Latest Offenders

Description

A “dangerous offender” was snared by paedophile hunters after trying to groom an “11-year-old girl” online - including inviting her to meet with him at a hotel.

Louis Schon, 36, of Woodridge, Windmill Hill, Runcorn, exchanged a flurry of hundreds of messages with the supposed child on June 30, 2021, only to discover she was actually an adult decoy. Myles Wilson, prosecuting at Chester Crown Court sitting in magistrates’ court on Thursday (February 9), said Schon also sent naked pictures of himself to the “girl” as well as “repeatedly” asking if they could have “sex”.

He told the court the “numerous sexual messages” included depraved enquiries such as what she was wearing under her school uniform. Schon asked for pictures of her and “the decoy sent a photograph of an 11-year-old girl”, reports the Liverpool Echo.

She later told Schon her phone camera wasn’t working, and he sent a picture of “himself with his chest exposed”, and was “flirtatious and suggestive” with her. To one of his vile questions, the decoy replied “oh my days” as she tried to remain sounding “childlike”.

Schon also asked for her phone number and sent more naked pictures of himself as well as trying to call her. He claimed he was in his early 20s and “lived nearby” and “repeatedly” asked if she would “have sex”, as well as trying to incite her to perform a sex act.

The decoy “played along” and pretended to comply with the request. Paedophile Schon suggested meeting at a hotel and told the “girl” to “make herself look older so he could take her out”. He also sent her a pornographic video of a woman with “multiple men”. Mr Wilson said: “There were hundreds of messages back and to that night.”

Schon messaged her the next morning to apologise then blocked the decoy’s account. It wasn’t enough to stop the paedophile hunter group though, who went to his home address as did the police.

Schon was out and subsequently reported missing, only to be found by the police within 24 hours. Officers also discovered a shopping bag containing “numerous” pairs of children’s knickers in Schon’s bedroom as well as a phone internet history looking at child’s beachwear, some of which he saved as screenshots. In police interview, he answered “no comment”.

At Chester Crown Court on January 4 this year, Schon pleaded guilty to attempted incitement of a child under 13 to engage in sexual activity involving penetration, attempted sexual communication with a child, and two counts of attempting to cause a child under 13 to watch an image of sexual activity.

The incitement charge was also referred to as attempted “facilitation” during the hearing. Mr Wilson noted the use of “grooming”, as well as the “significant disparity in age”. Schon had previous convictions including for indecent images of children.

Jeremy Rawson, appearing for Schon, said he agreed with the sentencing range stated by the prosecution and there were no objections to the proposed Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO). He pleaded mitigation for Schon’s guilty pleas and said the messages occurred in a “moment of madness” over a “short period of time” and after Schon had consumed excess alcohol and cocaine, adding it was all “on the same night and to his credit he severed links with the decoy the following day”.

Mr Rawson said Schon lost his job as a self-employed tiler and became a “recluse” in Runcorn, and hadn’t offended otherwise since 2012, adding Schon “bitterly regrets” his actions.

Judge Michael Leeming branded Schon a "dangerous offender" and sentenced him to five years and three months in prison with four years on extended licence - making a total sentence of nine years and three months.

Schon will serve two thirds of the main custodial term before being considered for parole. Judge Leeming placed him on the sex offenders register and a SHPO for life or until further order.

He recounted the details of the case opening and noted the “graphic sexual comments” made by Schon during the "sustained discussion", as well as what Cheshire Police officers found in his bedroom and on his phone, in addition to Schon’s previous six convictions for 12 offences and failure to comply with an order.

The judge said Schon’s probation report had been “largely unfavourable”, showing Schon tried to “minimise” his behaviour by blaming it on being “intoxicated with alcohol and drugs”.

Judge Leeming said: “The pre-sentence report indicated you completed the Better Lives programme by 2015. You were deterred from reoffending but that didn’t put paid to your sexual interest in children as the current offences show, and the deterrent had certainly worn off by the time of these offences you committed in 2021.”

