Latest Offenders

Description

A thug who gloried in violence and had sex with an under-age girl less than half his age has been given a 24-year extended prison sentence.

Kallan Hunt, 35, invited a friend to watch him give another man a lengthy beating that lasted  30 minutes and left the victim with a bleeding eye in a shattered socket, bleeding on the brain, a fractured nose and other injuries, said Andrew Petterson, prosecuting.

He beat up the victim both before and after his friend was present in an attack that the victim later told police lasted “an eternity”. Hunt also sent the teenage girl a blow by blow account of what he was doing, with pictures of the victim’s injuries.

He told the victim that if police arrived, he would kill him and left him so terrified the victim was initially reluctant to seek medical help and wouldn’t give officers a statement until he was sure Hunt would be remanded in custody, said the prosecution barrister.

Hunt was on bail at the time for being one of a gang of six masked men, some of whom were armed, who burst into a second victim’s Selby home in March 2022 to steal his drugs and money.

The second victim fought back and stabbed one of the gang to death, a Leeds Crown Court jury heard. Hunt was not one of the armed men.

Judge Tom Bayliss KC declared Hunt to be a dangerous offender.

“You humiliated him quite gratuitously,” he told Hunt about the attack on the first victim. “You were boasting of the violence you had inflicted on him, you were glorying in your violence.”

He gave Hunt a 24-year sentence of which he will serve up to 19 years in prison, plus five years extended parole on release, put him on the sex offenders’ register for life and made a restraining order to protect the first victim, also for life.

Hunt, formerly of Selby and of Dunhill Road, Goole, pleaded guilty to sexual activity with a child and causing grievous bodily harm with intent to the first victim. He denied a charge of aggravated burglary at the home of the second victim, but was convicted by a jury at Leeds Crown Court last month.

Hunt’s  barrister Andrew Stranex said he had always been “polite and respectful” with him and wanted to work with professionals to address his offending behaviour. He had expressed remorse and regret to a probation officer about the aggravated burglary following his trial.

The judge told Hunt: “In front of me you are polite and co-operative but there is a different side to you.”

Mr Petterson said the girl was high on drink and drugs when she and Hunt were together.  She asked him for cannabis and he gave her some before they had sex.

Hunt was at the first victim’s house in March 2025 when the host received a phone call telling him about the sexual encounter shortly before and that police were likely to come to his house.

Hunt overheard the discussion and threatened to stab the first man before police arrived. He took the householder’s mobile phone and every time the victim tried to leave hit him.

He punched him repeatedly to the face and elbowed and kneed him to the face.

The victim needed surgery to repair his eye. Hunt left the house before police arrived and was arrested later.

The judge commended seven of the police team that worked on the aggravated burglary case. 

Description

A woman from Rhondda Cynon Taff has been jailed after she was found guilty of multiple offences involving children.

37-year-old Leah Church, from Tonyrefail, was found guilty of multiple counts of cruelty to children and a sexual offence at Swansea Crown Court on August 15.

Church was sentenced to five years in prison. Upon release she will be required to register as a registered sex offender for ten years and be subject to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order and restraining order.

Detective Constable Amanda Jenkins said:

“I commend the victims of these offences for coming forward and reporting to us.

“They have been supported by specialist officers throughout this investigation, and I'm pleased to see Church held accountable."

Description

A “hawk-like” Forfar man has been found guilty of sexually assaulting two boys during the school summer holidays.

One of Lee Milne’s young victims told a court he was “so scary” after watching him approach in the evening.

Description

A former ordained Church of England priest has been found guilty of multiple counts of indecent assaults on nine women in Sheffield in the 1980s and 1990s.

Chris Brain, 68, has been found guilty of 17 counts of indecent assault at Inner London Crown Court on 20 August 2025. He was cleared of a further 15 counts of the same offence. 

Brain became involved in a religious community in the 1980s of which he was considered a leader.

It was at this time that Brain used his position to assault females associated with the religious group.

Brain’s role evolved into leading religious services in a local church which was famously known as the Nine O Clock Service (NOS) due to the fact they were held at 9pm on Sundays.  These services were different from the usual Church of England services due to the musical and media visual aspect of the service which was particularly successful in attracting younger people to them.

