Latest Offenders

Description

A paedophile Jack Bauer fan who had counter terrorism unit-style badges and followed children around in a car fitted with flashing blue lights has walked free from court.

Spencer Pledge had stab vests, handcuffs and badges despite being banned from owning anything which could make him look like a police officer.

The bin man was jailed in 2013 for 34 months after he followed young girls around in the car, filming them and himself.

Pledge, of Sackville Road, Broadwater, Worthing, admitted 18 offences including sexual activity in the presence of children and possessing hundreds of indecent images of children.

The 46-year-old had videos of himself carrying out indecent acts with girls in the background.

Police also found hundreds of indecent images of young children Pledge downloaded from the internet.

He admitted four offences of sexual activity in the presence of ten to 12-year-old girls, eight offences of making indecent photographs of children, five offences of having more than 900 indecent photographs of children and one offence of outraging public decency in the presence of three ten-year old children and two adult women.

As part of his sentence, Pledge was banned from having any emergency services kit.

Pledge was required to sign the Sex Offenders Register indefinitely on his release from prison.

He was also given an indefinite sexual offenders prevention order, later changed to the Sexual Harm Prevention Order.

The order had nine conditions intended to prevent Pledge from having any access to children and to prevent any further offences being committed when he was released from prison.

But after his release, a search of his home found two stab vests, handcuffs, a radio and police insignias.

One of the stab vests had the Sussex Police crest and ID sewn into the inside.

He was arrested and at a trial at Lewes Crown Court Pledge told a jury he was a big fan of American crime drama 24 and had the Jack Bauer badges as part of his memorabilia collection. 

The sex offender claimed he needed the stab vests when he was pretending to be police for an Airsoft game, a type of paintball.

Jack Bauer, the character made famous by Kiefer Sutherland, is a fictional US counter terrorism officer.

Pledge breached Sexual Harm Prevention Orders barring him from having a camera in a vehicle and having police uniform.

When officers examined his phones during a routine home visit in 2019, they found an image of Pledge taken inside his bin lorry.

A further search uncovered the stab vests and other gear.

After he was jailed in 2013, Sussex Police Detective Constable Lindsey Van-Buiten said: “Pledge had acted in a most offensive and distressing way towards these young girls, who were very shaken by their experience.

“Some didn’t know quite how report it at the time but they and their families have given their full co-operation to this inquiry.

“Pledge’s offending was made even worse by his videoing of some of his acts and also by, separately, downloading indecent images of children from the internet, all for his own gratification.

“There is no evidence that he physically assaulted any children but we are relieved that his offending has been brought to a close.”

Following his conviction for breaching his SHPO, a spokesman for Sussex Police said: "Spencer Pledge is a committed offender, whose pattern of behaviour was spotted thanks to the vigilance of our officers in conducting random checks of his Sexual Harm Prevention Order.

"Sexual Harm Prevention Orders are aimed at limiting an offender's ability to cause harm and this is a prime example of their enforcement.

"Alongside our partner agencies will continue to use all tools at our disposal to catch perpetrators of sexual offences, put measures in place to limit their offending outside of the criminal justice system and respond swiftly to any breaches of these restrictions."

The jury found Pledge guilty of breaching the SHPO by having a camera in a vehicle and possessing police uniform.

Judge Stephen Mooney jailed Pledge for two years, suspended for two years and ordered him to do 200 hours unpaid work and 20 rehabilitation days.

Description

This is the first picture of a city paedophile who 'tried to meet a seven-year-old child for sex'. Richard Davies has been jailed after sending a series of indecent images of children.

The 42-year-old, from Erdington, spent weeks chatting online to a person he believed was a fellow sex offender. He sent explicit and graphic messages which described his sexual interest in kids.

He communicated on various social media platforms and tried to set up a meeting where he would have sex with a young girl. Police said this included the possibility of meeting at a car park in Sutton Coldfield.

He also sent a series of indecent images of children ranging from category A - the most extreme type of abuse - to class B and CC, police said. The force said they had identified and arrested Davies in January 2021.