He added Schon holds “deviant thoughts” and the messages to the decoy “mark a serious escalation in the seriousness of your offending”.

Description

A man who cupped a council workers breasts and then told her they needed lifted up has been ordered to wear an electronic tag for six months.

David Woodcock appeared for sentence at Inverness Sheriff Court after the 56-year-old was found guilty of the sexual assault after a trial.

Description

A County Durham man has been jailed for committing a historic sexual offence against a child.

Paul Cranston was given a hefty prison sentence for carrying out sexual activity against a child, said to have been committed at some point between December 2008 and December 2016.

The 54-year-old, of Stanley, County Durham, appeared at Durham Crown Court on Friday, February 3, to be sentenced for one count of sexual activity with a child. He had been found guilty of the offence after a trial on December 8.

Sentencing Cranston, Judge James Adkin, the Recorder of Durham, handed him a 10-year prison sentence and made him subject of an indefinite sexual harm prevention order. Cranston will also be on the sex offenders' register for an indefinite period.

Description

A SEX attacker from Bonhill who raped three different people in Dumbarton and the Vale is facing a lengthy spell behind bars.

Paul Callanin was found guilty of preying on three different victims in Alexandria, Balloch, Dumbarton and Renton between 2005 and 2013.

The first woman was targeted at different addresses in Alexandria.

Jurors heard how Callanin, 35, pushed the woman onto a bed, held her down and raped her.

The second woman was attacked in a car park in Desire Nightclub in Balloch on Christmas Day 2011.

Callanin is said to have also bitten her during the incident and shoved her onto the ground.

He the raped again to her injury that same day at a flat in Renton.

The final victim was initially subjected to a sex attack at a photography studio in Dumbarton.

Callanin went on to rape them, also at a flat in Renton.

Callanin, of Broomhill Crescent, had denied the accusations during a trial at the High Court in Glasgow.

But, he was convicted of lewd and libidinous conduct against the first victim as well as a separate charge of raping her.

He was found guilty of two rape charges involving the second woman.

Callanin was also convicted of sexual assault and raping the third victim.

Judge William Summers adjourned the case for reports until March 9, when Callanin will appear at the High Court in Aberdeen.

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The mum of a victim of sexual abuse at the hands of a Grimsby man has told of the devastating impact it had on her daughter.

The woman told how after being abused by Jamie Smith, her daughter was so traumatised she self-harmed and changed her appearance in fear of attracting men. She said her teenage years had been robbed as a result.

Smith, 35, formerly of Grimsby but who now lives in Whitehead in Northern Ireland, has been given a 10-month prison sentence, suspended for two years after admitting sexual assault of a child aged under 13.

Smith was also placed on the sex offenders register for 10 years after he pleaded guilty to the charge at Grimsby Crown Court, several years after the original crimes. With the case finally dealt with, the victim's mum told GrimsbyLive she feels as though a weight has been lifted from their shoulders.

She said: "When I found out what had happened I wanted to hurt him for what she told me he'd done. I was so frustrated and if it wasn't for her telling me to not do anything I don't know what I would've done.

"I saw a number of screenshots and messages that suggested something wasn't right and although I believed she was telling the truth from the start, this confirmed it to me. It was at that point that I flipped, but I knew I had to be there for her so I put my own thoughts and feelings to one side whilst I made sure she was okay."

She added: "All her friends and family have supported her through this, but it's not been easy." After the assault, the victim started self-harming and trying to look different.

When her mum asked her why she had changed her appearance and started "dressing differently", the victim told her it was so people would stop "trying it on with me" and to "stop it from happening again".

She added: "It was so difficult to hear her say those things, but you have to put your feelings aside and help them in any way you can." As much as she has been there for her daughter, the incident has meant her life hasn't been what it should have. This whole ordeal stole her teenage years from her and she's only just coming out the other side."

With Smith admitting his crime, the mum feels like it's made things a little bit easier. "It's a relief to know that he admitted what he did. I just hope nobody else gets tricked by him in the future.

