of his victims spoke of fears that Turton may have subjected other victims to horrific abuse and appealed to them to still come forward.

He said: "We have good reason to believe there are other victims out there and that he has been committing offences of this type for even longer than 15 years.

"I would appeal to any victims to come forward.

"It's not likely to make much difference to his jail sentence, but it will allow those victims whose lives he has ruined to at last start to move on.

"The man was a monster, totally lacking in human compassion. He was evil personified.

"Everyone involved now want to try to rebuild their shattered lives. We all hope he rots in jail and is never ever allowed out."

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'It would be cruel to send you to jail': What lenient judge told sex offender who stalked schoolgirls

A JUDGE took pity on a sex offender and decided sending him to prison would be utterly cruel.

Andrew Jackson, 48, twice stalked schoolgirls aged 13 and 14 and attacked a disabled woman he claimed was a prostitute.

But Judge Jeremy Richardson QC allowed him to walk free, saying it would border on cruelty to jail him because he suffers from Asperger syndrome.

He told Jackson: You deserve to be sent to prison. But sending someone like you to prison would be utterly cruel.

You are very much to be pitied. You have never had a full sexual relationship. It must be very frustrating.

He added: I have a public duty, but it would be quiet wrong to impose a cruel punishment.

"Quite frankly you could not cope in prison. I have no doubt your life would be a misery.

Hull crown court heard Jackson had already been spoken to twice by police for stalking children in playgrounds and wooded areas in the seaside town of Bridlington, East Yorks.

He showed one girl aged 13 a picture of his privates.

Police said he sexually questioned two 14-year-old girls before asking: Are you legal?

He then molested a 21-year-old woman in a park.

The womans friend heard her screams and dragged Jackson off her.

Judge Richardson said he had aggravated matters by falsely claiming the woman had prostituted herself to him for 20.

Martin Sharpe, prosecuting, said police in Bridlington were so concerned about Jackson they wanted a Sexual Offences Prevention Order imposed on him to keep him out of childrens playgrounds.

Patrick Palmer, defending, said Jackson had an IQ of 75, lived at home with his parents, did not work and had suffered all his life from an undiagnosed condition.

Jackson, of Bridlington, pleaded guilty to a charge of sexual assault by touching, knowing that the woman did not consent.

Judge Richardson sentenced the pest to a two-year community order with a supervision requirement in the hope that it might alter his behaviour.

He also imposed a 10-year sexual offences prevention order on him and put him on the sex offenders register for five years.

The judge told Jackson: Young girls have to be protected in your area.

You have to learn to control yourself. I regard sexual offences as a very serious crime. Usually the men involved deserve to be sent to prison.

It would not be right here. It would be bordering on cruelty.

However, if you harass any more girls, you will end up in jail.

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A CHILDRENS outdoor activities centre manager who pretended to be a woman to gain acceptance into an international paedophile ring has been jailed for four years.

Jonathan Garner-Harris, a former deputy director of the Marrick Priory centre, near Richmond, North Yorkshire, claimed to be a woman with two daughters aged 12 and 14 in order to be accepted as a member of a nudist website which encouraged child abuse.

Garner-Harris, 37, was investigated by Durham Police and pleaded guilty at Durham Crown Court to 20 offences.

His case was transferred to Portsmouth Crown Court where he was sentenced by Judge Roger Hetherington who heard a trial involving other members of the ring which abused two young children.

Garner-Harris was yesterday jailed for four years for three charges of inciting a child sex offence and four months for each of 17 counts relating to indecent photographs of children. The sentences are to run concurrently.

The court was told that Garner- Harris, who appeared by videolink, was involved in internet chat with ringleader Robert Hathaway during which he encouraged the Portsmouth-based offender to abuse the two young children.

Kerry Maylin, prosecuting, told the court that Garner-Harris used computers at his parents home in Chester-le-Street, and also at Marrick Priory, to carry out the explicit chat and to look at indecent images.

She said: Like others involved, he used the guise of being interested in nudism to keep in contact with people who had similar sexual interest in children. This quickly turned to sexually explicit conversations about children.

Garner-Harris told police he had been acting out a fantasy and had not intended to hurt anyone, added Ms Maylin.

Amanda Rippon, defending, said: He is a man who has devastated his good character.

He was extremely well thought of, not only in his community but in his church.

His family has been absolutely devastated by this and he is acutely aware of the misery he has heaped on their heads.

Sentencing Garner-Harris, Judge Hetherington said: I accept that Robert Hathaway needed no specific encouragement from you to commit these sort of offences, but your part in fuelling his offending in these chats was, along with others, an important contribution towards the abuse of these two young children.

The managment board at Marrick Priory said the manager was suspended as soon as they became aware of the allegations. He later resigned.

A spokesman added: We would like to assure schools and youth groups that Marrick continues to operate as normal with our large and dedicated staff teams which conform with best practice and national safeguarding guidelines.

