Latest Offenders

Description

A man sent "vile and explicit" messages to someone he thought was a 12-year-old girl he had met online. Jonathan Strain told the child he was looking "for horny girls who want video call fun" and said he wanted to "trade" nude photographs. He also told what he thought was a schoolgirl not to tell her friends about what was going on as it was their secret.

Swansea Crown Court heard the 37-year-old was actually engaging in sexual conversations with an adult who was volunteering as part of an online so-called paedophile hunter group. Sending the defendant to prison a judge told him he had an "unhealthy and deviant interest in pre-teenage girls".

James Hartson, prosecuting, told the court that in October 2021 Strain made contact with a profile on the Wink app purporting to be that of 12-year-old girl living in the Manchester area. After chatting with what he believed to a girl Strain asked for her mobile number and the exchanges moved to WhatsApp. The prosecutor said in reality Strain was communicating with a decoy account being operated by "in effect vigilantes" with an online group.

The court heard that over the following months the defendant engaged in sexually explicit conversations with the profile, encouraged her to perform sex acts on herself, and sent her videos of himself masturbating. He also called the girl "beautiful" and "gorgeous", said he loved her, and offered to be her first boyfriend saying they could do "boyfriend and girlfriend stuff" together. Strain also said he was looking "for horny girls who want video call fun" and offered to buy the child a mobile phone with a camera, and said he wanted to "trade" nude photographs. He told the girl she could trust him "100%". The court heard that during one conversation the defendant asked the girl if she had school the next day and told her not to tell any of her friends about what was going on as it was their "secret". 

The conversations lasted for around four months before the group operating the decoy passed the information to a paedophile hunter group in Wales and in March 2022 members of the local group went to the defendant’s address. Strain wasn’t at home but his details were passed to the police and later that evening he was arrested. The court heard that in his subsequent interview the defendant said he had lost his mobile phone before the conversations with the decoy took place.

Jonathan Strain, of Treherbert Street, Cwmann, Lampeter, Carmarthenshire, had previously pleaded guilty to attempting to cause a child under 13 to engage in sexual activity and attempting to cause a child to watch a sexual act when he appeared in the dock for sentencing. He has no previous convictions. Ian Ibrahim, for Strain, described the defendant as "shy" and "introverted" and as someone who doesn't talk to anyone.

Judge Huw Rees said Strain had engaged in "vile and explicit conversations", and he told the defendant he had an "unhealthy and deviant interest in pre-teenage girls". With a 20% discount for this guilty pleas Strain was sentenced to four years and seven months in prison. He will serve up to half that period in custody before being released on licence to serve the remainder in the community. Strain will be a registered sex offender for the rest of his life.

Description

A British Transport Police (BTP) investigation has seen a man jailed for nine months after being found guilty masturbating on board a train in front of a lone woman.  

Mukesh Shah, 43, of Primrose Way, Wembley, was sentenced to nine months in prison for indecent exposure at London Inner Crown Court on 18 December 2023. He was also ordered to sign the sex offenders register for 10 years and subjected to a 10 year Sexual Harm Prevention Order. 

The court heard how, on 4 November 2022 at around 11.40pm, the victim was travelling alone in an empty Piccadilly Line carriage between Sudbury Town and Acton Town when Shah boarded the train.  

Despite the empty carriage, Shah sat diagonally opposite the victim and she noticed him staring at her, making her feel uncomfortable. It was then that she noticed he was exposing himself and masturbating.  

Bravely, the victim captured Shah on camera hoping it would deter him, when he didn’t, she confronted him and told him to stop and move away from her. He protested he hadn’t done anything wrong but moved along the carriage.  

The victim reported the incident to BTP along with the video, which was circulated within the police and lead to the identification of Shah.  

Investigating officer Detective Constable Mark Luker said: “This was a frightening and upsetting experience for the victim and I commend her bravery in confronting the offender, managing to capture an image of Shah and reporting this.  

“Shah’s disgusting actions have not only secured him time behind bars, but restrictions following his release to prevent him from repeating his actions in the future. 

Description

Undercover police trapped a pervert who was looking for "friends with benefits" when he started having explicit X-rated online conversations with a decoy 12-year-old girl.

Michal Warchol could not stop thinking about the girl and he bombarded her with messages calling her "babe", "beautiful" and "hot" in a bid to lure her into having sex with him, Hull Crown Court heard.

Warchol, 26, of the Orchard Park estate, Hull, admitted attempting to communicate sexually with a child and attempting to cause a child under 13 to engage in sexual activity.

Richard Butters, prosecuting, said that undercover police set up a online profile in the name of a 12-year-old girl supposedly living in Hull. On January 6, 2022, Warchol made contact with the non-existent girl.