The investigation was carried out by West Midlands Police along with the assistance of the South East Regional Organised Crime Unit. Davies answered no comment in interview and denied he had a sexual interest in children or that he had arranged to meet a child.

He pleaded not guilty to the offences between September 2020 and January 2021, but was convicted by a jury at Birmingham Crown Court on April 18. He was sentenced to seven-years and six-months in prison. He will also be on the Sex Offenders Register and is banned from working with children as well as being subject to a sexual harm prevention order for life.

Speaking after the case, Detective Inspector Lisa Jackson, form the force's Priority and Vulnerabilities Team, said: "This was an excellent piece of work by all the officers involved, putting away a highly dangerous offender. The messages Davies sent were some of the most horrific we have encountered and included a number of appalling images of child abuse.

"Davies tried to claim he was not guilty throughout the case, but we were able to put together a strong case to secure a conviction."

Description

A Chatham sex offender who conspired with a woman to sexually abuse young children has been jailed for eight and a half years.

Tristan Goodwin, 24, and Angel Fuller, 19, were both jaied today at Maidstone Crown Court, following sex offences committed against children over a two-year period.

The court heard how Goodwin committed sex offences with a child on at least three occasions after Fuller arranged for them to meet him between May 2021 and January 2022.

Later that year, Fuller took another child to meet Goodwin, who went on to rape them.

Fuller, of Churchill Avenue, Chatham, and Goodwin, of Edinburgh Road, Chatham, were both arrested on 24 May, and detectives found Goodwin had being paying Fuller to introduce him to child victims.

Officers also discovered he had groomed two children in 2020, after he made contact with them on social media.

Their investigations found he had persuaded them to send indecent images and then meet him, before he sexually assaulted them.

Goodwin was charged with raping a child, two counts of arranging the commission of a child sex offence, two counts of causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity, two counts of paying for the sexual services of a child and possession of indecent images.

Fuller was charged with aiding and abetting the rape of a child and two counts of arranging the commission of a child sex offence.

Both pleaded guilty at Maidstone Crown Court today and Goodwin was jailed for eight and a half years. He will serve a further four years on licence under the terms of an extended sentence.

Fuller was jailed for four and a half years.

Both offenders have also been made subject to sexual harm prevention orders and added to the Sex Offenders’ Register for life.

Investigating officer, Detective Constable Grant Broad, said: “Goodwin and Fuller worked together to target young, vulnerable victims and their depraved actions will leave a lasting impact on the victims’ lives.

“I wish to commend the courage of these vulnerable victims in supporting this investigation and ensuring a dangerous predator has been held to account for his appalling actions.

“If anyone has been a victim of any sexual offence it is never too late to report this to the police. We will always treat any information with the upmost confidence and sensitivity.’

Description

A convicted rapist living in Leeds has been returned to jail after failing to tell police that he obtained a passport and travelled to Amsterdam.

Having been placed on the sex offenders register, Liam Palmer must notify police if he receives such documents, and must give at least seven days’ notice if he plans to go abroad. In 2017 he was convicted after a trial of raping a woman in the Bristol area, and received six years’ jail.

Appearing at Leeds Crown Court via video link from HMP Leeds this week, he admitted two counts of failing to comply with the notification requirements of his order.

Prosecutor Mark Thomas said in March, Palmer’s offender manager was notified by UK Border Force that Palmer had travelled to Amsterdam in June of last year from Manchester Airport. He was later told that Palmer had also acquired a new passport.

The 31-year-old was arrested earlier this month, but during his police interview largely gave no comments, although he did admit he was a registered sex offender.

Mitigating, Ian Cook said that Palmer, of Aston View, Bramley, had been released from prison in August 2020 and had been complying with probation.

He said his trip to Amsterdam was not for a holiday, but that his uncle had died in the Netherlands wanted to attend the funeral, but did not want to risk being refused permission if he informed police.

Mr Cook said: “In reality, he hoped he got away with it. There was no sinister attempt. It follows a long period of exemplary compliance and this was something that he had hoped would not rear its head. He now wants to get back to where he was.”

