Latest Offenders

Description

A SEX offender from Newport has been jailed after being caught with explicit images of children - just months after he had been spared jail for the same reason.

James Snowden, of Chepstow Road, was handed a suspended sentence and ordered to register as a sex offender in September 2022 after being convicted of “a number of offences” involving possessing indecent images of children.

On November 29, sex offender officers paid a visit to Snowden’s home and inspected his devices to check he was complying with the order.

Snowden’s Samsung Galaxy phone was checked, and the officers found he had logged into an image sharing site on November 4, 5, and 9 – and that its history showed “at least one video” had been shared, prosecutor Martha Smith-Higgins said.

Ms Smith-Higgins told Newport Crown Court that Snowden had also created a server on the messaging service Discord, which he told officers he used to “create a chatroom with polyamorous couples”.

Further examinations of his devices revealed 38 computer-generated images which depicted penetrative and non-penetrative sex between adults and children.

Snowden was arrested on January 4 at Newport Police Station.

He told officers his failure to follow the sexual harm prevention order was “the result of misunderstanding” the order, Ms Smith-Higgins said, though he later pleaded guilty to all charges.

In mitigation, Alex Greenwood told the court that Snowden had been arrested before the courses he had been ordered to complete to help rehabilitate him had begun.

“The Horizon course was due to take place five days after the defendant was arrested,” he said.

Mr Greenwood added Snowden had attended “47 of the 55 appointments” required as part of his suspended sentence, and “had excuses for all bar one of the others”.

Snowden suffers with anxiety and depression, Mr Greenwood said, and referring to his offending, said: “He has an underlying issue clearly”.

Recorder John Philpotts sentenced 26-year-old Snowden to nine months in prison each for two breaches of a sexual harm prevention order and possession of a prohibited image of a child – running concurrently.

He was also jailed for a further nine months – running consecutively – for breaching a suspended sentence.

Snowden was ordered to re-register as a sex offender for 10 years, and was made the subject of a new sexual harm prevention order for 10 years.

Description

A Huddersfield predator who had sex with a young girl and threatened to take his own life if she ended their "relationship" has been jailed.

Tyler Ward, 20, has been given an extended sentence for the offences which saw him have sex with the teenager in his room at his home in Smiths Avenue. The girl - who reported Ward to the police in 2021 - told officers his demands for sex were "persistent" and she "just gave in to please him."

Prosecutor Adam Walker told Leeds Crown Court on Monday: "She said sex took place several times and she didn't say she was forced but on the first occasion he tried put to force her hand to his groin and his head."

The court heard sexual activity that took place caused the girl pain and when she told Ward to stop he said: "Just five minutes more." Mr Walker said: "She said he would give her drugs like cocaine and alcohol. She says that he would emotionally control and manipulate her and said she did not want to take cocaine and he said she would and if she did not he would split up with her.

"He said he would kill himself and it would be her fault if she split up with him. He said if she called the police, any that came would be 'stabbed up' and he threatened her family."

While he was still under investigation for those offences in August last year at around 12.30am, Ward attempted to try and rob two men in a pub beer garden using a BB gun.

The court heard how Ward wore a black ski mask and "made demands for money." Mr Walker said one of the men grappled with Ward and thought he heard the gun be discharged before police arrived and Ward was arrested. She sad: "The man woke up in pain the next morning and there was an injury. He thought he had been shot with the BB gun. He also had a graze to his elbow."

Ward told officers in his police interview that he was, in fact, the victim, and he had gone to the pub with the imitation firearm "to show people" who he thought "would be interested."

Mr Walker said: "He said he had been assaulted and was drunk and had drunk Jack Daniel's whiskey."

The court was told Ward had three previous convictions for eight offences which he had been sentenced for as a juvenile. These included dwelling house burglary and non-dwelling burglary.

Anastasis Tasou told the court Ward had never received a custodial sentence and a pre-sentence report and psychiatric report had been undertaken. He said the psychiatric report diagnosed him with emotionally unstable personality disorder. The barrister said: "There are numerous incidences of him self harming and issues with his mood, with depression, with him seeking help for his issues."