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A CHILD abuser who committed a series of offences against two girls more than three decades ago has been jailed for five years.

Leeds man Robert Glendinning was jailed at Bradford Crown Court yesterday after a judge heard details of his repeated abuse of the children in the late 1970s.

Glendinning, of Dorset Terrace, Leeds, admitted charges of indecent assault and indecency with a child.

He also pleaded guilty to attempting to rape one of the girls.

The victims, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, are understood to live in the Huddersfield area.

The 52-year-old confessed to his offending during discussions with his lawyers and the court heard that in 1993 he was also jailed for six-month for an unrelated offence of indecent assault against another girl.

Judge Jonathan Durham Hall, QC, said the victim impact statements provided by the two complainants emphasised the dreadful, traumatic and ever-present shadow the offences had cast over their lives.

The judge said it was to their credit that they had found the courage to go to the police.

Glendinning was arrested early this year and his barrister Neil Clark said despite not having all the evidence against him the defendant had been insistent on pleading guilty.

Mr Clark asked the judge to take account of the fact that Glendinning had not committed any further offences for 18 years and he described his client as essentially a loner who lived in rented accommodation.

Judge Durham Hall made Glendinning the subject of an indefinite sexual offences prevention order which includes a ban on having any contact with the complainants.

Glendinning will also have to register as a sex offender with the police for the rest of his life following his release from prison.

Det Con Emma Summerscales, from West Yorkshire Polices Child and Public Protection Unit, said: We welcome the sentence given to Glenddining by the court, and his conviction again demonstrates that even if an offence has taken place many years previously we will always work to bring offences to justice.

We also hope that Glendinnings conviction will bring some comfort to his victims.

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A rapist who had evaded justice for more than 25 years was finally jailed yesterday after a local newspaper reporter uncovered vital evidence to crack the case.

Financial adviser Kevin Moloney, 44, went on trial last year for the sickening rape of a 69-year-old woman in her home in 1985.

He had been arrested after new DNA evidence came to light from a ‘cold case’ review by police, but he walked free when the jury couldn’t agree on a verdict.

The victim died nine years ago and Moloney, a divorced father-of-two who was 19 at the time, claimed she consented to sex.

But Nicky Harley, a reporter with the Hull Daily Mail, investigated the case and achieved what the prosecution had failed to do by exposing the defendant’s story as a lie.

Humberside Police had lost vital crime scene photographs and when Mrs Harley tracked down the retired superintendent who originally led the inquiry she discovered he had kept copies of his own.

A photograph of the smashed back door supported the victim’s original account that he had forced his way inside. Moloney claimed the elderly widow consented to sex on the sofa after they had a drink together.

However, a picture of newspapers and rubbish piled up on the sofa indicated the reclusive victim’s version that she was raped in the hallway was more believable.
Moloney was due to have a retrial at Hull Crown Court, but faced with the additional evidence he pleaded guilty to rape and was jailed for four years.

Mrs Harley was praised by the judge and given the High Sheriff’s Award in recognition of her vital role in the case.

Judge Michael Mettyear said he was ‘quite sure’ that the journalist’s conscientious work in uncovering fresh evidence led to the defendant pleading guilty. He said :’He knew he had nowhere else to turn.’

Adding: ’I praise her without criticism of the officers investigating the offence. They were not to know the superintendent had evidence that could help the case.’

Mother-of-two Mrs Harley, 32, was in court and cried when she heard she was being honoured with an award. She said later: 'Every journalist hopes to make a difference in the work they do and I am pleased I was able to do that.’

Commenting on finding the vital photos, she said: 'I knew the jury were asking if there were any pictures of the scene and they were told that there weren't because they had been destroyed over time.'

She arranged to interview retired Detective Superintendent Barry Lilley for a background article about the case and was astonished with the results.

‘I told him about the situation with photographs and said he should have copies of his own. He told me he needed to check in his loft and then he called me back a couple of hours later to tell me he’d found them.’

Mr Lilley said he routinely kept his own copies of crime scene photos. 

He said: 'I'm pleased these photos have now formed the backbone of the prosecution evidence, which finally brought a guilty plea to this despicable, serious crime.'

After escaping justice as a teenager the rapist went on to marry and have a family. He was tracked down when DNA taken for a minor cannabis offence in 2009 was matched to scientific evidence from the rape by a ‘cold case’ review team.

Commenting on the case, the head of Humberside’s Major Incident Team, Detective Superintendent Dena Fleming, said it was a ‘tragedy’ the victim had died not knowing her attacker would be brought to justice, adding: 'Her family will hopefully take some comfort from the fact that justice has finally been done. My sympathy and that of my team goes out to them.'

DS Fleming promised to continue to investigate other unsolved sex attacks, but made no mention of the reporter’s role in cracking the case in her statement.