Judge Penelope Belcher told Palmer: “I’m dealing here with serious and deliberate breaches. You thought this was important and therefore you were going to travel. There’s no dispute it was deliberate and I take the view that this is long period of non-compliance.” She jailed him for 12 months.

Palmer had been jailed at Bristol Crown Court in August 2017 for raping a woman while she slept after a house party. The woman had gone to bed with another female friend only to wake later to find Palmer on top of her. He was jailed for six years.

Description

Stephen Powell, 42, from Eskdale, Skelmersdale, who changed his plea from not guilty to guilty, has been sentenced to a total of 40 months’ imprisonment for offences relating to assault and engaging in sexual communication with a child. He had intentionally attempted to communicate with a person under 16 for his own sexual gratification and was sentenced at Preston Crown Court last Wednesday (April 19).

On Saturday, September 10, Mr Powell intentionally attempted to communicate with Izzy, a person under 16. The court was told that Mr Powell "did not reasonably believe her to be 16 or over" and that communication was of a sexual nature.

He has also been placed on the Sex Offender Registration for an indefinite period, given a Sexual Harm Prevention Order for an indefinite period, had a Restraining Order placed on him for five years. Two Samsung Phones and one iPhone have also been removed from his being.

The defendant was ordered to pay a Statutory Surcharge of £190.

Description

A 24-year-old has been handed a life sentence for violently snatching a six-year-old girl and attempting to rape her in the nearby woods in Greater Manchester.

Lewis Jones subjected the child to 30 minutes of brutal abuse, Manchester Crown Court heard this week, and she was covered in blood, after she was kidnapped from a field in Droylsden, Tameside, where she was building a den with friends. The presiding Judge handed down a minimum 12-year sentence after concluding that, notwithstanding the horrific nature of Jones’ crimes, he still lacked “remorse”. Court reports suggested Jones had shown no emotion as he was sentenced. 

The attacker had been sitting on a bench near his victim and her friends last August, secretly taking pictures of their bottoms before he snatched the girl.

One of the children said she felt “uncomfortable” before Jones snatched her friend as he “kept smiling at her”. Earlier, he had spoken to the group and asked if he could help make the den. 

When they appeared distracted, Jones grabbed the six-year-old and pulled her into nearby woods, where she was subjected to a 30-minute assault. He threatened if she made a sound, she'd never see her parents again.

Jones’ semen was found on his victim's underwear. 

The girl said he'd put his hand on her throat and sexually assaulted her. Her top was covered in blood after Jones had put his fingers down her throat and knocked one of her teeth out. He'd also taken pictures of the girl during the attack.

Jones only let her go after he heard her family screaming her name as they began a desperate search of the area.

The alarm was raised by an 11-year-old who told her family what had happened.

Another girl playing nearby saw Jones carrying her with blood over her T–shirt.

She heard the man say: “You're okay, you're okay”. Later, she saw the girl alone on a footpath. She was screaming: “Help me, I've been kidnapped.” 

The paedophile fled the area on foot and returned to a hotel in Ancoats, where he was staying with his father. A few hours later, he shared explicit images of the incident with a former girlfriend. 

Greater Manchester Police issued CCTV images of Jones after the attack in a bid to track him down. The criminal’s father saw the images and took his son to the police station.

After he denied involvement when questioned by police, he later admitted to kidnap and two counts of assault by penetration.

The child's mother, in a victim impact statement, said she “couldn’t stop screaming” when she found out about the attack, adding she “could not believe someone had taken my little girl and assaulted her in such a horrific way.” 

Description

An "extremely dangerous" paedophile who was found in possession of indecent images of children breached a court order by messaging young boys on Instagram. He also messaged boys asking for pictures.

Owen David, 30, of Barry, was previously sent to prison in 2020 after he attempted to meet a child following grooming and for possessing images of child abuse. As a result of these convictions he was made subject to a sexual harm prevention order (SHPO) which prevented him from having contact with children.

