Latest Offenders

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A man from Banbury has been jailed after being found guilty of nine child sex crimes over a two-year period.

Spencer King, aged 54, formerly of Banbury, abused the victim over a two-year period, before she bravely reported it to Northamptonshire Police and he was subsequently charged with a number of offences.

When interviewed by the police, King denied the allegations and went on to plead not guilty at Northampton Crown Court, which meant forced the case to go to a trial.

King was convicted of by a jury of seven counts of sexual assault, one count of sexually assaulting a girl under 13, and one count of sexually assaulting a girl aged 13-15 by penetration last November.

Last week (February 3) King was sentenced to nine years and six months in prison at Northampton Crown Court and was also handed a Sexual Harm Prevention Order and a restraining order which will run indefinitely.

Detective Constable James Wright of the Child Abuse Investigation Unit, said: “This case took a long time to bring to trial due to a number of issues and the Covid-19 pandemic, but the victim never waived.

“She has shown strength, bravery and tenacity beyond her years, facing Spencer King at court during the trial to tell him and the jury exactly what he had done to her. She showed him that what he did to her, although having a profound effect on her, was not going to rule her life.

“King continued to deny the allegations that were made against him during the course of the investigation and in the giving of his evidence during the trial, but the jury saw through these lies and convicted him of a number of serious sexual offences.

“He will now serve his sentence for this horrendous abuse, and hopefully the time that he will spend in prison will give him the opportunity to reflect on his abhorrent actions.”

Description

A 26-year-old Exeter man has been jailed for raping a 12-year-old boy. Christopher Houghton committed multiple sex assaults on the child and tried to buy his silence by offering gifts.

He also took indecent photos of his victim and shared them with another paedophile. The boy told his parents about what had happened and Houghton was arrested.

The defendant, of Brunswick Street, pleaded guilty to two charges of sexual assault against a child under 13, four charges of raping a child, and one each of making and distributing indecent images. He was jailed for eight years.

Mr Rupert Taylor, defending, said Houghton had not tried to lie about his behaviour and has shown remorse. He has been diagnosed on the autistic spectrum with learning difficulties. He is a man of previous good character. Exeter Crown Court was told the abuse had led to the boy suffering mental health issues.

Judge Anna Richardson said the defendant was only 23 at the time and barely had an adult brain. References said he was a 'kind and thoughtful' man and he has been behaving well in custody since his arrest and addressing his behaviour by attending courses.

The defendant must serve two thirds of his sentence in prison before he can be considered for release.

Description

A Romanian man caught out by paedophile hunters was arrested at an airport after sending a teenage girl indecent images and videos.

Gheorge Paris, 33, told officers he was a "religious" person and "wouldn't do that" when he was questioned about the sexualised chat he had attempted to have with a 13-year-old girl named Lily-Rose.

Lilly-Rose was a decoy used by members of Predator Exposure - a group that works with the police to snare offenders who try and use social media to talk to children for their own sexual gratification.

Prosecutor Bashir Ahmed told Leeds Crown Court on Friday Paris, who appeared via a video link from HMP Leeds, began talking to Lily in May 2021. He said: "She made it clear to him she was 13-years-old. The chat very quickly became sexual in nature. He asked if she wanted to meet in private at his home address. He gave her details of his address and some other personal details like his cars.

"He asked her to send photographs of her naked."

The court was told Paris then sent indecent images of himself, videos of him masturbating and images of naked women. Mr Ahmed said: "He asked her if she wanted to have sex with him and said he would teach her how to do it. She told him she was too young. The chat ended on around 22nd June 2021."

Predator Exposure went to the address in Leeds Paris had given them but he was not there. It was not until April 2 last year that he was arrested at Liverpool John Lennon Airport, the court heard.

Mr Ahmed said: "He was interviewed at a police station and denied being in any chat with Lily or sending pictures or videos to her. He said he was a religious person and wouldn't do that."

Paris also suggested the offences could have actually been the work of a "disgruntled customer seeking revenge for buying a faulty car off him." He entered guilty pleas to the charges of attempting to communicate sexually with a child and attempting to cause a child to watch a sexual act at a plea, trial and preparation hearing in January this year.