The court was told Ward pleaded guilty to two counts of sexual activity with a child under the age of 16 at an adjourned plea, trial and preparation hearing in November last year. He pleaded guilty to possession of an imitation firearm at the time of committing an offences and two counts of attempted robbery in February this year.

Mr Tasou said Ward's father is sick and has a terminal condition, meaning he has been unable to visit his son while he has been remanded into custody. He said: "He is really scared and has asked me to put across that while he is serving his sentence his father may pass away. These offences occurred when he was still very young and wasn't receiving help for his mental health as he should have done."

Judge Rodney Jameson KC made Ward the subject of an extended sentence made up of five years in custody and an extended licence period of four years.

Description

A child rapist has been branded a significant risk to the public as he begins a 12-year prison sentence.

Anthony Rennard, 28, raped a teenage girl in 2020. Prosecutor Richard Bennett told Teesside Crown Court that the girl "froze" and initially felt unable to report the crime, but did so six months later.

Rennard, now of HMP Holme House, Stockton, but formerly of Brougham Street in Darlington, denied rape but was convicted after a trial late last year.

The court heard that the girl still struggles to sleep, has nightmares and cannot go near the area where she was attacked. In a statement she said: "I feel low. It's affected my education, I don't want to get out of bed.

"I feel like this has changed my life forever."

Nicholas Askins, mitigating, said that Rennard started drinking when he was of primary school age and that a psychiatrist had found that he has cognitive difficulties. The court heard that while on remand, Rennard has taken courses in reading and writing in prison.

Judge Timothy Stead told Rennard that he poses a significant risk to the public and jailed him for 12 years. Rennard must sign the sex offenders' register indefinitely and was made subject to a restraining order, prohibiting him from contacting his victim or mentioning her on social media, for an indefinite period.

Rennard has previous convictions for burglary, firearms offences and assault occasioning actual bodily harm. In 2016, in Glasgow, he attacked a friend over a £30 debt.

He slashed the man's face with a Stanley knife and dragged him out of a house, kicked and punched him, before stamping on his head. Rennard served a five-year-seven-month-sentence for the attack.

Description

A suspect police have been hunting for more than four years in connection with an attempted rape in Kent is now among the top five most wanted men in Britain.

Detectives are trying to track down Malek Zafar following the reported attack in the Tonbridge area in 2018.

Anyone who knows his whereabouts is urged to call police on 101 quoting Wanted and reference 46/YY/11528/18.

Zafar is part of Crimestoppers' list of the top five most wanted fugitives hiding in the country.

The independent charity is appealing for the public’s help to find the five men, who are wanted for murder, rape and sexual assault, attempted rape, large-scale drug dealing and fraud.

Up to £5,000 is being offered for each of the men for information Crimestoppers receives that leads to their arrest.

Mick Duthie, director of operations at the charity, said: "These wanted individuals have managed to evade justice for too long. They are a danger and need to be found.

"These fugitives could be living or hiding near you, so if you recognise any of them, please contact us urgently. If you’re interested in a reward of up to £5,000, ask for a unique reward code when you contact our charity.

"Call our UK Contact Centre on freephone 0800 555 111, which is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, or fill in our simple and secure anonymous online form on our website. Nobody will know you contacted us.

"Tell us where they are and whilst we’ll protect your identity, you can help protect your community."

Description

Sheriff Paul Brown said twisted paedophile Logan Summers posed a "danger to the lives of the public" and has remitted sentencing to Scotland's top criminal court.

A Snapchat sex offender has been branded so dangerous to the public that a sheriff has been forced to remit his case to the High Court for sentencing.

Sheriff Paul Brown said twisted paedophile Logan Summers posed a "danger to the lives of the public" and a sheriff court sentence would be inadequate. Summers trawled social media to find young victims to sexually blackmail before luring vulnerable young girls to run away from home.