"It has come as closure for myself and my daughter, we're trying to put this behind us and just get on with our lives now. Thankfully, she's got her life back, but you never think something like this would ever happen to your family.

"I've felt down myself throughout all of this, but what she's had to go through is just awful. She told me after everything, "he's not broken me, he's the broken one."

Description

A man has been jailed having pleaded guilty to sexual offences against children, including rape.

Colin Phillips, aged 56, from Stevenage in Hertfordshire, has been jailed for 10 years for the crimes.

Mr Phillips appeared at St Albans Crown Court on Thursday, February 9, where he was given a total custody sentence of 14 years (10 years custodial and four years licence).

Additionally, he was added to the sex offenders’ register and placed under a sexual harm prevention order.

Detective Sergeant Dan Osborne, of the Joint Child Protection Investigation Team, said: “A dangerous offender has been removed from the community and put behind bars for despicable behaviour towards children.

“I’d like to highlight the bravery of the victims and families who have supported the investigation to help bring Phillips to justice.”

Mr Phillips was arrested on Thursday, November 3, 2022, and charged with rape of a child under 13 and three counts of sexual assault of a child under 13.

He was also charged with four counts of causing or inciting a child under 13 to engage in sexual activity and three counts of making indecent images of a child.

The offences took place between February 2022 and July 2022.

Description

A pervert who arranged to meet a 14-year-old girl for sex was caught by online paedophile hunters who had been posing as the teenager.

Adam Gruter turned up at the KFC in Darlington in the hope of meeting the teenager but was confronted by members of the Child Online Safety Team who filmed the confrontation face-off.

Teesside Crown Court heard how a woman posing as the teenager had spent several days speaking with the defendant online before the conversation turned sexual and he sent her an indecent picture of himself.

Emma Atkinson, prosecuting, said the defendant had sent a number of messages on WhatsApp after befriending the decoy on Facebook.

She told the court how Gruter quizzed his potential victim about her virginity and bra size while asking her to send images of herself between October 9 and 20 last year.

The adult decoy told the defendant on several occasion that she was 14 and was living in the Newton Aycliffe area but that did not deter his behaviour, Miss Atkinson added.

She said: “They agreed to meet at KFC on Yarm Road, Darlington, after telling her he had booked a room at Bannatyne’s Hotel.”

After he was confronted by the paedophile hunters the police were called and he was arrested, the court heard.

The 43-year-old, of Elm Park Gardens, London, pleaded guilty to inciting or causing a child to engage in sexual activity and attempting to meet a child following grooming.

Robert Mochrie, mitigating, said his client had not been in the area specifically to just meet the ‘teenage girl’ as he was working for a wine company making deliveries all over the country.

Addressing the judge, he added: “He acknowledges that you will be minded to impose an immediate custodial sentence.

“This is unseaming and troubling behaviour which he has engage in.”

Judge Timothy Stead sentenced Gruter to 20 months in custody for both offences after acknowledging that the intended victim was not actually a 14-year-old girl.

He added: “During the exchanges... you demonstrated your intention to carry out this through to a sexual meeting by booking a hotel room.”

Gruter was also made subject to a ten-year sexual harm prevention order and will have to sign the sex offenders’ register for the same period of time.

Description

A pizza delivery driver plied three teenage girls with alcohol and drugs before sexually assaulting and raping one of them in his car. Wahid Bik, who drove around Solihull and Shirley, groomed his victims who were left with emotional scars.

The-43-year-old committed the offences over a month-long period between December 2021 and January last year. He spotted his first victim, a 13-year-old girl, in November 2021 as she was walking home alone. In passing sentence Judge Andrew Smith KC said: "You pulled up in your car and engaged her in conversation and I am sure that you offered her both alcohol and cannabis during that first meeting."

He said it was the beginning of gaining her trust. He said: "You chose girls who were at a vulnerable stage in their teenage lives."

Bik also got the phone numbers of the girls and started to message them. He added: "You sought to make yourself an essential component of their lives by offering them vapes, alcohol and cannabis."