The court heard he had previous convictions for offences including sexual activity with a child which had taken place in Romania. He had been given prison sentences for the offences.

Mitigating, Jim Littlehales, told the court Paris would be deported at the end of his sentence.

Her Honour Judge Penelope Belcher jailed Paris for 22 months and told him: "The pre-sentence report says you have pro-criminal attitudes especially in relation to sex offending and considers there is a high risk of sex offending with a significant impact on those impacted by it.

"These findings are enormously concerning."

Paris was also ordered to comply with notification requirements as a sex offender for ten years. He was made the subject of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order for the same amount of time.

Description

A serial sex offender who abused nine women over a 15-year period has been jailed for 12 years.

Stephen Kidd, 36, was earlier convicted by a jury of offences in the Aberdeen area between 2005 and 2020.

At the High Court in Edinburgh, he was told by Lord Weir that a lengthy custodial term was required.

Passing sentence, the judge also ordered Kidd to be supervised by the authorities for three years following his release from custody.

Kidd shot a video of himself sexually assaulting one of his victims.

The jury returned guilty verdicts to charges including rape and indecent assault.

During proceedings last December, Kidd accepted that the evidence painted a picture of him being a violent and controlling individual.

On Tuesday, defence advocate Gary Allan KC told Lord Weir that Kidd still maintained he was innocent of any wrongdoing, but accepted he would be going to prison for his crimes.

'Commend their bravery'

The judge told Kidd: "The jury must have been satisfied that you were responsible for the offences which show of your sinister and controlling conduct.

"There's no alternative in this case to the imposition of a lengthy custodial sentence.

"I'm also satisfied that in light of your crimes that there has to be a period of supervision - that is necessary to secure the public from serious harm when you are released from custody."

Police Scotland welcomed the conviction of Kidd, from Peterculter, and said it was hoped it would bring some closure to the women involved.

Det Insp Gordon Patullo said: "Our thought are very much with Kidd's victims. I commend them all for their bravery in coming forward.

"Kidd subjected women to sexual and physical assault over a 15-year period. He has shown no remorse for his crimes.

"I would urge anyone who wishes to report a sexual crime, no matter how long ago, to contact us."

Description

Paedophile hunters teamed up to catch a pervert with an "unhealthy" sexual interest in children after they tricked him into thinking that he was meeting up with a 14-year-old girl at Hull railway station.

Andrew Nudd began chatting with her on Facebook before sending an intimate picture of himself in an attempt to groom her for sexual activity - but the girl was really a decoy and did not even exist, Hull Crown Court heard.

Nudd, 55, of May Street, Hull, admitted attempting to communicate sexually with a child that he believed was 14, attempting to incite a child to engage in sexual activity and attempting to meet a child following sexual grooming. Stephen Robinson, prosecuting, said that a woman who was part of an online child protection group set up a profile on Facebook of a fake 14-year-old girl to see if anyone would start a conversation with her.

Nudd sent a message on November 1, 2021 but the non-existent girl sent a message back that made it clear that she was supposedly at school and in a lesson. There were further messages about how they could communicate.

Nudd told her that she was pretty and that they could be friends or more. The conversations became sexualised and he asked the decoy girl for a picture and talked about sexual parts of her body. He asked her if she was turned on.

He sent an intimate picture of himself and spoke about his use of cannabis and said that he was "stoned" while doing so. Text messages were exchanged.

He suggested that they could "get stoned" together and that he would be honoured to be her first boyfriend and that he would be gentle with her.

A meeting was arranged between them at Hull railway station after she had supposedly arrived on a train from Manchester. But the woman behind the fake profile approached a member of another paedophile hunters group for help in apprehending him. Nudd was identified and detained nearby, with others live streaming the confrontation to Facebook.

Screenshots of messages that he sent were handed over to the police, who arrested him. He claimed during interview that he never believed that the fake girl was aged 14 because "everyone lied on the internet".