A sentencing hearing at Cardiff Crown Court heard David's electronic devices were regularly monitored by a probation worker. On June 6 last year the probation worker viewed the defendant's Instagram account which was found to be following 60 accounts belonging to young boys.

Prosecutor Jeffrey Jones said David had also sent a message to one boy which read "DM for pics", which was interpreted as a request for images. An offender manager obtained a password for the defendant's account and saw he was following an account for a 15-year-old boy but as he viewed these accounts they were being deleted.

David, now of HMP Parc, was arrested the following day and an Alcatel phone was seized. Two "borderline" images of children were discovered but the most concerning was an image of a boy between eight and 10 years old exposing his hip, which was considered a category C image.

David initially denied any wrongdoing but later pleaded guilty to breaching a SHPO and making an indecent image. The court heard David was sentenced to two years imprisonment in 2020 and a further 18 months imprisonment the same year. At the time of the current offence he was subject to a 10-year SHPO.

In mitigation Martha Smith-Higgins said her client had pleaded guilty at the earliest opportunity and was "candid" about his sexual interest in children. She said he also told police about the indecent images and told them where they could find it on his device.

Sentencing, Judge Daniel Williams said: "You have a terrible record in relation to child sexual offences. It's clear from everything I have heard about you – you are extremely dangerous. This is a serious breach of the SHPO."

David was sentenced to a total of three years and two months imprisonment. He was made subject to a new SHPO and sex offender notification requirements which will last for life.

Description

A Kettering paedophile who used hidden cameras to covertly film children has been put behind bars.

Antony Easton, 41, was arrested after a police investigation into child abuse images which had been uploaded to the internet in late 2019.

Officers traced these images to his home and after his arrest they went on to discover that Easton had also, in the past, used cameras to secretly film children.

Easton, formerly of Northumberland Close, was subsequently charged with three counts of making indecent photographs of children and three offences of voyeurism. He entered guilty pleas at Northampton Crown Court in December 2022 and earlier this month he was sentenced to a total of 15 months in prison.

Detective Constable Caroline Knight, of Northamptonshire Police’s Online Child Abuse Investigation Unit, described Easton as a ‘dangerous sexual predator’.

She added: “After we were made aware of an upload of illegal images, we made checks that identified the IP address involved, which led to the arrest of Antony Easton.

“When we examined his electronic devices, it became clear he had also been involved in making what are known as first-generation images, which he had obtained by using hidden devices.”

Easton was placed on the sex offender register for eight years and was also made subject to a 10-year sexual harm prevention order.

He was also ordered to pay a £140 victim surcharge and a destruction order was made for three electronic devices seized by police during the investigation.

Description

A Snapchat groomer who used the social media app to abduct a vulnerable schoolgirl has been jailed.

Brandon Mason, 19, admitted child abduction and making 55 indecent images of his victim.

A judge said he "groomed" the girl to send him sexualised images and encouraged her to run away from her home in Flintshire, north Wales.

Mason, of Austrey Grove, Birmingham, was jailed for four-and-a-half years.

On Tuesday, Caernarfon Crown Court heard Mason made contact with the pre-teen schoolgirl - who cannot be named - over the popular smartphone app Snapchat.

After convincing her to meet him, they both caught a train and made a 100-mile trip together from north Wales to Birmingham. They were found when police stopped a bus in the English city in September 2022.

Patrick Williamson, defending, said Mason had no previous convictions, but did have a "sad and depressing" history involving mental health issues.

Judge Nicola Saffman told Mason: "You got into her head so much, she being an extremely vulnerable child. You manipulated her."

She said it had taken many months to start to repair the damage done to the girl. The victim was "enthralled" by Mason, the judge said, and didn't disclose to police everything which occurred.

The judge said Mason incited the victim to take indecent images and had even encouraged her to harm herself.

Mason was handed restraining and sexual harm prevention orders, which will last indefinitely.

Description

A twisted sex offender who kidnapped a three-year-old girl in his camper van and subjected her to horrendous abuse has finally faced justice. Robert Frid, 78, had lured the girl to his van under the pretence he needed help before driving away and dumping her in the street in Bracknell afterwards.