The 20-year-old helped one girl travel across country before pitching a tent on city wasteland and having unprotected sex with her. Summers, from Dundee, admitted a huge catalogue of vile offences against children as young as nine-years-old when he appeared at Dundee Sheriff Court.

His solicitor David Duncan said: "The court can properly form the view that the public would be at risk if Mr Summers was to have his liberty at this time. I fully accept custody is appropriate and inevitable and that requires to be a relatively significant period to reflect the charges.

"There is a danger he could become even more isolated or detached from society than he already is by the imposition of a considerable sentence."

Sheriff Brown said: "I should remit to the High Court of Justiciary for sentence where I hold that any sentence I impose is inadequate. The risk criteria has been met.

"The pattern of behaviour is such as to demonstrate that there is a likelihood, if he is at liberty, that he may endanger the lives or wellbeing of the public at large."

Summers - who is already serving 18 months after bragging about child rape and encouraging schoolgirls to join him in abusing children - was remitted. He admitted a total of 19 charges relating to sexual offences committed during a 12-month period from March 2021.

The Crown accepted not guilty pleas to a further 13 charges. Fiscal depute Lynn Mannion told the court that Summers trawled Facebook and Snapchat to identify young potential victims across Dundee and further afield.

In one case he managed to get himself added to a Primary Six Snapchat group before sending sexualised messages to the children. The court was told that Summers was described as one of the youngster's "boyfriend."

He met another girl through Facebook and persuaded her to send him nude pictures. When she refused to send any more he threatened to report her behaviour to her parents.

At one stage, he sent a video of himself. The court was told that the recipient of the material was "disgusted" by it.

Summers admitted luring a 15-year-old girl from her home to meet him in a park in Dundee by pretending to be just a few months older than her. He immediately tried to sexually assault her when she met him, and the girl followed Summers home to his flat because she was scared of the consequences of returning home after going missing.

Ms Mannion said: "She stayed in the accused's bedroom for a number of days. He repeatedly tried to touch her.

"He repeatedly tried to pull her trousers down. He eventually managed to pull her trousers down, before removing his shorts and exposing his penis. She was distressed and persuaded him she should leave."

Summers broke bail by continuing to communicate with the girl. Summers then bullied and blackmailed another 13-year-old girl into sending him explicit photographs and asked her to take nude images while she was at school.

When she asked him to delete the pictures, he said: "I'm keeping everything. You just need to be good and I will never post them.

"If I ask you to do something I expect you to do it. I'm willing to risk it. You belong to me now."

He then got in touch with a 14-year-old girl from Glasgow who revealed that she was unhappy and was considering running away from her foster home.

Ms Mannion continued: "He arranged to meet her on 7 March 2022 in Glasgow. They got a bus to St Andrews and then to Dundee. He brought a tent and assembled it behind Iceland supermarket.

"They spent the night in it. They spent the next day shopping and the next night returned and assembled the tent in the dark."

She said Summers had unprotected sex with the girl. Summers is already on the Sex Offenders Register for ten years after previously appearing in the same court and admitting a series of similar charges.

In that case, he sent explicit child porn images to random youngsters and told one girl to carry out a sex act on a child she had been photographed with. Summers, of Dundee, spent several months using Snapchat - where he used the moniker "DundeeShock" - to target innocent victims.

Summers messaged one victim: "Wanna see child porn? I'll rape your ass. I'm gonna get you pregnant and rape the baby."

Summers sent the girl an image of a child being abused and boasted that it was "just like" the time he raped a child he was babysitting for. "Meet up with me," he told her. "I'll just rape you then. I'll rape you like I raped a child I was babysitting." He sent a picture of a naked child.

The court heard that the girls were not known directly to the former Harris Academy pupil, but he had worked out they lived in and around Dundee from their social media profiles.

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Isle of Wight councillor, Daryll Pitcher, has been found guilty of historic child rapes.

It follows a six-day trial at the Isle of Wight Crown Court, which concluded today (Monday).

Five hours to make decision
The jury retired for its deliberations this morning and after nearly five hours had made its decision.