Bik would also pay them compliments telling one she looked like a "supermodel" and another that she was a "pretty lady." The judge said: "You groomed the girls who you ultimately committed serious sexual offences against."

In December the defendant offered to meet and collect two 14-year-old girls. He plied them both with alcohol until they were both severely affected and took them to a secluded location where he climbed into the back seat and carried out a sex attack on one of them.

Just over a week later Bik took two other girls aged 14 and 13 to a secluded location and, after also plying them with drink, began by touching one of them on the leg during the journey. He then kissed her before going on to carry out a more serious sexual attack on both of them, twice raping the other girl.

At one point one of the victims tried to use her phone to get help but Bik took it from her. Eventually one of them did manage to message a friend which lead to the defendant later being arrested with both girls still in his vehicle.

Bik of Walsgrave Drive, Solihull, who had previously been found guilty, following a trial at Birmingham Crown Court of two charges of rape, two of attempted rape, three of sexual assault and two other serious sexual offences, was jailed for 22 years.

Judge Smith said what Bik had done had had a "profound" effect on the victims and their families and added: "It has made them feel unsafe and left them with emotional scars that will be difficult, at the very least, to heal."

He told Bik: "You have shown absolutely no remorse for your criminal acts.

"Your offending was both sustained and involved significant planning. You took the risk of committing the offences on the night of January 30 and 31 having committed serious offences just a few weeks earlier.

"This demonstrates a pattern of behaviour." He said it was only as a result of chance that he was stopped.

Antonie Muller, prosecuting, said: "He used alcohol and other intoxicants. It is an aggravating feature that there were other people in the car and he himself was intoxicated."

Abigail Nixon, defending, said: "He is effectively of good character who came to this country and became educated and got a university degree and had good employment."

Description

A serial sex offender dubbed the 'Night Bus Beast' who continued to walk the streets following multiple police failings could soon be released from prison following an upcoming parole hearing.

Terrorising women as part of campaign of terror, Kirk Reid, now 58, was convicted of 26 indecent assaults and two rapes in 2009.

Targeting lone female passengers over a 23-year period in London, Reid's conviction exposed a series of failings by the Metropolitan Police.

Likened to the case of 'Black Cab Rapist' John Worboys in terms of the prolific nature of his offending, police failings saw him remain at large despite multiple arrest opportunities.

Now, the serial offender, who was given a life term and ordered to serve a minimum of seven-and-a-half years behind bars, has been transferred to an open prison following an earlier parole hearing.

It's a move that often precedes an offender being released on license.

The lowest category jail, open prisons allow for minimal security measures and the opportunity for visitors to work outside of the prison's walls.

According to the Daily Mail, Reid's new parole hearing is scheduled to take place in May 2023.

At the time of his conviction, Reid was described as a "Jekyll and Hyde" character by Judge Shani Barnes who was overseeing the case at Kingston Crown Court.

Despite being convicted of the 28 counts, the total number of victims is believed to be closer to 100.

It was revealed that Reid, who was a chef at the time, was identified as a suspect following a series of sex attacks in 2004, a name that was flagged to police at least 12 times without any further enquiries being launched.

Following the conviction, assistant Met commissioner John Yates conceded that multiple errors had been made in the handling of the case.

'Nothing can adequately excuse the failure to follow up straightforward lines of inquiry that should have seen Reid arrested at that time,' Yates wrote retrospectively in the Guardian in March 2009.

It was revealed that Reid, who was a chef at the time, was identified as a suspect following a series of sex attacks in 2004, a name flagged to police at least 12 times without further enquiries being launched.

Reid, also an amateur referee of women's football matches, targeting women walking alone or travelling on public transport.

He was only by change that Reid was brought to justice in January 2008 when the case was handed to a senior detective from the homicide and serious crime command unit who linked him using DNA.

Description

A man previously jailed for voyeurism in public toilets has been sent to prison again for breaching a court order to watch indecent videos online.