They had chatted on Facebook for two weeks and it became sexual. The court heard that Nudd had previous convictions, including for affray in September 2021.

Nudd was given a two-year suspended prison sentence, a sex offenders' treatment programme, 20 days' rehabilitation and a 10-year sexual harm prevention order. He must register as a sex offender for 10 years.

Recorder Anthony Hawks told Nudd: "You must have had an unhealthy, perverted sexual interest in pre-pubescent girls. Anybody who hears the facts in this case would be disgusted by your behaviour. You had better start accepting responsibility. The purpose of this probation order is to try to stop you doing this again."

Ben Hammersley, mitigating, said that Nudd appreciated how close he had come to being jailed that day.

Description

A pervert turned up at a Newcastle hotel hoping to meet a 14-year-old boy he had been grooming online but was instead greeted by police.

Brett Lambert, described as a "risk-taking sexual thrill seeker", had expressed fears the online profile he had been engaging with was a decoy being run by the police or vigilantes but decided to go ahead with the meet-up anyway. When he checked into a hotel in Newcastle city centre, he found his fears had been correct and the '14-year-old boy' was actually an account set up by police

Newcastle Crown Court heard it was in May last year that oil rig worker Lambert was travelling home from Aberdeen on a train and went on the Fab Guys website. He got talking to someone whose profile suggested he was 18 but who said he was actually 14.

Lambert was told the lad was in class and asked for a picture and was sent an image of a boy in a school uniform holding a piece of paper. Lambert refused to send a picture of himself and asked if the boy knew any females who would have a threesome.

Lambert questioned if the profile was being run by a "nonce hunter" but when told they could cancel meeting up he said he was "still up for it and just nervous". He also told the boy to bring a condom.

Lambert arrived at the Easy Hotel, in Newcastle, took his bags to his room and went down to the lobby to meet the boy but was met by police and arrested. He claimed he had a "weird fetish" where he liked to arrange to meet people but just watch them and not engage with them. He added that he thought it was a vigilante group or the police and he was "intrigued who would turn up" and denied having any intention to follow through with any sexual activity.

Lambert, 29, who has no previous convictions, pleaded guilty to attempting to meet a child following sexual grooming and was sentenced to 15 months suspended for two years with 100 hours unpaid work and rehabiliation. He was also ordered to sign the sex offender register and will be subject to a sexual harm prevention order for ten years

Description

Karl Davison claimed he "hadn't set out to find" the disturbing material but had been sent it after "finding himself" in a couple of groups online. A court heard that, despite the 33-year-old stating he'd deleted some of his collection, 44 sick photos and videos were still found on his phone.

Magistrates were told that Davison had 23 category A pictures and films, which are the most serious kind and involve penetrative sexual activity. He also had 22 category B and one category C.

Davison, of Chillingham Road, in Heaton, could now end up behind bars after he pleaded guilty to three counts of making an indecent image of a child. The case was adjourned for the preparation of a pre-sentence report but the pervert was warned custody was still an option.

Rob Lawson, prosecuting at Newcastle Magistrates' Court, said: "The material in question was saved on the defendant's phone. With the early guilty plea, this case may fall within your sentencing powers. The aggravating factors are the ages of the children involved, between six and 14, and at least one of the videos shows distress suffered by a child."

Mark Humble, defending, said: "Mr Davison didn't set out to find these images. He found himself in a couple of groups online and that led to the images coming his way. He did delete some of them but, when his phone was examined, there were the images you have heard about still retained on the phone."

Magistrates adjourned the case for the preparation of a pre-sentence report. Davison was released on unconditional bail to next appear before the same court on February 22. In the meantime, he must sign the Sex Offenders' Register.

Description

A ‘sexual predator’ who persistently abused a nine-year-old girl in her own bed has been jailed.

David Howie, 52, has been handed a six and a half year sentence today after he was found guilty at a trial of sexual assault on a child under 13, and causing or inciting a child under 13 to engage in sexual activity.

The court heard how the girl, who was aged between nine and 13 at the time, was ‘relieved’ when she could finally report the ’persistent’ abuse to her grandmother.