Pitcher, 46, has been found guilty of two counts of rape between June 1990 and March 1992.

11-1 found Pitcher guilty
The jury reached a majority verdict on the counts, as members could not all agree, with 11 to one finding Pitcher, of Norman Way, Wootton, guilty.

Earlier in the trial, Pitcher had been found not guilty of indecent assault of a girl under 14 years as the prosecution presented no evidence.

Sentencing in April
A pre-sentence report was requested by Recorder Richard Onslow before, sentencing on 12th April.

Mr Onslow told Pitcher all sentencing options were open to the court and thanked the jury for listening to the case with care, as he noted at it had not been an easy one.

Sex Offenders Register
Pitcher will now be placed on the Sex Offenders Register and was bailed to appear at the sentencing, with the condition he did not contact the victim.

Description

Detectives praised the bravery of child home predator Gerald Raffells three victims.

Gerry Raffell, now 74, was working in two childrens homes in Yarnton and near Wallingford when he carried out the sickening abuse against the three boys. One of the boys was molested with a rubber bullet, while others were abused in their dormitories or in the bath.

Jailing him for 11 years at Oxford Crown Court on Friday, Judge Maria Lamb said of the victims: They were in desperate circumstances: isolated, without the support of their families, and you betrayed their trust. You can read our full report from the sentencing hearing here.

Welcoming the double-figure jail time, Cowley police stations DC Martin Turner said: The victims of these abhorrent offences were vulnerable children, who should have had every right to feel safe.

Raffell abused his position of trust to commit these offences.

Even though a significant amount of time has passed since the offences, when they came to light, we commenced an investigation.

Thames Valley Police is absolutely committed to investigating offences such as these, no matter what the passage of time.

He added: The bravery of all of the victims meant that a serious sex offender has finally been brought to justice.

Raffell was responsible for assisting vulnerable children in their time of greatest need, and he callously used their vulnerabilities to his advantage in a grotesque breach of trust.

He has now been given a lengthy prison sentence, and I hope that this will serve as solace to the victims that justice has been served.

No matter how long has elapsed, we commit to investigating non-recent offences, and we will always seek to bring offenders before the courts to face up to their offending and face justice.

His comments echoed those of Judge Lamb, who told Raffell on Friday: I have heard, as we all have, the victim personal statement read out to this court which talk about the effects of what you did upon each of these individuals.

All can understand that they may feel that the sentences which this court imposes can never reflect the enormity of what was done to them.

But I hope they have at least the consolation of know that they faced their abuser in court and they were believed by the jurors that heard this case.

Description

A pervert who wanted to meet a child to have sex with her was snared by paedophile hunters.

Michael Hawthorne made contact with a profile purporting to be a 14-year-old girl online and quickly turned the conversation sexual. He asked for images and said he wanted to meet to consume alcohol and engage in sexual activity.

In fact it was a decoy profile being run by a vigilante group called the Child Online Safety Team and he was detained when he arranged to meet the "child". After being released on bail, Hawthorne went on to assault and intimidate a vulnerable woman and he has now been jailed.

Newcastle Crown Court heard it was in September 2021 that Hawthorne was in communication with the decoy profile. He inquired about her knowledge of sex and asked for pictures.

Annelise Haugstad, prosecuting, said: "He messaged her about meeting up and there's talk of sex taking place either in a public toilet or his shared accommodation after they had bought alcohol with her holiday money. He made repeated requests to have sex with her. He said if anyone makes inquiries about her age to tell them she was 19 and that she should wear make-up to help her look older."

After being arrested for that and released, he went on to form a short relationship with a vulnerable woman. Within two days of meeting her, he "took advantage of her kindness" and moved in. Miss Haugstad said: "He refused to leave her flat, he ate her food, made her pay for drugs and alcohol and stopped her meeting friends."

He ended up being removed and arrested and was bailed by police not to return but he then assaulted her and threatened if she didn't drop the charges he would torch her flat with her in it.