"He introduced himself as a 24-year-old from the Orchard Park area," said Mr Butters. Warchol said that he was looking for "friends with benefits" and he gave her his mobile phone number.

Online conversations took place between January 6 and February 7, 2022. "It was lengthy and sexual," said Mr Butters. On January 17, 2022, Warchol told the fake girl that he could not stop thinking about her and wanted to talk to her.

"The defendant kept engaging in conversations where he called her 'sexy' and used the words 'babe', 'beautiful' and 'hot'," said Mr Butters. "He used those words throughout the month to January 26." Warchol told the decoy girl: "We'll take you somewhere nice and hoping to get lucky on the end."

He later confirmed to her that he meant that they would go out for drinks and, if she wanted, he would have sex with her. He sent intimate selfie pictures of himself with explicit captions.

Warchol, who is Polish, had convictions for 13 previous offences but nothing for similar matters. The most recent was in 2020.

Michele Stuart-Lofthouse, mitigating, said that Warchol acted out of character. "He is remorseful and apologises for his offending," said Miss Stuart-Lofthouse.

"At the time, he was living rather a chaotic lifestyle." He was now seeking further work.

Judge Tahir Khan KC told Warchol: "Your lack of relevant convictions and early guilty plea enable me to punish you in the community. Even if I sent you to prison, you would be coming out at some point.

"My ultimate job is the protection of the public." Judge Khan said that he believed that this would best be achieved by rehabilitation work on Warchol.

"If you are in breach of the order and it's a substantial breach, not just a technical breach, I would expect to impose, whatever judge deals with you, an 18-month sentence," said Judge Khan.

Warchol was given 200 hours' unpaid work, a 43-day sex offender treatment programme and 15 days' rehabilitation. He was given a five-year sexual harm prevention order and must register as a sex offender for five years.

"Breach that and you will be in serious trouble," said Judge Khan. "If you breach that, you know what happens. You go to prison." He added: "You can go. Don't come back."

Description

A man who 'claimed to be shy and private' secretly filmed himself having sex with a woman at his home.

Alistair Chase used a hidden camera to film the intimate encounter in his lounge at his home in Hartford, near Northwich in Cheshire. The devastated victim only found out after spotting the footage of the pair having sex on his phone, Chester Magistrates' Court heard.

She said was left feeling 'so violated' as she condemned his 'selfish sense of entitlement'. Chase, who works as a director for his parents' property management company, claimed he had 'difficulties' establishing relationships with women and said he recorded the intimate moments for himself.

The 43-year-old was ordered to pay £500 in damages at court and was handed a community order. In a statement, the victim said she had to take months off work following the ordeal and was left feeling like she 'wanted to die'.

She said she has been left struggling to sleep and now 'doesn't feel safe in her own home'. The victim said: "He told me he was a shy and private person who was fortunate to have a privileged lifestyle due to his parents.

"He does not have a mortgage himself and clearly has a selfish sense of entitlement. This has been incredibly traumatic and has been the worst experience of my life.

"Finding out that Alistair had taken an intimate video of us without my consent left me feeling so violated. It was traumatic to be watching those intimate private moments.

"My whole world just fell apart and I did not trust my own judgement anymore after this abuse of trust. I felt completely manipulated by him.

"I did not feel even safe in my own home and I have installed a new alarm and camera. I was stressed about my job and I did not feel the same person anymore.

"I just lost myself. Myself and my confidence has gone. My mental health is very bad due to anxiety. I receive weekly calls from my GP.

"I feel so powerless and humiliated. I had a breakdown and completely withdrew. I did not leave my bed for a month. I wanted to die.

"I had to take antidepressants as I was feeling suicidal. I took four months off work from a job that I love.

''I lost so much self-esteem and on my return to work, I was anxious and had lost confidence and did not want to be around people.

"It was problematic having to travel. I would not be comfortable to stay in hotels rooms feeling that I would be recorded again.

"Prior to this I had a great career path, great relationships, and no mental health issues. He's taken so much away from me.

"I have been told I will need to take medication for a few years to keep things as normal as possible. My life has become very small.

"I continue to pay for trauma and therapy sessions and will need to continue with them for some time to come. I feel ashamed for allowing this manipulative man into my lives.

"I'm told the hidden camera was in situ at the time of his arrest. This has been the most difficult and harrowing experience for me."

Lucy McGowan, prosecuting, said: "The complainant contacted police to report that the defendant had filmed her without her consent having sexual intercourse with him. The two videos were of them engaging in oral and penetrative sex in the living room at his home and the complainant handed the mobile phone to the police."