International and national attention was drawn to these services to such an extent that Brain was fast tracked to become an ordained priest within the Church of England in 1991.

However, at the same time Brain was using his position and status to indecently assault other women who were recruited into NOS.

South Yorkshire Police first arrested the defendant in April 2021 after the force started to receive allegations about Brain in the previous year and was charged by the Crown Prosecution Service in January 2024. 

The police investigation gathered evidence from interviews from victims and statements from witnesses in relation to allegations of non-consensual sexual acts with the defendant.

Julie Moss, Senior Crown Prosecutor of the Crown Prosecution Service, said:

“Chris Brain abused the trust and power he gained as a religious leader to sexually exploit and abuse young women. He instilled a culture of fear to subjugate and control NOS members into submission and to do his bidding.

“Brain discouraged members of the Nine O Clock service (NOS) from having any contact with family or friends outside of the NOS community to isolate members them and make them susceptible to his control.

“Brain set up a home base team in which he required female members of NOS to assist his household. This assistance included attending upon him in his bedroom before he went to sleep which is when many of the offences occurred. The victims were too scared of being excluded from the religious group to refuse. This became known as the ‘putting to bed ROTA’.

“Brain clearly engaged in controlling behaviour and is a narcissist who subjected his victims to awful and horrendous act of sexual violence. 

“We hope that these convictions help in some part to see justice delivered for the victims.

“We note that the jury could not reach a verdict on some counts, and we will carefully consider a retrial.”

The jury was unable to reach a verdict on four further counts of indecent assault and one count of rape. On 21 August 2025, the jury was discharged. 

Description

A man who committed 15 sexual offences against a child – including two counts of rape of a girl under 13 – has been jailed for 12 years and nine months.

Dennis Gartsen, of Hobhole Bank, New Leake, Boston, was sentenced at Lincoln Crown Court on Monday 18 August, for charges relating to his young victim.

The 42-year-old was also given an additional four-year period to be served on licence and is now the subject of a stringent sexual harm prevention order on his release.

Gartsen pleaded guilty to the following 15 charges:

• Two counts of rape of a girl under 13.
• Two counts of assault of a girl under 13 by penetration with a part of his body.
• Six counts of assault of a girl under 13 by touching.
• Possession of a prohibited image of a child.
• Three counts of making of an indecent photograph / pseudo-photograph of a child.
• Possession of extreme pornographic images / images portraying an act likely to result in serious injury to a person’s private parts.

A further two charges of rape of a girl under 13 were ordered to lie on file. 

An application for his deportation back to his native Netherlands has also been submitted – a process which is reviewed and undertaken by the Home Office. 

The court heard how Gartsen had handed himself in at Boston Police Station on 23 August 2023, advising officers that he had sexually assaulted a child. It was reported that he did so after being confronted by the adults to whom his victim had disclosed the acts, which are reported to have taken place on multiple occasions between December 2021 and August 2023.

A search of devices found at his home address revealed him to be in possession of multiple examples of disturbing pornographic material.

He pleaded guilty to 15 charges at a hearing held on 28 April, where he was remanded to prison to await sentencing.

Specialist officers worked sensitively and meticulously with Gartsen’s courageous young victim and family over the weeks, months, and years following the initial disclosure in August of 2023 to progress this case through the courts to secure today’s sentence. 

Detective Constable Sarah Oliver from the Protecting Vulnerable People unit in Boston, said:

Gartsen carried out deeply disturbing crimes on a particularly young victim. His actions are utterly inexcusable - the child he targeted for his own depraved gratification was so vulnerable.  The victim’s family have been completely devastated by his sickening actions, yet throughout this testing process, the child and her family have demonstrated remarkable courage and resilience.

We hope this ruling offers some measure of conclusion after what can only be described as a most horrific and unimaginable chapter of their lives. While nothing can erase the distress and unquestionable psychological impact, may this serve as a step toward healing.

Description

A serial burglar who plagued dozens of businesses has been jailed after breaching three suspended prison sentences with his latest spree.

Kevin Thoburn, 44, smashed windows and raided five "small independent" businesses in Monkseaton, North Tyneside, in June stealing hundreds of pounds including cash from a charity jar, Newcastle Crown Court heard.

At the time Thoburn, who had previously been jailed for eight years for sexually abusing a 12-year-old girl, was subject to suspended sentences for similar break-ins in Gateshead and Jarrow.