Christopher Rufford, aged 41, of Semilong, appeared at Northampton Crown Court on Thursday, February 9 after pleading guilty to breaching a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) three times.

David Lee, prosecuting, told the court that Rufford failed to notify police about an additional device he had in addition to an online Snapchat account, which he used every day in July 2022 when he was in Northampton and Staffordshire.
  
Christopher Rufford, aged 41, was sentenced at Northampton Crown Court on Thursday, February 9 2023

The court heard that Rufford’s Amazon Fire tablet was found to have deleted internet history.

Mr Lee told the court that Rufford was also found to be searching for explicit videos involving defecation on December 14 2022, which he said reminded him of his previous offences of voyeurism in public women’s toilets.
Rufford was arrested on December 22.  He denied any knowledge of a Snapchat account and told police that his Amazon Fire must have automatically deleted his history for him but apologised for breaching the order.

The defendant has multiple prison sentences for voyeurism and subsequent breaches of SHPOs.

Emily Culverhouse, in mitigation, said: “He accepts that he should have changed his history and deletion settings. He was living in a house with multiple occupants at the time of his arrest and does not understand how these things were accessed but does accept that they were found in his possession.”

The defence barrister said Rufford was, at the time of offending, considered a “medium risk” to the public, which he had “worked hard” towards and he has elderly parents, who he is keen to spend time with.

His Honour Judge Mooncey told the defendant: “You are no stranger to this court and this kind of offending. You have a horrendous history with some persistent breaches and your sentences have increased as time has gone on.” He added: “You are using technology for your own dirty disgusting urges.”

Rufford sobbed and wept on the video-link as he was sentenced to 27 months in prison. The existing SHPO was kept in place until 2028.

Description

A convicted sex offender left a woman he befriended online 'petrified' by threatening to go to her house and kill her after she found out about his disturbing past.

Jordan Rutherford was locked up for two years in October 2021 for engaging in sexual activity with a 14-year-old girl, threatening to kill her and possessing knives. He was released from that sentence in January last year and failed to engage properly with the probation service and sabotaged their extensive efforts to get accommodation.

He told his probation officer he was experiencing an "urge to reoffend and push boundaries because of the thrill it gave him". Having struck up an online conversation with a woman from Ashington in March, he went on to tell her he had been in prison but gave an account which minimised his offending.

Newcastle Crown Court heard that despite him not revealing the truth about what he had done, the woman, who had planned to meet him, was nonetheless shocked and said she needed to get back to work and hung up.

Rutherford then texted her telling her to ignore what he was about to send her on WhatsApp - which was a message saying "I'm going to kill you, I'm going to come to your house and I will put your door through. I will come in and I really want to hurt you. I love you but I need to end you."

Liam O'Brien, prosecuting, said: "Notwithstanding the text message, this scared her. Her concern increased an hour later when she was contacted by his probation officer, who explained the true extent of his sexual offending and the fact he had a history of carrying knives."

The woman woke the following morning to find more threatening messages from Rutherford, threatening to go to her home and kill her. He the expressed frustration that she had blocked him and continued to send threatening messages.

Mr O'Brien said: "He said he would wait for her to finish work and follow her into her home, lock the door and kill her. He warned her 'you won't be able to escape and before you know it you will be dead'.

"It's clear he would have been aware he was scaring her and she wanted him to stop but he didn't. She was petrified and believed he was going to hurt her.

"He sent a screenshot of his location showing he was nearby. She knew he was not from Ashington and had no reason to be there. She was also aware he wanted to be locked up."

The woman was so afraid she got her stepdad to meet her from work and called the police. Mr O'Brien said: "She was not the only person he told he was going to murder her. He repeatedly contacted the emergency services and disclosed his intention."

He rang the police four times and eventually met officers and was arrested. When his phone was examined he had researched sentencing guidelines for making threats to kill and had researched "disturbing things to say about killing people", which Mr O'Brien said was "presumably to make the threats as chilling as they could be".