The incident, which occurred in 1986, went unsolved for 37 years until his DNA was discovered on his victim’s underwear after Thames Valley Police reopened the investigation. Frid, of no fixed abode, pleaded guilty to one count of kidnap and one count of indecent assault and has now been jailed for 10 years.

The sick paedophile is already in jail for other unconnected sexual offences and will not be considered for parole until 2027. The sentence for the Bracknell offences will run consecutive to his previous convictions, which include the abuse of another young girl.

Head of Thames Valley Police’s Major Crime Investigation Review Team, which investigates unsolved homicides and serious sexual offences, Peter Beirne said: “This was an horrendous attack on a three-year-old girl, who was playing outside with friends when Robert Frid kidnapped her in Bracknell.

“Frid approached the girl, claiming that he needed help with his vehicle. When the girl followed Frid into his VW Camper Van, he drove off. While in the campervan, Frid indecently assaulted the girl, before asking her to exit the vehicle and leaving her on her own. She was later found by member of the public and taken home.

“Advances in forensic science enabled our team to reinvestigate the case. Frid was linked to the crimes when his DNA was found on the victim’s underwear. It is in excess of one billion times more likely that Frid had contributed to the DNA found on the victim’s underwear, than if he had not contributed to the DNA discovered.

“Facing such strong evidence, Frid pleaded guilty to the kidnap and indecent assault of the girl. I’m pleased he will spend a considerable time behind bars, and after 37 years the victim now has justice. This is why my team come to work, to solve the most serious of historic crimes and secure justice for the victims and their families.

“Frid’s conviction is the twentieth that our team have secured against offenders for the most serious historic stranger attacks on woman and young girls. We have also convicted six offenders for murders across the Thames Valley.

“We will continue to reinvestigate these historic cases and use the advancements in forensic science to develop new evidence to bring offenders to justice.”

Description

A pervert with a "leg fetish" has been jailed after 'upskirting' numerous women and young girls in a Mold supermarket.

Ian Betts, of Celyn Park in Carmel, appeared at Mold Crown Court for sentence on Tuesday morning.

The 61-year-old admitted numerous offences including: eight of recording under clothing (a form of voyeurism also referred to as upskirting), three of making indecent images, four of taking indecent images, one of possessing prohibited images and two of attempted upskirting.

In 2021, a shopper in Tesco Mold spotted Betts acting suspiciously - standing behind a young female wearing a skirt with his mobile in his hand.

The court heard Betts bent over towards her and pointing the phone between the girl's legs when the screen lit up.

David Mainstone, prosecuting, said the shopper took hold of the defendant and alerted the girl's parent, as well as store staff, as to what he'd been doing.

When police attended, the phone was seized - as were a number of the defendant's other devices.

Indecent images - 10 at category A, two at category B and 2,859 at category C - were found, as well as four prohibited images of children.

Officers also discovered he'd been "upskirting" on numerous previous occasions, with footage of several victims - both adult and child females wearing skirts or dresses.

Most of the recordings were made at Tesco in Mold, and by tracking the defendant's use of his clubcard, police were able to obtain CCTV footage of his offending.

On one of the occasions - charged as attempted upskirting - he attempted to record under the clothes of two young girls in Mold town centre.

When interviewed by police, he expressed regret and said he'd "take responsibility" for his actions - which he attributed to an "obsessive compulsive disorder."

The court heard he'd "surprisingly" been cautioned for 14 offences of making indecent images in 2008, but had no convictions on his file.

Victim personal statements from parents of the victims were also read out.

One said she had not informed her daughter of what had happened for fear of causing her to feel uncomfortable or embarrassed about what had happened to her.

"I couldn't believe this man had been so brazen as to take pictures of my young daughter," she said.

The court also heard a statement from one of the young victims, who said the offending had left her "paranoid" about where she went in public.

"I had so many questions going around in my head," she said.

"Why me - what had he done with the photos?"

In another statement, a Tesco staff member said the store is seen as a "safe place," and for "someone like this to come in and violate that makes me feel sick."