In police interview, Chase gave no comment other than provide a pre-prepared statement. This read: 'I accept I filmed myself and (the victim) engaging in sexual activity without her consent.

'They were kept solely for my own enjoyment. I regret doing this and I apologise for doing so.'

In mitigation, Chase's lawyer Martha Whitehead said: "He is someone who has had difficulties during his 20s and 30s in establishing healthy relationships with others. He said this was a way of recording intimate moments for himself and there is no suggestion of any distribution.

"He accepted his actions and apologised. He wishes to make it clear that he apologises again to the victim.

"He has no wish or no intention to contact her and he understands that a restraining order will be made by the court. He wishes to apologise in public to her for his actions which he can now see have deeply affected her.

"He does not wish to excuse or avoid responsibility for his actions. We accept that the impact on this complainant is significant but you must also look in detail at the background of this defendant."

Chase, of Grosvenor Avenue, Hartford, pleaded guilty to one charge of voyeurism. He was sentenced to a 12-month community order including 250 hours of unpaid work and 20 rehabilitation days.

He was ordered to pay £500 in damages and to sign the sex offenders' register for five years. A two-year restraining order was also imposed and Chase's mobile phone and two laptops were confiscated.

Description

Colin Mark Hollands, aged 60, from Aylesbury, was sentenced to 24 years’ imprisonment at Aylesbury Crown Court today (22/12).

On 29 August, Hollands pleaded guilty to seven counts of adult sexual activity with a female child, four counts of assault of a child by penetration, three counts of rape, two counts of rape of a child, two counts of inciting a child to engage in sexual activity. He also pleaded guilty to one count each of; indecent assault, sexual assault, causing a child to watch a sexual act and causing or inciting a child under 13 to engage in sexual activity.

Hollands was arrested for the offences on 8 June 2023 and charged on 14 June 2023.

The offending occurred over a number of years in Aylesbury.

Investigating officer Detective Constable Collette Parker said: “This sentence brings justice to the victims and appropriately punishes Hollands for his reprehensible behaviour over a number of years.

“The horrific control, manipulation and abuse perpetrated by Hollands has had a significant impact on the victim’s lives.

“I would like to thank the victims in this case who have shown great courage, determination and dignity in their support for the investigation.

“We would not be where we are today without them taking that step forward and providing the vital evidence needed to prosecute Hollands. With their strikingly similar compelling accounts, a strong case was built against Hollands and he had to admit what he had done. 

Description

A "sadistic" paedophile forced children to perform degrading sexual acts on camera and threatened to distribute the images if they did not send more.

One of his victims was left crying in pain while begging the pervert to stop.

Alexander Tindal, 31, of Bridgend, sexually abused more than 30 children online over a period of two-and-a-half years, and continued to exploit girls after he was first arrested. The "isolated" defendant pretended to be a teenage boy and approached his victims on Snapchat before asking them for intimate photos of themselves.

A sentencing hearing at Newport Crown Court on Thursday heard Tindal forced one girl to send a photo of her little sister's genitalia to him, after threatening to disclose sexual images of her to friends, family and her school. When he was arrested by police, he was found with more than 23,000 indecent images of children, aged between 10 and 15-years-old.

Having been detained by police at his home in 2022, three devices were seized from the defendant as well as a mobile, a hard drive, and a desktop computer. During the examination of the devices, a thousands of indecent images were discovered and Tindal was found to have communicated with children and coerced them into performing sexual acts.

He was further arrested in September 2022, having been found to breach his bail conditions, after setting up further Snapchat accounts which he used to speak to child victims. After victims had been identified, they were visited by police and asked to provide a statement about their interactions with Tindal, who was found to have access to 19 Snapchat accounts under various names.

The first victim was 14-years-old when she was forced to perform sex acts.. She had sent the defendant close to 400 images, 45 of which were category A. The victim was first contacted by Tindal who claimed he was a 17-year-old boy, and encouraged her to send sexual images of herself. He became increasingly aggressive and threatened to distribute a video of a girl who looked like her to her, and would tell people it was her. When asked by the victim why he was doing this, he told her it was to "teach her a lesson".

In one message, she could be seen naked and crying in pain. She messaged Tindal saying "You're making me feel sick to my stomach. I so want to stop this, please I can't do this anymore". The defendant told her to carry on and she responded: "It hurts so f****** bad, I can't do this, please stop, I am f****** begging you." The abuse only came to a stop after the defendant was arrested.

The second victim was 13-years-old at the time of the abuse. Tindal was found with 100 category A images of the victim. When he became aware the victim had a six-year-old sister, he demanded pictures of her genitalia and threatened to "ruin her" if she did not. She subsequently sent the images.