The 40-year-old, formerly of Blyth but now of High Street East, Sunderland, who has 55 previous convictions, pleaded guilty to arranging or facilitating a child sex offence, attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child, attempting to meet a child following sexual grooming, assault and witness intimidation. He was jailed for a total of three years and eleven months and must sign the sex offender's register indefinitely. He was also made subject to indefinite sexual harm prevention and restraining orders.

David Callan, defending, said: "He has not had an easy life, he had a rough upbringing. He has an alcohol dependency. It's the first time he has committed a sexual offence." The court heard he has some learning difficulties and mental health issues.

Description

A DETECTIVE who brought a despicable child rapist to justice has praised the bravery of two victims for giving evidence at his trial.

DC James Fowler, of Essex Polices Child Abuse Investigation Team, said 52-year-old Patrick Wakefield acted in a completely abhorrent way towards two girls.

Wakefield, of Twyford Avenue, Great Wakering, was jailed for 13 years at Basildon Crown Court after being found guilty at trial of a string of child sex offences, including two counts of rape.

The court heard how the predator left his victims badly scarred.

Judge Ian Graham said: You used your interest of photography to get alone time with these girls.

You bought them presents and gave them money to peruse this course of conduct.

The remorse you speak of would have been more open if you had admitted these crimes and saved these girls going through a trial.

Its clear they were left badly scarred by the experiences.

Mitigating, Christopher Martin told the court Wakefield had lived in poverty as a child which has severely impacted his life.

Mr Fowler said: Patrick Wakefield has been rightly jailed for his despicable actions.

"He acted in a completely abhorrent way towards his two victims, including forcing them to give evidence at his trial by denying any wrongdoing.

Patrick Wakefield has been made a registered sex offender and a Sexual Harm Prevention Order preventing him from going near children in the future will go some way to protecting other children."

He added: I want to praise both victims for their courage and bravery in coming forward and reporting their abuse to us, and in having the strength to give evidence at court, playing a part in stopping this man from offending against another child.

They have stood strong throughout the judicial process with the love and support of their families. I would hope that this sentence will play some part in giving their families some form of closure.

They have expressed their sincere thanks and gratitude to us for our hard work and dedication throughout the investigation, and for the support shown to their children.

I would also like to urge other victims of abuse to come forward, to report any concerns and to know that they too will be supported by our specialist teams.

Description

A teenager convicted of raping one girl and committing other sexual offences on another is starting a six-year custodial sentence.

Aiden Gallon was found guilty of six offences relating to one or other of the two victims, following a two-day trial at Peterlee Youth Court, in September.

He denied the offences, one count of rape, two of sexual assault and three of engaging in sexual activity with a girl, all committed at a time he was 16.

But, having been found guilty by the youth panel, the case was sent to be sentenced at Durham Crown Court, as the defendant, who was only 17 when court proceedings began, had by then turned 18 and become an adult in the eyes of the law.

He appeared at the crown court in October when Judge Jo Kidd adjourned the sentencing hearing to allow time for preparation of a psychological report on Gallon, specifically to assess his perceived “dangerousness”.

Jonathan Walker, prosecuting, said impact statements made by the two defendants referred to one having “been obliged” to move address since Gallon’s offending, while the other described having resorted to taking tablets after the offending.

The court was told the defendant has a previous offence of arson being reckless as to whether life was endangered on his record, for which he was made subject of a youth referral order.

David Carmichael, for Gallon, said his client had “issues” with anger management during his school days.

Recorder Kidd said given the conviction she would make him subject to indefinite restraining orders relating to both girls.

It forbids him from approaching or contacting either girl, directly or indirectly, effectively for life.

He was also made subject to interim notification as a sex offender.

On his return to the court to be sentenced this week, Judge Kidd imposed the six-year young offenders' institution sentence.

She said the restraining orders would remain in place, while the notification requirements as a sex offender would also continue, “indefinitely”.

A £34 statutory court surcharge was also imposed.