Robin Boag, defending, conceded that there had been responses made by the defendant in the preparation of his pre-sentence report which "aren't exactly helpful."

He said: "He is under no illusion as to the seriousness of this matter.

"In the 18 months since he was arrested, there have been no concerns of any further behaviour - despite him not being under any restrictions.

"This defendant has been free to walk around the area throughout that period.

"The defendant's deviation tends to centre on what he describes to the probation officer as a 'leg fetish' relating to females.

"Whatever deviation he has, it is not so overwhelming that he can't control it."

Judge Rhys Rowlands said while the defendant's case was thankfully not a common one, it was nevertheless a "particularly discomforting one" for the victims and their families, as well as the store as a whole.

The Judge said it demonstrated "repeated perverted behaviour" on the defendant's part.

Betts was jailed for 33 months and made the subject of a sexual harm prevention order, as well as registration as a sex offender, for ten years.

Judge Rowlands asked that a letter be sent to the Tesco customer who raised the alarm, thanking him for his public spirited actions, adding: "Had he not done so, this behaviour could have continued."

Description

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Description

A court was told how Adnan Ali used the cadet training scheme as a 'grooming playground'.

A former Greater Manchester Police constable has been found guilty of five sexual assaults on young men and women.

Adnan Ali, who ran a large cadet unit for the force, used the training scheme as a 'grooming playground' and 'exploited the freedom he was given', a court was told previously. The 36-year-old father-of-one went on trial at Liverpool Crown Court, where he denied twenty charges including sexually assaulting two teenage girls and a 17-year-old boy, and misconduct in public office involving sexualised conversations.

However, today (April 24), he was found guilty of five counts of sexual assault and 15 counts of misconduct in a public office. The charges relate to incidents, between 2015 and 2018, involving young men and women enrolled on the scheme.

During the three week trial, the court heard how Ali, of Leighton Road, Old Trafford, sexually assaulted two teenage girls and a 17-year-old boy. The misconduct charges involved allegations of sexualised conversations with six other teenage boys and asking for and sending indecent images to some of them.

Ali, known as Adz, became police leader of Trafford cadets in 2013 after suffering post traumatic stress disorder after a serious knife injury while on duty. He was based in Stretford and the cadet unit rapidly grew to about 130 cadets, the largest group in Greater Manchester. While he was head of the unit they won local and national awards which enhanced his reputation.

Prosecuting counsel, Anne Whyte, KC, has claimed that he 'threw out the rule book' and engaged in conduct and communications with cadets and apprentices which breached the boundaries he was supposed to enforce. Ali was arrested in October 2018 after the force received a complaint that he had been 'behaving inappropriately' towards a 16-year-old boy.

His devices were seized and analysed and officers found thousands of messages and identified more victims. Charges were authorised by the Crown Prosecution Service in July 2021.

In April 2022, Ali was dismissed from GMP and barred from policing at a gross misconduct hearing. The force will now make representations to that Deputy Mayor that he should have to forfeit his pension.

Assistant Chief Constable Colin McFarlane said: "Whilst Ali is responsible for committing these crimes, no one should be subjected to crime or misconduct during their contact with police officers and staff, like these young people were – for that, and in acknowledgement that Ali could have been better supervised and managed, we are sorry.

“My thanks go to the victims and witnesses who bravely supported the prosecution which secured today’s verdict. Though trials are a fundamental part of the criminal justice system, the impact they can have on those involved and with whom cases resonate is not underestimated. We will ensure they are supported for as long as they need.

"Alongside the criminal and misconduct investigations, this case initiated a full review of GMP’s Volunteer Police Cadet Scheme. With national oversight, improvements have been and are continuing to be implemented to ensure cadet leaders are the role models they are expected to be and that they do not pose a risk to anyone."

Head of GMP’s Professional Standards Branch, Chief Superintendent Mike Allen, said: "Today’s verdict will do nothing to ease the public’s concerns about police misconduct. However, Ali represents the very worst and the minority in policing - he is among a very small percentage who discredit the police service and undermine trust and confidence in it.