In messages sent by Tindal to the victim, he said: "I am going to add your mother's number, I swear to f****** God, last chance you piece of s**, lie back and f*** yourself properly."

A further 19 victims were identified, with more who were unable to be identified. He used the images he had obtained to demand more extreme ones, or he would distribute the pictures, in some cases sending them to friends of victims.

A mother of one of the victims described her daughter as becoming "aggressive and angry". Another mother walked in on her daughter while she was performing a sexual act, and confronted Tindal but he taunted her and said the police would be unable to catch him.

The youngest victim was just 10-year-old. Another victim lived in Germany and explained to Tindal she had health issues, but he did not relent.

Tindal, of Hazel Tree Way, Brackla, later pleaded guilty to 24 counts of causing a child to engage in sexual activity, nine counts of causing a child under 13 to engage in sexual activity, 10 counts of threatening to disclose a private sexual photograph of film with intent to cause distress, six counts of possessing indecent images, two counts of possessing prohibited image, and two counts of possessing extreme pornographic images. The court heard he was of previous good character.

Defence barrister Adam Sharp said his client's best mitigation was his guilty plea, and was realistic the defendant would be receiving a "significant" term of imprisonment. He described Tindal as "socially isolated" and had been diagnosed with depression, and was previously hospitalised with a collapsed lung, which caused chest pain and shortness of breath. In 2021, he was hospitalised after taking an overdose of painkillers.

Sentencing, Judge Daniel Williams described the nature and scale of the defendant's offending as "truly horrifying", and his treatment of his victims as "pitiless". He added: "The control you extorted over the girls thrilled you as much as the sexual gratification you obtained."

A probation report deemed Tindal to be a "very high" risk of harm to children. Judge Williams added: "You sadistically committed time to degrade so many girls and continued that abuse while on bail, unperturbed by your arrest , is the clearest demonstration of the risk you pose.

Tindal was sentenced to a total of 11 years imprisonment, with an extended licence period of four years. He will serve two thirds of the custodial sentence before he can be considered for parole. The defendant was also made subject to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order and sex offender notification requirements indefinitely.

Following the hearing, detective constable Martin Charles of South Wales Police said: “This is one of the largest cases our team has worked on, and the strength of evidence gathered gave Tindal no other option but to plead guilty.

"I am thankful for the other police forces across the UK and abroad who supported the investigation as well as our Digital Forensic Unit in identifying victims ensuring we can safeguard them from further harm. Most of all, I am grateful for the bravery shown by Tindal’s victims across the UK for talking to the Police and helping to put him where he belongs beyond harm’s way.

“Alex Tindal’s crimes are of the most sinister and predatory offences seen as most of the victims’ families were completely unaware of the abuse being perpetrated. The online world is an integral part of a child’s life but is often hidden from close family and those who would intervene to help a child if they fell victim to this particular type of crime."

Description

Now known as Damien Gibbons

An East Sussex man has been convicted of attempted sexual communication with a child online.

Following a three-day trial from Monday 18 December at Guildford Crown Court, Damien Gibbons, formerly known as Damien Cotgreave, 48, of High Street, Hailsham, was found guilty of attempted online sexual communication with a child.

At the time of his arrest in February 2020 for this offence, he was a Sussex Police officer.

He was later charged with the offence in the name of Cotgreave in April 2021.
He was given a one-year suspended prison sentence and a five-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) which severely restricts his access to children and computers.

The prosecution, authorised by the Crown Prosecution Service, followed an investigation by the Paedophile Online Investigation Team (POLIT) of Sussex Police which began when information was received from a member of the public in February 2020.

POLIT crime investigator Michelle Shepherd said: "Cotgreave thought he was talking to a 13-year old girl, and engaged in very explicit sexual conversation, but he was in fact talking to an adult member of the public who reported their concerns to the police, and we immediately took action to arrest him and ensure no actual child could come to harm.

"We will always take action on such reports and anyone who has suspicions about this type of activity should contact the police immediately.

At the time of his arrest in February 2020, Cotgreave was a Detective Constable in Sussex Police but was suspended when he was arrested. At a separate public misconduct hearing in January 2021, he was found to have committed multiple breaches of professional standards, on evidence separate to this current prosecution, and he would have been dismissed from the force had he not already resigned.

As a result of this finding, he has been placed on the College of Policing Barred and Advisory list which will prevent his re-entry into law enforcement. The internal disciplinary investigation culminating in the misconduct hearing, resulted from information that came to light during this criminal investigation by POLIT.