Homeless Thoburn, who had more than 150 offences on his criminal record, was jailed for three years four months after admitting multiple burglaries.

In the early hours of 2 June, Thoburn broke into two delis, a fish and chip shop, barber business and bakery in Monkseaton, prosecutor Antonia Adie said.

In total he stole about £1,700 in cash, including £58 from a tip jar and £40 from a charity box, as well as causing hundreds of pounds worth of damage, the court heard.

All of the businesses suffered further losses as they had to be closed for repairs and clean ups after Thoburn's "messy" searches, Ms Adie said.

The barber shop owner said the break-in had had a "significant emotional and financial impact" on the "small family-owned business", while the fish and chip shop manager said he was "left feeling really annoyed and angry".

'Failed to register'

Thoburn was subject to three suspended prison sentence orders at the time made by two magistrates' courts and the crown court, the prosecutor said.

Those related to burglaries of a beauty salon, butcher shop, pottery studio and three barber shops in a one-night spree in Gateshead in November in which he stole cash and items worth £2,250, the court heard.

He has also used a hammer to smash his way into Greggs at the Viking Centre in Jarrow and a cafe in South Shields a week later.

Thoburn also admitted multiple breaches of sex offender requirements because, as a homeless convicted child abuser, he had failed to register at a police station every seven days.

That order was made to last indefinitely in 2016 after he was jailed for six counts of engaging in sexual activity with a child, the court heard.

'Left misery in wake'

Judge Amanda Rippon said Thoburn had 70 burglaries on his record and a further 30 or so he had asked to take into consideration, which meant by her calculation he had been convicted of raiding at least 100 businesses.

She said he targeted "small independent" firms, many of whom operated on a "knife-edge" and needed "every penny" they earned.

"You left misery for the owners in your wake," the judge told Thoburn, adding the impact was "long-lasting and significant".

Judge Rippon said she accepted much of his offending stemmed from a drug addiction caused by "awful abuse" he was subjected to as a child.

However, she said he had to "come a point" when he acknowledged the damage caused in his past but made "a choice to no longer let that define who you are and what you do".

She said other judges and magistrates had tried to give him a chance with suspended sentences but he was not ready for the help they offered.

Description

A driver who targeted 10 teenage girls as they walked to school has been jailed. Adnan Khan had originally been accused of attempting to kidnap the schoolgirls as they headed back to classes following a Covid lockdown in 2021.

However those charges were dropped after he pleaded guilty to harassment and two charges of sexual communication with a child. Newcastle Crown Court heard he made sexual comments to some of the girls and left all of those he approached frightened.

Now Khan, 35, has been jailed for 15 months and was made subject to sex offender registration and a sexual harm prevention order for the next 20 years.

Michael Bunch, prosecuting, told the court: "The offences themselves date back to March 2021 and occurred over the course of half an hour that morning as the defendant targeted female pupils making their way to school in Newcastle."

The first pupil approached by the defendant was 18 years old at the time. It was her first day back after Covid-related closures and she decided to walk to school rather than her usual pattern of catching the bus. As she waited to cross a road, the defendant stopped his car alongside her and repeatedly asked her for her name.

Mr Bunch said: "She responded by pointing out that she was still in school. She moved around the corner to get away from the defendant, who responded by reversing back alongside her and again asking her name. By now, she was worried by the defendant’s behaviour.

"Despite her lack of engagement, the defendant said he would take her to school. When she told him no, he then drove off, leaving her really shaken.

"She contacted her mother by phone to tell her what had happened and later commented that she had been put off from walking to school in the future by the defendant’s conduct."

The next incident happened about half a mile away, where two 16-year-old girls were walking to school together, along with a third female pupil. Khan pulled alongside and was heard to shout, “Girl in the middle, come here, come here”. The three girls ignored him and carried on their way to school, reporting the incident when they arrived there.

The third incident occurred shortly afterwards. Three girls, aged 13,15 and 16, were making their way to school when the defendant pulled alongside. Mr Bunch said: "He shouted across to the two to ‘get in the car’, repeating this a number of times in an aggressive manner.

"When they ignored him and hurried towards school, the defendant drove off. All three girls contacted a parent immediately after the defendant left. All three were left feeling scared and uncomfortable by the defendant’s behaviour."