"These individuals are being rooted and booted out by exemplary colleagues reporting their behaviour, investigating allegations, building cases against them, and playing a crucial role in proceedings to ensure they face the full force of the criminal justice system and have the many privileges of working in policing taken from them.

"Ali represents the very worst and the minority in policing"
“Following national direction to all forces, the Force Vetting Unit is currently re-vetting all GMP officers and staff to ensure those who are wearing the force uniform and that those who have applied to do so are fit to serve the public.

"However, efforts don’t stop there. Whilst the assessment teams review complaints and allegations, the investigation teams and misconduct proceedings unit work together to secure the best criminal and misconduct outcomes, as a covert unit work under cover in amongst the workforce to stop corrupt officers and staff in their tracks.

"Though ensuring all employees behave with the highest standards of professional behaviour won’t be completed overnight, the people of Greater Manchester, the thousands of exemplary GMP officers and staff, and the force’s trusting stakeholders have my guarantee that, with my oversight of Professional Standards, the branch will do everything in its power to ensure the Code of Ethics is upheld to protect public trust and confidence in our ability to deliver outstanding service."

Ali will be sentenced at a later date.

Description

Stewart Burgess, previously convicted of abusing two teenage boys in 2008, was described by police as a 'prolific offender' before being jailed again on Friday.

A 'prolific' Scots paedophile who preyed on children he was supposed to protect for 'years' has been jailed for a second time after another of his victims bravely spoke out about his abuse.

Sick Stewart Burgess, now 72, targeted boys in the 1980s while working as a senior house parent at Redheugh Adolescent Unit in Kilbirnie, Ayrshire, which was run by the Salvation Army for vulnerable youngsters.

In 2008 he was found guilty of abusing two teenage boys in his care and sentenced to 10 years imprisonment. New proceedings were raised after another former pupil came forward to report offending by Burgess at the unit.

During the trial at the High Court in Paisley last month, a jury heard the victim – now in his 50s - remains traumatised by abuse, which took place between 1984 and 1985.

Burgess, from Cumnock, was convicted of abusing this victim in similar ways he had to others. He was sentenced to three and half years in jail at the High Court in Glasgow on Friday April 21.

His name was added to the sex offenders register indefinitely.

Detective Inspector Gavin Chisholm of the Ayrshire Public Protection Unit said: “Stewart Burgess is a prolific offender whose abuse of children spanned many years. He abused his position of trust and we welcome today’s sentencing.

“I would like to recognise the bravery of the victim shown in reporting this and assisting us throughout the enquiry and court process which has been pivotal in securing this conviction.

“Investigating abuse of children and young people remains one of Police Scotland’s top priorities. Please be assured that no matter when a crime is committed, we will listen and we will investigate.”

Scotland’s Procurator Fiscal for High Court Sexual Offending, Fraser Gibson, said: “Stewart Burgess selfishly and callously abused young boys in his care. The victim in this case bravely came forward to report what happened to him as a child.

“His evidence of crimes which had not been dealt with previously allowed us to prosecute this offender again. I sincerely hope the victim finds some small comfort in holding Burgess accountable for his actions.

“COPFS prosecutors are committed to pursue justice for victims of child sexual abuse, no matter how long ago the offences occurred.

“I urge any victims of similar crime to have confidence that time is no barrier. Please come forward, report it and seek support.”

Redheugh is one of the institutions being investigated by the Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry, chaired by Lady Smith. The unit closed in 1994.

Description

A sex offender has denied breaching a court order over allegations he struck up a friendship with a woman.

Paul Richards is currently subject to a sexual harm prevention order (SHPO) which dates back to 2012. Now it's alleged he breached the order by entering into a friendship with a woman - something he is prohibited from doing.

The 57-year-old has denied the offence during a short hearing at Teesside Magistrates' Court. He spoke only to confirm his name, date of birth, address and to enter a plea of not guilty.

Richards, of Lovaine Street, Middlesbrough, was represented by Brett Wildridge during the appearance on Friday, April 14.

He was given conditional bail and will next appear at Teesside Crown Court on May 12.