Description

A tattooist who paid a teenage girl for sex in his tattoo parlour has been jailed. He gave her a tattoo in exchange for sexual favours and later told police he was "killing two birds with one stone".

Adrian Edwards, 57, of Newport, was found guilty of two counts of paying a child for sex, and not guilty of one count. He claimed there was no monetary agreement between him and the then 16-year-old victim, and she was 18-years-old when they first slept together.

But this was disbelieved by a jury following a trial at Newport Crown Court in September, which heard Edwards had intercourse and oral sex with the girl on a number of occasions. Their first sexual encounter took place at the defendant's tattoo parlour in Caerphilly, after the victim "pestered" him for a tattoo and told him "I'll do anything".

During his remarks at a sentencing hearing on Thursday, Recorder Dyfed Thomas said: ""You took advantage of that child Mr Edwards, as she was a child at the ages of 16 and 17 for your own sexual gratification. You promised payment of money and had sexual activity with her which was alleged and found guilty by a jury. You knew as an older man with money she would go along with what you suggested."

In his opening of the case to the jury, prosecutor James Wilson described the encounter as a "cold transaction". He added: "(The defendant) took her into the piercing room, locked the doors, and started to touch her. He bent her over the piercing bed and put his penis inside her. Afterwards he laughed and asked her what tattoo she wanted."

The court was told Edwards paid the victim for sex regularly, and she used the cash to buy alcohol and hair extensions amongst other things. They continued to meet with each other after the defendant began working at one of the tattoo parlours he opened in Cardiff.

Mr Wilson said Edwards continued paying the complainant for sex after she turned 18-years-old, but the jury were only concerned with the events prior to her 18th birthday. The victim contacted the police in 2019 and was interviewed about her allegations towards the defendant.

Edwards, of Caerleon Road, Newport, was invited to a voluntary interview with police which he attended. He claimed the girl asked him for money on a number of occasions before they had sex, and he had given £100. He told police: "She was all over me, she would come up, stroke me and kiss me, all kinds of things. I thought 'She obviously wants more money'.

The defendant described their relationship as "completely clinical". He described himself having a "high sex drive" and admitted to using prostitutes in the past. It was alleged he told police that sex between himself and the complainant was "consensual" and he paid her some of the time, and added: "No words were exchanged, it was an understanding.

Later in the interview, he told police he was "disgusted with himself" but didn't see what he was doing was wrong as "it was like a prostitute". He added: "It was killing two birds with one stone, passion and helping her out with money."

Edwards has a number of previous convictions including theft by an employee in 1984, tattooing a person under 18 in 2016, and other offences including matters of dishonesty, driving offences, theft and handling stolen goods.

In mitigation, defence barrister Julia Cox referred to her client's character and the work he had done with sporting bodies. She said: "He'd been involved with charitable organisations and involved with reputable sporting bodies not only towards his socialisation but his positive impact on others. He travelled the country taking part in darts tournaments and organised events on their behalf working closely with the national bodies."

Ms Cox also referred to the defendant's ill health, having suffered a stroke at a young age and has diabetes. She said the victim would have been able to legally consent to sex as she was not under the age of consent.

Sentencing, Recorder Thomas said the defendant continued to deny the offences, and minimised his actions by claiming the victim was over 18 at the time of the offences. It was said Edwards did not accept his actions would have caused harm, and referred tothe victim as a "liar and untrustworthy".

The judge added: "It's clear from reading the (pre sentence) report you think of yourself as the victim in this case. There's no remorse that has been expressed that would have been a mitigating feature but it's singularly absent in this case....

Edwards was sentenced to 28 months imprisonment. He was also made subject to a restraining order for 10 years.

Description

A "sadistic" paedophile forced children to perform degrading sexual acts on camera and threatened to distribute the images if they did not send more. One of his victims was left crying in pain while begging the pervert to stop.

Alexander Tindal, 31, of Bridgend, sexually abused more than 30 children online over a period of two-and-a-half years, and continued to exploit girls after he was first arrested. The "isolated" defendant pretended to be a teenage boy and approached his victims on Snapchat before asking them for intimate photos of themselves.

A sentencing hearing at Newport Crown Court on Thursday heard Tindal forced one girl to send a photo of her little sister's genitalia to him, after threatening to disclose sexual images of her to friends, family and her school. When he was arrested by police, he was found with more than 23,000 indecent images of children, aged between 10 and 15-years-old.

Having been detained by police at his home in 2022, three devices were seized from the defendant as well as a mobile, a hard drive, and a desktop computer. During the examination of the devices, a thousands of indecent images were discovered and Tindal was found to have communicated with children and coerced them into performing sexual acts.