Around a mile from that incident, Khan came across two girls aged 16 as they headed to school. He pulled alongside and, again, shouted to get their attention.

Mr Bunch said: "Thinking he was needing directions, (one of the girls) moved towards the car, but the defendant then asked her how long she had had braces. Realising that the defendant was not seeking assistance, the two girls walked off, but the defendant continued to follow them in his car, repeatedly shouting towards them. In an attempt to deter him, (one of the girls) produced her phone and said that she was calling police, telling the defendant this three times.

"He was not dissuaded by this threat and continued to behave in the same way for a period before driving off. Both girls spoke to a parent immediately after the incident."

The last incident involved two girls aged 14 and 13 who were walking to school with some male pupils. Khan pulled alongside them in his car and spoke to the girls, referring to them as ‘gorgeous’ and ‘beautiful’.

Mr Bunch said: "At one point, (one of the girls) noticed him leaning out of his window, as though trying to reach out to them. When one of the boys approached and asked him to leave, the defendant responded by saying he was going to ‘s**g’ the mothers of all the boys.

"He turned his attentions back to the two girls, initially referring to them in similar terms to his initial approach, before changing tack and saying that he was going to ‘s**g’ them and make the two girls perform (a sex act) on the boys."

One of the girls suggested she was going to contact the police and Khan left the street. The police were contacted, with the registration plate of the Khan's car also being passed on. It was noted that the vehicle was linked to an address in Cumbria.

An image of the Khan was also available from a video clip recorded during the course of the last incident. The result was that the defendant was arrested the same day.

When interviewed, the defendant said he had spoken to some girls, but only because they had thrown a drink over his car. He denied that he had approached them, that he had invited any of them to get into his car, or that there had been any sexual content to his conversation. He suggested that the complaints were racially motivated.

One of the girls, who is now an adult, read a victim impact statement in court saying she was left worried after the offending and "no longer felt safe or comfortable while visiting the area". She added: "This made me worried about what his intentions may have been to me and my friend.

"We were school friends in school uniform who were clearly walking to school. I was worried to think what might have happened if anyone had got in the car. I believe men who target schoolgirls are dangerous and should be in prison."

Another girl said: "I was taken aback by the man's actions. I was surprised a stranger had stopped their car and spoken to me. Later, at school, I learned the same man had been stopping other girls as well."

She added that she was left worried about what might have happened if she had been on her own and got lifts to and from school in the days that followed. She said the incident made her aware "there are men out there who pose a danger to me".

Another girl said: "When the incident occurred I felt absolutely terrified. I was 14 and wearing a school uniform and it must have been obvious we were two girls walking to school.

"The fact he was calling me gorgeous and beautiful and would not go away made me afraid he wanted to get sexual enjoyment out of kids. The face he had a car and leaned out of the car made me additionally fearful of what might happen.

"There were boys there as well who were older than me and this didn't seem to deter him from targeting us. I felt a nervousness that I had not felt before. I had always felt safe After the incident I no longer wanted to walk to school.

"I became afraid of the idea there might be more men out there who might have similar bad intentions and I would not know who they were." She added that she believes men who make such remarks to passing schoolgirls "should be put in prison and should not be allowed near children."

Khan, 35 now and 30 at the time, of Bridge Street, Appleby, Cumbria, has 30 previous convictions, including for supplying drugs in 2010, fraud in 2016 and drink driving and threatening behaviour in 2020.

Recorder Mark Giuliani said Khan didn't live in the North East and "had no business being here" during what was a Covid lockdown. He added that he had taken a circuitous route to come across the children, who were heading to school for the first time after the lockdown.

Recorder Giuliani said: "You went out of your way to target children who were on their way to school."

Sue Hirst, defending, said it had taken four-and-a-half years for the authorities to "get round to bothering to charge him", with the delay causing him stress. Miss Hirst said the case had then been "significantly over-charged", adding: "These offences were never attempted kidnap. The height of it was he was inviting them to get in his car. He never got out of the car, he never touched them.

"It was a man behaving foolishly and inappropriately in a public place with lots of people around. He struggles to explain his behaviour. He knows he should not have made the comments to the girls.