Despite being recalled to prison, he tried to contact the woman, getting another prisoner to ask her to email him.

In a victim impact statement, she said: "When I first met him online I thought he was a normal boy but it's clear he is not. Since I started receiving threats to my life I've been absolutely petrified to leave the house.

"I'm constantly looking over my shoulder and feel I can't go anywhere by myself. I'm terrified in case he is around the corner.

"I don't know why he is behaving like this but I want it to stop. It's affecting my work and social life and I just want to be left alone."

The court heard that in the previous offences against the 14-year-old, he had also threatened to go to her house and kill her.

Rutherford, 21, of no fixed address, pleaded guilty to stalking involving fear of violence and was jailed for three years and given a restraining order. Pre-sentence reports said he poses a high risk of harm.

Vic Laffey, defending, said: "His motivation was to get himself arrested and recalled. His head was in a strange place at the time.

"He caused this young lady, who didn't deserve it, significant distress but he didn't know where she lived or worked. He deeply regrets betraying this young woman's trust and making her feel unsafe.

"He promises the restraining order will not be breached. He is disappointed at offending again on licence. He was overwhelmed and didn't cope with being released from prison. He acted selfishly in involving her but got to the point he thought it would be better in prison."

Description

A CONVICTED rapist has been found guilty of an attack on a second woman and now faces even longer behind bars.

David Gilks of Sayers Avenue, Malvern was convicted of a second rape by a jury just before Christmas and falls to be sentenced at Worcester Crown Court on Friday, February 17.

The 30-year-old sex offender carried out the rape against an adult woman in September 2019.

Gilks denied the offence but was convicted by the jury on December 23 last year. The case was then adjourned for sentence. He remains in custody until he is sentenced later this month. Time spent on remand is deducted from any custodial sentence imposed by the court.

He also has a previous conviction for rape from September 2014 which is taken as an aggravating feature by the courts. This attack was also against an adult woman. 

West Mercia Police has applied for a sexual harm prevention order which, for the first time, contains a positive requirement other than prohibitions.

Officers and civilian staff with an intimate knowledge of the case stressed that it would be for a judge sitting in the crown court to decide whether the draft order they had requested would be granted.

The positive requirement would require Gilks to inform West Mercia Police of information which they believe would better help them monitor his behaviour in the community upon release.

Although a sexual harm prevention order is a civil order, breaching it is a criminal offence and can bring sex offenders back before a court where they may face more draconian measures to monitor and control their behaviour or, potentially, a further custodial sentence.

A spokesperson for West Mercia Police said: "We are committed to protecting women and girls from sexual violence and harm using every tool at our disposal, especially civil orders."

She said West Mercia Police was committed to using new legislation to protect the public in South Worcestershire.

We have previously reported how police and crime commissioner John Campion has highlighted the impact of Violence against Women and Girls (VAWG) on society with a focus on educating, encouraging a societal change, engaging with the community and empowering women and girls.

VAWG has featured heavily in the headlines in the last year following the tragic death of Sarah Everard with the second anniversary of her murder next month.

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A 46-year-old man has been sentenced to eight and-a-half years in prison for a series of child sex offences. ‌‌‌‍‌‌‌‌‌‍‌‌‌‌‍‌‌‌‌‌‌‍‌‌‌‌‌ ‌‌‌‌‌‌‍‌‌‌‌‌‍‌‌‌‌‌

Wayne Philip Phillipson appeared at Mold Crown Court today charged with 18 offences in relation to Operation Blue Breeze, a UK-wide CSE investigation. ‌‌‌‍‌‌‌‌‌‍‌‌‌‌‍‌‌‌‌‌‌‍‌‌‌‌‌ ‌‌‌‌‌‌‍‌‌‌‌‌‍‌‌‌‌‌

Phillipson of Kent Road, Consett, used Snapchat and an app called Wink to befriend 12 to 14-year-old children across the country and incited them to send him indecent images. ‌‌‌‍‌‌‌‌‌‍‌‌‌‌‍‌‌‌‌‌‌‍‌‌‌‌‌ ‌‌‌‌‌‌‍‌‌‌‌‌‍‌‌‌‌‌