He was further arrested in September 2022, having been found to breach his bail conditions, after setting up further Snapchat accounts which he used to speak to child victims. After victims had been identified, they were visited by police and asked to provide a statement about their interactions with Tindal, who was found to have access to 19 Snapchat accounts under various names.

The first victim was 14-years-old when she was forced to perform sex acts.. She had sent the defendant close to 400 images, 45 of which were category A. The victim was first contacted by Tindal who claimed he was a 17-year-old boy, and encouraged her to send sexual images of herself. He became increasingly aggressive and threatened to distribute a video of a girl who looked like her to her, and would tell people it was her. When asked by the victim why he was doing this, he told her it was to "teach her a lesson".

In one message, she could be seen naked and crying in pain. She messaged Tindal saying "You're making me feel sick to my stomach. I so want to stop this, please I can't do this anymore". The defendant told her to carry on and she responded: "It hurts so f****** bad, I can't do this, please stop, I am f****** begging you." The abuse only came to a stop after the defendant was arrested.

The second victim was 13-years-old at the time of the abuse. Tindal was found with 100 category A images of the victim. When he became aware the victim had a six-year-old sister, he demanded pictures of her genitalia and threatened to "ruin her" if she did not. She subsequently sent the images.

In messages sent by Tindal to the victim, he said: "I am going to add your mother's number, I swear to f****** God, last chance you piece of s**, lie back and f*** yourself properly."

A further 19 victims were identified, with more who were unable to be identified. He used the images he had obtained to demand more extreme ones, or he would distribute the pictures, in some cases sending them to friends of victims.

A mother of one of the victims described her daughter as becoming "aggressive and angry". Another mother walked in on her daughter while she was performing a sexual act, and confronted Tindal but he taunted her and said the police would be unable to catch him.

The youngest victim was just 10-year-old. Another victim lived in Germany and explained to Tindal she had health issues, but he did not relent.

Tindal, of Hazel Tree Way, Brackla, later pleaded guilty to 24 counts of causing a child to engage in sexual activity, nine counts of causing a child under 13 to engage in sexual activity, 10 counts of threatening to disclose a private sexual photograph of film with intent to cause distress, six counts of possessing indecent images, two counts of possessing prohibited image, and two counts of possessing extreme pornographic images. The court heard he was of previous good character.

Defence barrister Adam Sharp said his client's best mitigation was his guilty plea, and was realistic the defendant would be receiving a "significant" term of imprisonment. He described Tindal as "socially isolated" and had been diagnosed with depression, and was previously hospitalised with a collapsed lung, which caused chest pain and shortness of breath. In 2021, he was hospitalised after taking an overdose of painkillers.

Sentencing, Judge Daniel Williams described the nature and scale of the defendant's offending as "truly horrifying", and his treatment of his victims as "pitiless". He added: "The control you extorted over the girls thrilled you as much as the sexual gratification you obtained."

A probation report deemed Tindal to be a "very high" risk of harm to children. Judge Williams added: "You sadistically committed time to degrade so many girls and continued that abuse while on bail, unperturbed by your arrest , is the clearest demonstration of the risk you pose.

Tindal was sentenced to a total of 11 years imprisonment, with an extended licence period of four years. He will serve two thirds of the custodial sentence before he can be considered for parole. The defendant was also made subject to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order and sex offender notification requirements indefinitely.

Following the hearing, detective constable Martin Charles of South Wales Police said: “This is one of the largest cases our team has worked on, and the strength of evidence gathered gave Tindal no other option but to plead guilty.

"I am thankful for the other police forces across the UK and abroad who supported the investigation as well as our Digital Forensic Unit in identifying victims ensuring we can safeguard them from further harm. Most of all, I am grateful for the bravery shown by Tindal’s victims across the UK for talking to the Police and helping to put him where he belongs beyond harm’s way.

“Alex Tindal’s crimes are of the most sinister and predatory offences seen as most of the victims’ families were completely unaware of the abuse being perpetrated. The online world is an integral part of a child’s life but is often hidden from close family and those who would intervene to help a child if they fell victim to this particular type of crime."

Description

A doctor who watched a five-year-old girl drugged and raped was spared jail. James Burrow was initially 'perplexed' when his 10-year-old son opened the door to police executing a search warrant on their 1.25million semi-detached home in gated Sayers Court, Ealing, on November 15 2022, Isleworth Crown Court heard on Thursday (December 21).

The 46-year-old consultant anaesthetist at Charing Cross Hospital in Hammersmith alerted detectives to his IP address after downloading illegal child abuse images. When police seized his devices, including a computer tower from under his desk in the study of his West London newbuild, they discovered the illegal content.