"They were stupid and inappropriate but absolutely nothing was going to come of the comments and no one was at risk. He was making ill-advised compliments, if that's what they can be called, and asking if they wanted to go in his car.

"He asks me to convey tot he court and the girls that he is very sorry." Miss Hirst said Khan has since got married and he now has a baby.

Description

An ‘abhorrent’ man who took advantage of a families trust in him and sexually abused two children has been sentenced to three years and three months behind bars, handed an indefinite restraining order and sexual harm prevention order, and will be on the Sex Offenders Register for life following his appearance at Hull Crown Court today (Tuesday,19 August).

Stacie John Farrar, 47-years-old of Oakland View in Scunthorpe was found guilty of two counts of sexual assault of a child under 13 following a five-day trial concluding on Friday, 13 June at Grimsby Crown Court.

An investigation was launched after officers received reports that a child had disclosed Farrar had sexually abused them over a number of years. During initial lines of enquiry, another brave victim came forward to report similar offences they had been subjected to at the hands of Farrar.

Farrar was arrested and when interviewed, he denied all allegations put to him, insisting he was unsure why they would say that about him.

He was subsequently charged with five counts of sexual assault of a female child under 13, assault by penetration, and rape of a girl under 13.

Description

A mental health counsellor from Eltham who had a six-month online relationship with a 14-year-old girl has avoided prison.

Steve Hughes, 55, sent sexualised and grooming messages to the young girl after he sought her out on social media in November 2022.

In May 2023 he was confronted by paedophile hunters as he discovered he had spent the last six months messaging a decoy account.

On inspection of his phone it was then revealed that Hughes had also been messaging three other “girls” - all aged either 13 or 14 – who were also decoy accounts run by other paedophile hunter organisations.

Hughes, of Eltham Hill, claimed at trial that he knew all along that these were “scam” accounts and that he did not genuinely believe he was talking to teenage girls.

But a jury unanimously rejected his defence and convicted him of four charges of attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child.

On Monday, August 18, Hughes was sentenced to 18 months in custody suspended for 18 months.

He will be the subject of a 10-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order which will allow police to monitor his online activity.

Prior to his arrest Hughes was an experienced adult counsellor and psychotherapist working in Welling and later Eltham.

His website stated he successfully worked on issues relating to “sex and shame”.

Judge David Miller said:

“Between October 2022 and May 2023 you sought out teenage girls to form digital relationships with.

“You found four girls, you engaged in chat with them on various social media sites and you soon turned the conversations sexual – there is an element of grooming , particularly regarding on girl who you were in communication with for six months.”

He told Hughes that if these were actual children, rather than decoys, he would have received a considerably higher sentence and one which would not have been suspended.

“Having read the pre-sentence report and the character references, I’m suspending the sentence because I consider there’s a realistic chance of rehabilitation. I think you will comply with the order and won’t reoffend,” Judge Miller said.

Hughes was ordered to pay £4,380 to cover the four-day Woolwich Crown Court trial he elected to have.

Description

A woman who was sexually abused by a rapist whilst his partner filmed her ordeal in Sheerness has seen the pair jailed.

On 18 September 2020, Indre Bruziene and her partner Vasile Radacanu invited the victim to their address, where they consumed some alcoholic drinks.

The victim became intoxicated and Radacanu took the opportunity to rape her whilst she was unable to consent and was at one point unconscious.

Abuse filmed

Whilst this took place Bruziene filmed the abuse through a window and then from inside the house. It was apparent Radacanu was aware his actions were being filmed as he gestured to the camera several times.

The victim awoke on the following morning in her own bed at home with no memory of what had happened to her.

On 15 March 2021, she received a call from Bruziene who accused the woman of breaking up her family. Bruziene also sent footage of the rape incident and demanded £5,000 or it would be sent to the victim’s husband.

Arrested

The distressed victim refused to pay the money and informed her family before contacting the police. Radacanu, who is Romanian, and Bruziene, from Lithuania, were both arrested the following day.

Investigators seized their mobile phones and, following an investigation, Radacanu was charged with two rapes, attempted rape and two sexual assaults. Bruziene was charged with blackmail.

The pair pleaded not guilty at Maidstone Crown Court and, following a trial, were convicted of the indictments on 28 January 2025.