The incidents took place between the Blackburn and Scarborough areas, with some incidents taking place in the girl's bed.

Prosecutor Kristian Cavanagh said: “She felt relief at being able to tell her Grandma.

“She knew what was happening wasn’t right but she was scared and the years were tough.

“She has struggled to concentrate in school. The court proceedings were hard but she is glad she was believed by the jury.

“She is hopeful for the future.”

Mr Kavanagh said between 2016 and 2020, Howie slept in the girl's bed a number of times when he would touch her legs, bottom and vagina.

She once stayed at his home where he also touched her inappropriately.

Between 2018 and 2020, Howie and the girl would have video calls where he asked her to show him her pubic hair and asked her to perform provocative dances.

Howie also told her ‘not to tell her mum she had seen his willy’.

The girl's mother told police about how she could not believe the allegations her daughter was making and is upset Howie had 'stolen her daughter's innocence'.

Mitigating, Matthew Moore-Taylor said Howie had been diagnosed with prostate cancer and he would struggle to access the necessary treatment in hospital.

Mr Moore-Taylor added Howie also struggles with mental health issues and he has already lost a lot since the prosecution.

Mr Moore-Taylor said: “He has reached a terminus in his life.

“He is already suffering the consequences. He has lost what gave his life value. He had a family, a child.

“He lost his work, he lost his home and will lose his liberty.”

Judge Heather Lloyd said she did not believe Howie felt any remorse or insight into what he did.

She said: “You were well loved. You stayed in the girl's family home and in same bed as the girl.

“Unbeknownst to the risk of the family, you were a man who became a sexual predator.

“You took advantage of the opportunity you had to sexually abuse a girl in her own home.”

Howie, now of Bridlington, in the East Riding of Yorkshire, was jailed for six years and six months in a hearing at Preston Crown Court.

DC Jo Billington, of Lancashire Police's East Rape and Serious Sexual Offences team (RASSO), said: “David Howie has taken advantage of this young girl to satisfy his own perverted sexual desires and by doing so has effectively stolen her innocence.

"I would like to commend her for having the courage to both come forward and disclose what happened to her and for going through the court process which has meant reliving her abuse.

“I hope this conviction and sentence will give others who may have suffered similar abuse the courage to speak up in the knowledge that we will believe them, we will investigate professionally and sensitively, and we will do all we can to bring offenders to justice.”

Description

A 'sleazy' Solihull man who sexually assaulted a teenager on a train has been jailed. Ben Pountney, 30, targeted the 17-year-old victim on a quiet train.

Pountney, of Swallows Meadow, Solihull, boarded a quiet train from Stratford-Upon-Avon and sat opposite the victim, Warwick Crown Court heard. He proceeded to persistently ask the teen about her shoes and went on to sexually assault her, before leaving the train.

Labelled "vile" by investigating officers, Pountney pleaded guilty to one count of sexual assault at a trial on December 5 2022. He was sentenced to 20 months in prison at trial on Thursday, January 26.

Officers say Pountney was identified and arrested following help from the public and a media appeal.

The court heard how on Tuesday, October 13, 2020, the 17-year-old victim was travelling on a quiet train from Stratford-upon-Avon when a man boarded a few stops later and sat opposite her. She noticed the man looking at her and after a short while, he began speaking to her. He persistently asked about the shoes she was wearing and her shoe size.

He stated that he wanted to buy a similar pair for his niece while getting closer to the girl and leaning in towards her. He then sexually assaulted her and got off the train.

Following a number of enquiries and a media appeal to the public, Pountney was later identified and arrested. Investigating officers at the British Transport Police said actions like Pountney's will not be tolerated on the transport network.

'Vile' offender

Investigating officer Police sergeant Daniel Hart said: “Pountney is a vile offender who targeted a lone teenager and subjected her to a distressing sexual assault.

"His sleazy behaviour is a prime example of the harassment and intimidation of women and girls which we are dedicated to tackling on the network. It simply won’t be tolerated, and we will bring offenders to justice.