He was homeless and would travel across the country attempting to meet children, whom he had contacted online, in person before ultimately being arrested in Wrexham city centre on 9 June, 2022. ‌‌‌‍‌‌‌‌‌‍‌‌‌‌‍‌‌‌‌‌‌‍‌‌‌‌‌ ‌‌‌‌‌‌‍‌‌‌‌‌‍‌‌‌‌‌

Upon arrest, his mobile phone was found to contain in excess of 100 indecent images and North Wales Police were able to evidence contact with 29 children across the UK. ‌‌‌‍‌‌‌‌‌‍‌‌‌‌‍‌‌‌‌‌‌‍‌‌‌‌‌ ‌‌‌‌‌‌‍‌‌‌‌‌‍‌‌‌‌‌

In today’s court proceedings, Phillipson was also sentenced for another child sex offence which took place in the Durham area. ‌‌‌‍‌‌‌‌‌‍‌‌‌‌‍‌‌‌‌‌‌‍‌‌‌‌‌ ‌‌‌‌‌‌‍‌‌‌‌‌‍‌‌‌‌‌

Detective Constable Dan Pleass said: “Wayne Phillipson is a dangerous predator who used social media to target vulnerable children and gain their trust in order to exploit them to fulfil his own sexual desires. ‌‌‌‍‌‌‌‌‌‍‌‌‌‌‍‌‌‌‌‌‌‍‌‌‌‌‌ ‌‌‌‌‌‌‍‌‌‌‌‌‍‌‌‌‌‌

“This case highlights just how important it is for children and their parents to know exactly who they are speaking to online. For more information on keeping yourself and your children safe online I urge you to visit https://hwb.gov.wales/zones/keeping-safe-online/ ‌‌‌‍‌‌‌‌‌‍‌‌‌‌‍‌‌‌‌‌‌‍‌‌‌‌‌ ‌‌‌‌‌‌‍‌‌‌‌‌‍‌‌‌‌‌

“Firstly, I would like to praise the victims and their families for having the courage and determination to come forward to give their accounts, which ultimately have resulted in a dangerous sexual predator being removed from our community. ‌‌‌‍‌‌‌‌‌‍‌‌‌‌‍‌‌‌‌‌‌‍‌‌‌‌‌ ‌‌‌‌‌‌‍‌‌‌‌‌‍‌‌‌‌‌

“I also want to pay tribute to those victims who didn’t feel ready to speak to police on record about what had happened but still provided vital evidence to help us with our enquiries. ‌‌‌‍‌‌‌‌‌‍‌‌‌‌‍‌‌‌‌‌‌‍‌‌‌‌‌ ‌‌‌‌‌‌‍‌‌‌‌‌‍‌‌‌‌‌

“Finally, on behalf of North Wales Police, I am extremely grateful for the support offered by multiple UK police forces during the course of this investigation who have shown that the police will leave no stone unturned when investigating those who seek to do harm to the most vulnerable members of our society. ‌‌‌‍‌‌‌‌‌‍‌‌‌‌‍‌‌‌‌‌‌‍‌‌‌‌‌ ‌‌‌‌‌‌‍‌‌‌‌‌‍‌‌‌‌‌

“I would also ask anyone who has been contacted by Wayne Phillipson or his alias ‘Josh Lawton’ to contact police on 101 and discuss your concerns, which will be treated in full confidence. When you are ready to talk, we will be ready to listen.” ‌‌‌‍‌‌‌‌‌‍‌‌‌‌‍‌‌‌‌‌‌‍‌‌‌‌‌ ‌‌‌‌‌‌‍‌‌‌‌‌‍‌‌‌‌‌

Description

A vicar found with more than 20,000 indecent images of children on his computer has been convicted in court.

David Renshaw was found guilty of eight counts after a trial at Hove Crown Court on Tuesday, February 7th.