Jailed

On Thursday 14 August, Radacanu, 33, of Charlotte Street, Sittingbourne was sentenced to 12 years and six months’ imprisonment. Bruziene, 40, of Alma Road, Sheerness was jailed for three years and three months.

Detective Constable Hollie Brown said:

‘The criminal actions of Radacanu and Bruziene were unspeakably vile as they took advantage of a vulnerable victim who was not aware of what was happening to her.

‘As soon as the victim received the video of her abuse from Bruziene she showed great courage in disclosing her ordeal to her family and then contacting the police. Detectives then swiftly secured the offenders phones and they have now, quite rightly, been brought to justice.’

Description

A drunken passenger on a Jet2 flight from Manchester to Tenerife made lewd advances towards a woman sat next to him, asking her: "Are you going to f*** me then?"

Craig Lowe, 53, had consumed six small bottles of red wine during the four-and-a-half-hour flight on November 12, 2023. After some light-hearted 'banter', Lowe began making crude sexual remarks towards the woman, suggesting: "Would you come back to my hotel room so I can f*** you?" He then groped her inner thigh, according to what was heard in Manchester Crown Court.

Lowe, from Wigan, repeated his inappropriate question before the woman excused herself to use the toilet to escape his advances. Upon her return, she covered her lap with her hoodie.

However, Lowe proceeded to touch her thigh twice more, causing her to freeze before finally telling him to 'stop', which he eventually did.

Lowe also verbally assaulted another passenger who attempted to assist him after he dropped his phone, threatening him with: "I'm going to kill you... go on... I'll have you outside", as reported in court. His disruptive behaviour persisted even after they disembarked the plane and boarded the bus to the terminal, with the other passenger's wife pleading loudly: "Can someone get this man away from us."

In a personal victim statement read out in court by prosecutor Amy Weir, the woman expressed her distress, stating: "This journey was supposed to be a relaxing trip away with my family after ten sets of shifts. I am now anxious to travel and I'll never sit on my own again."

The woman said she was a nervous flier, and the incident made her feel worse.

She continued: "There was no CCTV on board which makes me more apprehensive about travelling - it means there is nowhere to go.

"I'm just grateful that this occurred towards the end of a four hour flight."

Jason Smith, defending, said his client was battling alcoholism at the time, which 'destroyed his life' and 'ended his marriage'.

"In a bid to reinvent himself and take a holiday, he continued drinking at the airport and acted in a completely disgraceful way," he said.

"He has no excuse."

Mr Smith said Lowe had since 'turned his life around' and given up alcohol, reports the Manchester Evening News. During sentencing, Judge Timothy Smith said: "She described that for the majority of the flight there was nothing untoward about your behaviour - you were 'fun'. That came to an end towards the end of the flight.

"This court sees too often examples of people who misbehave and drink to excess before going on a flight. Their behaviour, in a confined space, causes fear. They see people, such as yourself, in an intoxicated state, unable to control themselves.

"You say you are disgusted in yourself and your behaviour, and so you should be."

Judge Smith said that because the sentencing hearing was happening two years after the incident, and that Lowe had taken action to tackle his problems, he felt able to suspend a prison sentence. Lowe, from Lower Green Lane in Tyldesley, received a 28-week suspended sentence after admitting to boarding an aircraft while intoxicated and committing sexual assault.

He's been ordered to complete 150 hours of unpaid work and 20 days of rehabilitation activities.

He will also be required to register as a sex offender for the next seven years.

Description

A man who sexually abused and raped a woman then tried to claim she dreamt his attack has been jailed.

Justin Saliba, 50, of Llanishen, was jailed for 11 years at Cardiff Crown Court on Monday, August 18.

The offence dates back to 2021 and happened at his flat – Saliba had preyed on his victim while she was asleep.

The victim woke to find him raping her and fleed after the attack.

She told family who then contacted South Wales Police, and a South Wales Police investigation was launched.

Saliba was arrested and charged with rape and sexual abuse, but he pleaded not guilty, claiming the victim had confused a dream with reality.

But a jury saw through his lies he was found guilty and remanded in custody following a trial.

Saliba was jailed for 11 years and will serve a minimum of two thirds of that sentence before being released on license. He will also be a registered sex offender for the rest of his life.