The stash included 20 Category A images, the worst kind, 10 Category B, 112 Category C, 97 prohibited images, and 1,781 extreme porn images, which were mostly of humans having sex with horses, court documents show.

Prosecutor Phillip Allman said: "In particular in one video the child is approximately five-years-old and appeared to be drugged, struggling to keep her eyes open and sit up, before she is anally raped."

When Dr Burrow was arrested, he made no comment in his interview but later pleaded guilty to all the charges at Uxbridge Magistrates' Court on October 1 this year. A social services investigation issued no further action, but the dad-of-one has been only allowed supervised contact with his son to date, Mr Allman told the court.

Defence barrister Jose Olivares-Chandler said: "After this case he was allowed to continue working. As long as he did not care for children... but he chose to resign anyway to save embarrassment for his hospital."

The GMC has said this is not the case. As is normal procedure after any criminal case, the GMC referred the doctor to an Interim Orders Tribunal in 2022 due to the seriousness of the allegations against him. He was put on an interim suspension during the investigation. Now that he has been found guilty, the case has been referred to an independent Medical Practitioners Tribunal. It is at this point that the doctor would have likely been sacked, had he not quit already.

In mitigation, Mr Olivares-Chandler explained his client's struggling 11-year marriage had driven him to access the 'porn', but his wife was now supporting him. He said the offence was 'out of character' for Burrow, and that it will 'stay with him for the rest of his life'.

A suited Burrow smiled as judge Richard Inyundo sentenced him to 40 weeks for the Cat A images, and 20 weeks, 11 weeks, 11 weeks, and 28 weeks, all concurrent, for the remaining charges of Cat B, Cat C, prohibited images, and extreme pornography respectively, suspended for 18 months.

Judge Inyundo warned: "If you commit any criminal offence within the next 18 months for which you are convicted you also stand to go to prison for 40 weeks for this order itself."

Burrow, who left court peering over a surgical mask, was also handed a 10 year sexual harm prevention order and is subject to notification requirements for the same period. He was also ordered to complete 40 days of rehabilitation activity requirement and do 125 hours of unpaid work. He must pay 330 in costs in 28 days.

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A serial sex offender has today (Thursday 21 December 2023) been sentenced to 13 years’ imprisonment at York Crown Court for twice subjecting a young girl to indecent assault in Northallerton during the 1990s.

John William Marshall (pictured below), 68, of Fairfax Avenue, Harrogate, was sentenced after being found guilty at a trial held in August.

He has also been made subject to an indefinite Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO).

The bravery of the victim has ensured that Marshall faced justice for his crimes, despite the number of years that have passed.

The victim made contact with North Yorkshire Police in 2019 following publicity surrounding the conviction of Marshall for possession of more than 24,000 indecent images of children, for which he served a custodial sentence and made subject to a SHPO which was due to expire.

Marshall had previously been described publicly by a judge as a “dangerous paedophile”.

The court heard that Marshall had befriended the victim’s family, offering help with their newly acquired computer.

He was subsequently trusted to look after the girl when her parents went shopping.

It was during these times that Marshall sexually assaulted her.

The victim’s parents reported it to police and social services at the time, but no further criminal action was taken due to a series of complications.

Now an adult, the victim’s life had been overshadowed by the thought that she was not believed.

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A man has been jailed for 14 years for committing multiple sex offences against a child.

Jon Paul Dorling, 49, of Bishops Road, Gaywood, King's Lynn, appeared at Norwich Crown Court.

The court heard that between January 2017 and August 2019, Dorling engaged in sexual intercourse with a vulnerable child who had been in secure care due to being at risk of criminal sexual exploitation.

Dorling connected with the teenage victim on social media after befriending one of her relatives and started messaging her despite knowing her age.

Dorling told the victim that he loved her while also belittling and controlling her and she said she would lie to people around her to protect him.

Dorling was arrested in August 2020 and questioned at Kings Lynn Police Investigation Centre after the victim disclosed what had happened.

The victim said the incidents happened in the suspect's house and bedroom and was able to describe the layout and duvet cover on his bed.

Messages and social media searches were also used as evidence.

The victim's court statement said Dorling had damaged her relationships with her family, isolated her at school, changed the way she viewed relationships with men and friends into adulthood and still caused her depression and flashbacks.

Dorling was sentenced for seven counts of sexual activity with a child and one count of sexual touching after pleading not guilty at an earlier hearing.

He was also given a Sexual Harm Prevention Order for 10 years.

The victim said: With guilty verdicts at the end of this trial, I finally feel like my voice has been heard and I hope the sentence given reflects the enormity of Jons offending against me.