Following the hearing, Judge Kidd confirmed that a previous “gagging” restriction order relating to Gallon, of Lancaster Hill, Peterlee, would be lifted, allowing him to be identified in reports of the case.

Description

A former carer who arranged to meet young girls so he could rape them has been jailed for more than five years.

Daniel Chisnall, 48, from Huntingdon, was arrested by National Crime Agency officers at a pub in the town in December last year, before he had checked in to a nearby hotel where he planned to carry out the abuse.

Before his arrest, he had discussed his sexual interest in children with other paedophiles on the Kik online chat platform, WhatsApp and via email.

Using a pseudonym, he messaged a user who said he had access to two girls, aged seven and 11.

He spoke intimately to his online contact about the children and how he wanted to rape them when they met.

Officers searched his address following his arrest and his devices were seized.

Forensic examination showed his phone contained 12 indecent images of children (IIOC) in categories A-C. A being the most severe.

A further five IIOC in categories A and C had been printed out as poster-sized documents.

Chisnall, who drove a minibus in his job as a carer for vulnerable adults, was charged with one count of arranging or facilitating the commission of sexual assault of a child, one count of making IIOC (categories A-C), and one count of possessing IIOC.

He pleaded guilty at Cambridge Crown Court on January 16 and was sentenced to five years and two months imprisonment at Huntingdon Crown Court today (February 17).

He has been placed on the sex offenders register for life and is also subject to an indefinite sexual harm prevention order.

Description

A police officer says a jail sentence given to a man from Lowestoft for making and distributing indecent images of children demonstrates that the police will prosecute re-offenders.

57 year old Charles Moore of Oulton Road North in Lowestoft was jailed for a total of 27 months at Ipswich Crown court after he pleaded guilty to three charges of making indecent image of children, possession of prohibited images and a breach of a sexual harm prevention order.

Moore, a registered sex offender, having been convicted in 2018 of making and distributing indecent images of children, as well as possession of prohibited images and possession of extreme pornography. He received a custodial sentence and, upon release, was being managed by the Public Protection Unit.

After his release from prison, police paid a routine visit to his home address in November 2021. Part of the visit saw officers scan his devices for any content which may be related to child abuse material, and it returned positive results on his desktop computer, indicating child abuse material was present.  As a result, his electronic devices were seized so further analysis could take place.

This further analysis established 5,260 category A images, 583 unique Category A videos, 6,786 Category B images, 693 Category B videos and 36,980 Category C images and 236 Category C videos on his devices, as well as being in possession of 20 prohibited images of a child.

Moore was subsequently charged in June 2022 in relation to these offences. At court on on Wednesday 8 February he was also given a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) and placed on the Sex Offenders Register for 10 years and an order enforced for the destruction of his electronic devices.

PC Nicola Flack of the force’s Internet Child Abuse Investigation Team said: “This conviction and sentence demonstrates after an initial sentence for similar offences is served, we will not be afraid to prosecute re-offending and persistent online criminality. Internet crimes such as these are far from victimless, and every image depicts the very real abuse a young child has suffered. The prohibitions imposed through this new Sexual Harm Prevention Order allow the police to monitor his online behaviour for the next 10 years, reducing the risk to the public.”

Category A - Images involving penetrative sexual activity, sexual activity with an animal or sadism.

Category B - Images involving non-penetrative sexual activity.

Category C - Indecent images not falling within categories A or B

Description

Ridgway, 21, shared 30,000 images and videos with fellow paedophiles.

A man has been jailed for six years and three months for sexually assaulting a four-year-old girl and sharing videos of the abuse online. Keenan Ridgway, 21, became the subject of a National Crime Agency investigation in August 2021, after he sent the material to another offender who was arrested in Miami.

After matching the images and videos to those that were uploaded to a file-sharing platform in 2018, NCA investigators identified Ridgway as the user behind that account. He was arrested by NCA officers at his home in Skegness and his phone was seized. This was analysed and was confirmed to be a match for the phone that was used to create the abuse material, and from which the platform had been accessed several times in 2018.