Detective Constable Charlotte Watkins said:

“Justin Saliba’s actions that night did irreparable damage to his victim. He denied the offence and in doing so dragged his victim through the trauma of a trial and years of waiting for justice.

“He is a dangerous predator who is now serving many years behind bars where he is no longer a threat to others.

“I do hope his victim finds some comfort knowing that and is able to begin the difficult process of rebuilding her life.”

Description

A man has been jailed after being convicted of rape offences against three women in Wakefield District.  

Benjamin Baxter, aged 38, of no fixed abode, was found guilty following a trial at Leeds Crown Court of four counts of rape. He was also found guilty of one count of controlling and coercive behaviour.  

He appeared before Leeds Crown Court again today where he was sentenced to 20 years' imprisonment with an extended licence period of five years.

Detective Constable Hannah Banks, of Wakefield District Adult Safeguarding Unit, said:

“Baxter has demonstrated that he is a dangerous sexual predator who has committed offences against multiple victims.  

“Baxter will be a known face to some in the community as he was landlord of a pub in Wakefield. We hope the prison term that Baxter has been given provides some reassurance to his victims and the wider public.  

“These women have been subjected to the most awful ordeal. While they have shown courage in reporting these offences and bravery in supporting the criminal justice process, Baxter has shown what a contemptible man he is. Not once during this process has he accepted responsibility for the harm he has caused or shown any remorse.  

“I would urge anyone who has been the victim of sexual offences or domestic abuse offences to please report it. Don’t suffer alone. We can, and will, investigate offences and build cases to ensure that perpetrators of violence and sexual violence against women are made to face justice for their actions.”

Description

A registered sex offender who was caught destroying evidence during an unannounced visit by our specialist team has been jailed.

Officers from our Sex Offenders Management Unit (SOMU) visited Dominic O'Flanagan, 44, on 7th June 2022 to make sure he was abiding by his Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO).

The SHPO was put in place after he was convicted of a number of offences including those relating to child abuse material and SHPO breaches.

During the visit, O’Flanagan’s computer was checked and officers found a system running that was deleting files. His computer and two external hard drivers were subsequently seized.

Cleveland Police’s Digital Forensic Unit carried out an examination which led to prohibited images of children being found and evidence of the file deleting software being used.

He was arrested and charged with breaching his SHPO and possessing a prohibited image of a child and he was sentenced on Thursday 12th August to eight months in prison.

O’Flanagan was also made subject to a seven-year SHPO, meaning he will be managed by Cleveland's specially trained Management of Sexual or Violent Offenders Officers.

Investigating officer Detective Constable Barnes from the Paedophile Online Investigation Team (POLIT) said:

“O’Flanagan is a repeat offender who has failed to comply with his Registered Sex Offender Notification requirements and has breached his SHPO a number of times.

“He tried to hide his offending by deleting files from his computer but our officers were able to catch him in the act. I’m pleased that O’Flanagan was today given a custodial sentence so he is unable to continue his disgusting crimes.

“I’d like to thank everyone involved in bringing O’Flanagan to justice. We will continue to pursue those accessing such material and protect the vulnerable from harm.”

Description

A 44 year-old man has been jailed for 14 years after being found guilty of rape, intentional strangulation, assault and threatening a person with an offensive weapon in a private place, following a four-day trial at Portsmouth Crown Court.

Jacek Piotr Pupiec, of Newcombe Road in Portsmouth was sentenced at the same court on Friday 8 August, where he was also ordered to sign the sex offenders register for life.

Pupiec was charged following an investigation into the assault and rape of a woman aged in her 30s, who was known to him, at an address on Eastney Road in May 2023.

DC Ellie Light from Hampshire & Isle of Wight Constabularys specialist Operation Amberstone team said:

I am very happy to see Pupiec jailed for a considerable amount of time for his despicable crimes.

I hope that this sentence, as well as the indefinite restraining order Pupiec received, will bring the victim some form of closure and a sense of justice for what she has been through.

I would like to commend the victim for her bravery and thank her for her support throughout the investigation and court process.

Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary take all allegations of rape and sexual assault extremely seriously and have specially trained teams that can investigate these kinds of offences and provide support to victims.

We will not tolerate violence against women and girls in our communities, and it is our promise to anyone who comes forward to report that you will be believed and have the allegations taken extremely seriously.