These included three counts of possessing indecent images of children, three counts of making indecent images of children, three counts of possessing prohibited images of children, and three counts of possessing extreme pornographic images depicting acts of intercourse with animals, specifically dogs and horses.

The 63-year-old, of Wallace Avenue, Worthing, was arrested in June 2019 after an illegal image was discovered on a file-sharing website in New Zealand.

Because the account was linked to Renshaw via his email address and IP address, officials notified the National Crime Agency, who notified Sussex Police.

After obtaining and executing a search warrant at his residence in August 2020, police seized a number of devices. There were a total of 22,504 illegal images discovered.

The RSPCA also seized several dogs, cats, and chickens that were severely malnourished.

Renshaw, the vicar of Holy Trinity and Christ Church in Worthing, was arrested and charged with the offences, which he vigorously denied.

The Crown Prosecution Service authorised the charges, which followed an intelligence-led investigation by the Sussex Police Paedophile Online Investigation Team (POLIT).

Renshaw was found guilty on all eight counts by a jury at Hove Crown Court, where he was tried. He has been released on bail until his sentencing on March 13th.

“Throughout this investigation, Renshaw has sought to blame everyone but himself,” said the investigating officer, Detective Sergeant David Rose. He has refused to accept or accept responsibility for his actions, which I am sure would outrage the local parish he represented.

“Through painstaking and careful enquiries, we were able to show that the child abuse images were on his computer, saved under his username and found on a hard drive on his desk. The sheer number of images suggests that they were amassed over a long period of time.

“The search for his address was one of the most revolting tasks our officers have ever had to endure. Aside from malnourished living animals, there was a dead rotting kitten and a dead rotting rat on the floor, as well as used needles and other drug paraphernalia. The search was an extremely unpleasant scene.

“It was also a particularly harrowing experience for the officer who had to sift through and grade each image, something that will stay with him for the rest of his life.

“I am grateful to our partner agencies for their support, and to the Diocese of Chichester for their full co-operation throughout the investigation.

“All necessary safeguarding investigations were conducted, and no identifiable children were at risk in this case.”

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A sex offender who failed to attend court on the last day of his trial was today (Thursday) jailed for three years.

James Wray, 43, was convicted in his absence of two charges of sexual assault against a child by the jury at Lincoln Crown Court.

Wray, formerly of Quadring Road, Donington, was later remanded in to custody to await his sentence hearing.

He was unanimously convicted of the offences, which took place between 2015 and 2018, during a three day trial before Christmas.

Siward James-Moore, prosecuting, told the hearing Wray’s victim, who can not be named for legal reasons, had made an impact statement which was provided to the sentencing judge.

Karen Walton, mitigating, told the court Wray had been abusing alcohol and had never previously shown any deviant behaviour towards children.

Miss Walton said Wray simply “panicked” on the final day of his trial, and had now spent over two months in prison.

“He is on a wing and has a job but he wants the chance to work with probation,” Miss Walton added.

“In his own words ‘he would dedicate himself to it’ as he wants the help,” Miss Walton added.

Passing sentence Judge James House KC told Wray: “These offences are so serious that only an immediate custodial sentence is appropriate.”

Judge House said it was clear Wray’s victim had suffered “enormous pain and confusion.”

Wray was also sentenced to seven days imprisonment for the offence of failing to attend his trial which will run alongside his three year sentence.

Police said the charges were brought on June 10, 2021, following a thorough investigation by officers in the Protecting Vulnerable People (PVP) unit.

The investigation was launched following an allegation by the victim who came forward in 2020.

Detective Inspector Lee Nixon from PVP, said: “The courage of the victim to come forward and report these crimes should not be underestimated, and I want to thank them for taking that brave step.

“This case demonstrates that we will take reports seriously regardless of when the abuse occurred. I am really pleased with the verdict, and while no court outcome can ever undo the suffering at the hands of the predator involved, I hope that the victim can now feel they have received justice.”