The phone had recorded Ridgway's journey on the night a number of the videos were created. This is consistent with him going to the location where the abuse took place. Officers also recovered a number of items of Ridgway’s clothing, glimpses of which could be seen in the abuse videos.

The file-sharing app was downloaded on his phone and showed that in total, Ridgway had uploaded 450gb of material, which amounted to almost 30,000 indecent images of children (IIOC) in categories A-C. 42 of these were of the young girl.

A further 355 IIOC were also recovered from his phone.

Email records showed that prior to committing the abuse, Ridgway told another online user that he had sent all the videos he had, but promised he would be “making new soon so you’ll be the first person to be sent them”.

Ridgway was charged with 16 offences, including three counts of sexual assault of a child, three counts each of taking and possessing IIOC, six counts of distributing IIOC, and possession of prohibited imagery.

He pleaded guilty to all charges and was sentenced at Lincoln Crown Court to six years and three months in prison. He has been placed on the sex offenders register for life and is also subject to a 10-year sexual harm prevention order.

Martin Ludlow from the National Crime Agency said: “His actions have caused trauma to those involved, the impact of which may be felt long after he has served his sentence.

“The NCA has the niche capabilities to identify high-risk offenders like Ridgway who pose a sexual threat to children and we will continue to work tirelessly to ensure they are identified and brought to justice.”

Description

A pyromaniac who was previously jailed for life for setting fire to a curry house said "I feel sick" after he was outed as a paedophile.

Alan Cashman held daily lewd chats on Facebook with what he believed was a 14-year-old boy and exposed himself during a video call. But, unbeknown to him, he was being ensnared in a paedophile hunter sting.

Liverpool Crown Court heard today, Thursday, that the 39-year-old first contacted the decoy - which was being operated by the Saving Our Children Online group - on October 10 last year. Cashman, of no fixed address, sent the supposed youngster a friend request then began conversing with him on Facebook Messenger on a "daily basis" over the course of the next 12 days.

David Watson, prosecuting, described how the pervert sent a series of explicit images and performed a sex act during a video chat - encouraging him to do the same. A hunter then contacted him on another account, this time under the guise of an adult, and made arrangements to meet up for sex.

But he was confronted by group members at the rendezvous point on Greenheys Road in Toxteth on October 22 2022. When police attended the scene and arrested him shortly after 7.45pm, Cashman replied: "I feel sick."

His four previous convictions for four offences include two for arson, one of which saw him handed a life sentence in 2010 when aged 26. It came after he set a fire that ripped through the Spice City Indian restaurant, on Stanley Street in Liverpool city centre, and the flats above it in the early hours of August 9 2009.

Cashman then waited around to watch the building burn before, hours later, trying to pass himself off to the ECHO as a hero who had tried to save four residents trapped inside by the flames and smoke. But his lies were soon exposed and a judge described him as a "pyromaniac", having set rubbish in the rear doorway alight.

Residents described having woken up "choking on thick smoke", with one believing he may have to jump from his fourth floor apartment in order to escape the blaze. Others fled to the rooftop and clambered away onto other buildings.

Flames destroyed interior walls and the roof of the grade two-listed structure, causing an estimated £1.7million of damage. Cashman, then of Alfonso Road in Anfield, was given a minimum term of four years on this occasion.

He was locked up for the same offence in 2004 after picking up a 64-year-old man in Paco's Bar, also on Stanley Street, returning to his home in Huyton to continue drinking then setting fire to the property. The defendant was recalled on licence to prison following his latest crimes.

Ben Berkson, defending, told the court: "He has admitted to a sexual interest in children, which is often difficult for offenders to admit and is the only route to rehabilitation. He is intent on dealing with his sexual attraction to children.

"He is shocked and stunned that he is now a sex offender. He does demonstrate remorse for what he has done.

"He is exceptionally sorry and describes it as a big mistake. He is completely unaware and in the dark about when his release date is to be."