Det Sgt Matt Hendry said: This sentence goes some way to reflect the gravity of offending committed by Dorling and the effect that it has had on the victim.

"I would like to take the opportunity to praise the victim for her bravery in giving evidence and describing exactly what has happened to her at such a young age.

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A Calne man was caught with a huge collection of child and animal abuse images.

Luke Frewin denied four sex offences but on 3 December, just a few days before his trial at Swindon Crown Court, he changed his pleas to guilty.

The 27-year-old father admitted possessing 750 indecent images of children, including 239 described as being in category A – involving penetration.

He also admitted possessing 57 extreme images involving sexual activity with animals.

On 14 December, at the same court, Frewin was sentenced to 15-month prison sentence suspended for two years and was told to complete 60 rehabilitation days.

The defendant, of Ebor Paddock, Calne, was also ordered to register as a sex offender for ten years. A Sexual Harm Prevention Order was imposed to run alongside it.

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A man who pleaded guilty to filming a teenager undressing in a changing room has been spared jail.

Liam Warlow, 27, had attempted to record footage of the school girl with his phone under the divider of a cubicle in the unisex changing area of LC Swansea waterpark, south Wales, when she spotted the phone and kicked it from his hand, a court heard.

“Most people would expect me to send you to prison,” Judge Geraint Walters told him after he pleaded guilty to observing a private act for sexual gratification.

Warlow was given a six-month sentence suspended for two years on Dec 20. Judge Walters also ordered him to undertake a 43-day programme to address his issues around filming in public for sexual excitement and to attend 45 days of “general rehabilitation”.

CCTV footage shows Warlow loitering in the doorway of a cubicle in the changing rooms before the incident. He had finished getting dressed when he spotted the girl and then entered the cubicle next to her.

Warlow is then seen running out of the leisure centre after being discovered attempting to film the girl undressing.

He told police he had dropped his phone which had “managed to start recording by itself”, Swansea Crown Court heard.

Despite this Judge Walters said it was “perfectly obvious” what Warlow was doing.

He said: “Having set eyes upon her, you quite purposefully, and with a fair degree of determination, hung about in the changing area - including viewing her through a mirror at one stage - until she entered a cubicle.

‘The phone was plainly recording’

“You entered the adjoining cubicle, and while there you used your phone to film her. She said the phone was plainly recording and she could see herself on it.”

Upon his arrest, Warlow told the police he could not remember the code to access the “private area” of his phone, but the judge said his claim was not plausible.

Warlow has previous convictions for burglary and cannabis possession from 2013.

Judge Walters added: “Your conduct that day has, for a considerable period of time, blighted you. And it will.

“You will be on the sex offenders register. You’ve lost your partner, by the looks of it. No doubt in any future relationship you have, you will end up coming under the scrutiny of social services.”

Warlow will be placed on the sex offenders register and subject to a sexual harm prevention order for seven years.

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Nathan Waddell engaged in “at least 19 conversations” over a six-week period on the messenger app, Telegram, with analysis of his devices showing he even sent videos to multiple people involved in a single chat.

He had also stored almost 1,000 images in a personal “library”, involving children as young as two being abused in the most horrific way, Leeds Crown Court heard.

Judge Simon Batiste jailed him for two years this week and told him: “The message must go out that if you distribute such vile images, then custody will follow that. Some were of very young children. It makes it more serious that you distributed them.”

Prosecutor Charlotte Noddings said the National Crime Agency alerted West Yorkshire Police in August 2022 about images being uploaded by an account that was eventually traced back to Waddell.

They arrested him three months later on November 29 at his former in Leeds, seizing an iPhone, Apple MacBook and a USB stick. On them they found 148 video and images in Category A – depicting the most serious abuse. There were also over 200 Category B and 570 Category C.

They also retrieved 600 images classed as Category Six – which are not illegal images but contain children and could indicate a sexual interest in children, Miss Noddings said.

Following his arrest, 30-year-old Waddell was candid with police, admitting what he had done. He admitted two counts of distributing indecent images, and three counts of possessing indecent images. He has no previous convictions.

Mitigating, Laurence Dilworth said Waddell, now of Rundle Place, Pocklington, East Yorkshire, had experienced mental health problems, lost his job, became withdrawn and isolated and “turned to pornography”.

He added: “He had a sexual attraction to children but has taken steps to address that by engaging with a children’s charity to prevent sexual abuse. He is ashamed of his actions and has taken steps to address his offending behaviour.”

In addition to his jail sentence, Waddell was put on the sex offender register for 10 years, and given a 10-year sexual harm prevention order (SHPO) to restrict his internet use.