Cashman admitted attempting to incite a child to engage in sexual activity, attempting to cause a child to watch sexual activity and attempting sexual communications with a child. Appearing via video link to HMP Altcourse, he was jailed for 20 months as well as being handed a 10-year sexual harm prevention order and told to sign the sex offenders' register for the same period.

Sentencing, Recorder Jeremy Lasker said: "It is to your credit, and unusual in the experience of these courts, that you are a defendant who is prepared to accept that you have a sexual interest in young boys. I do accept a degree of remorse on your part."

Description

A church elder has been placed on the Sex Offenders’ Register after being found guilty of sexually assaulting a 15-year-old girl on a train.

Creepy Colin Hope was also found guilty of sexually assaulting three women in a supermarket.

Following a trial at Paisley Sheriff Court, the 81-year-old grandfather was convicted of sexually assaulting a 15-year-old girl on a rail journey – by putting his hand up her skirt, between Johnstone and Glasgow Central in December 2016.

Hope, of Polson Drive in Johnstone, was also found guilty of sexually assaulting two Renfrewshire supermarket workers and a supermarket customer between June and December 2021.

Yesterday, Sheriff Ian Anderson placed the twisted pensioner on the Sex Offender’s Register for 12 months and made him subject to supervision of the social work department.

CCTV footage from within a Renfrewshire supermarket was shown during the trial which showed the father-of-two pushing a trolley with both hands on the handle.

The footage showed that – on multiple occasions – as Hope approached a woman in the aisles, he dropped a hand from the trolley and sexually assaulted her as he walked past her before putting both hands back on the trolley.

The trial also heard how a young woman was sexually assaulted on a train by an “old man” when she was heading to Glasgow to do her Christmas shopping.

The girl was just 15 at the time when Hope repeatedly touched her leg and put his hand up her skirt.

Giving evidence during the trial, she said she felt the incident was a “severe attack” which left her in “complete hysteria”.

She explained in evidence how she was on a “busy” train herself, from Ardrossan South Beach, North Ayrshire to Glasgow Central, on December 17, 2016, when Hope got on the train at Johnstone station.

She told the court: “There was a stop at Johnstone where a man got on the train and stood to my left and I remember starting to feel slightly uncomfortable.

“I noticed he was getting closer and I tried to reassure myself that the train was busy.

“But his hand was on my leg, my left leg on my upper thigh.

“I was wearing a skirt and his hand was going up my skirt.”

Prosecutor Jason Stark asked how long Hope’s hand was on the teenager’s thigh, and she replied: “A while. It was brushing.

“The whole movement was around 10 to 15 minutes, it was constant, it was a severe attack really.

“As soon as I got off the train I just broke down as soon as there was room for me to do so.

“I was crying, I was in complete hysteria. It was a complete anxiety attack. I headed out of the station.”

Further evidence was heard by a woman who told how Hope sexually assaulted her in a Renfrewshire supermarket on July 24, 2021, causing her to be
physically sick.

The woman explained how she was looking for plastic or paper cups when Hope approached her in the aisle and went on to sexually touch her.

She was so concerned about the attack she followed the creepy pensioner around the store before returning to her car and calling her husband in tears.

She told the court she had to “physically vomit” when she returned home that evening due to the horrific ordeal.

And a supermarket employee explained she was sexually assaulted on December 17, 2021, by the retired procurement engineer.

In evidence, she told how Hope’s hand “brushed across her” and how he touched the “top of my groin area.”

During the trial, Hope denied the claims – telling the court he had an eye condition which affected his sight.

He claims the condition means he can see people but not their “finer details”.

In his own evidence, he told how all incidents were accidental touching as he would often put his hands out “for balance” and to ensure he “didn’t bump into anyone or anything”.

When asked if he repeatedly touched the supermarket workers, he replied, “not to my
knowledge”.

Defence agent, Linzi Galbraith yesterday explained Hope’s position “is the same as it was during the trial.”

Ms Galbraith told how Hope is “residing elsewhere” just now and explained how he is in the “process of being registered as partially sighted.”