"If you are a victim of, or a witness to, a sexual offence on the railway - I urge you to report it to BTP by texting 61016 or via the Railway Guardian app. We will always take you seriously."

Pountney was sentenced to 20 months in prison, handed a 10-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order and ordered to sign the Sex Offenders Register for 10 years at his sentencing last month.

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Thomas Lock, 32, carried out the disgusting act with the aid of a cuddly toy in front of a child

A County Durham pervert who carried out a sex act involving a "cuddly toy" in front of a child has been put behind bars.

Thomas Lock carried out the disgusting act with the aid of a cuddly toy in front of a child. The 32-year-old told the child he was carrying out a "naughty game" and denied everything when arrested.

Lock was sentenced at Durham Crown Court on Thursday for engaging in a sexual act in the presence of a child. He continues to deny the offence but was found guilty by a jury after a trial.

Nick Adlington, prosecuting, said Lock - who appeared at the court via link from HMP Durham - carried out the sex act and involved a "cuddly toy" whilst in the presence of a child.

Mark Styles, defending, said Lock had no previous convictions and still does not accept the verdict of the jury. He said: "This is a difficult time for the defendant as he's never lost his liberty before. It came at a time in the wake of the death of his father, which had been anticipated. It was very difficult for him."

Mr Styles added: "He's got a good work record and was only unemployed for a limited period of time whilst awaiting trial in this matter. He's attempting to use his time in custody wisely and understands the significant impact this has had."

Sentencing Lock, Judge Jo Kidd said: "You were convicted by a jury and maintain you are not guilty. This was a deeply troubling incident, potentially foreshadowing further sexual offences, and was used in a manipulative way by using a toy to normalise your sexual activity. You called it a naughty game."

Lock, of High Etherley, near Bishop Auckland, was jailed for 30 months and will be on the sex offender's register indefinitely. An indefinite sexual harm prevention order was also imposed.

Description

A man has been jailed after he groomed a vulnerable young girl and committed multiple sexual offences against her. Dennis Davies, aged 64, carried out the string of abuse over the course of around a year after “significant planning and grooming”.

Davies, previously of Pen y Bryn in Skewen, near Neath, was found guilty of two counts of assaulting a girl under 13 by penetration and five counts of sexual assault on a girl under 13 following a trial last month. At a sentencing hearing held at Swansea Crown Court on Monday, prosecution barrister Ian Wright outlined the severity of Davies’ crimes, and the fact that he knew of his victim’s vulnerability and implored her not to tell anyone of the sexual offences he was inflicting upon her.

In a victim impact statement read in court, the victim said that what she endured left her so distraught that she tried to take her own life, while her mother also had a statement read out in court in which she explained the “massive change” she has seen in her daughter since the abuse started. In mitigation, defence barrister Ieuan Rees said Davies had no previous convictions and had been a “productive member of society” who had “never been in trouble of any sort before”.

As Judge Geraint Walters summed up the case, two people in the public gallery got up and left the courtroom, such was the severity of the “multiple offences” he was describing. He said: “Over a period of about a year you routinely and persistently sexually abused her. You recognised her vulnerabilities. You carried out a variety of sexual offences against her.” The Judge concluded his remarks by saying that the victim has been “left with life-long consequences” because of what Davies did.

Davies was sentenced to a total of 16 years in prison, made up of 15 years plus an extension of a year due to being “an offender of extreme concern”. He was told that he will not be considered for early release for at least two-thirds of that sentence, and that he will have to remain on the sex offenders’ register for the rest of his life. A life-long restraining order was also made, prohibiting him from contacting his victim ever again.

Description

An “immature” teenager, who groomed two girls before committing sexual offences on both, has received an eight-year prison sentence.

Ellis Henderson was sentenced today (Monday February 6) after being convicted last month of two charges of rape of a child under 13, one count of sexual assault of a child under 13 and two counts of sexual activity with a child.

The now 20-year-old defendant, of Paxton Close, Newton Aycliffe, denied the charges but was found guilty following a trial which spanned the Christmas/New Year break, at Durham Crown Court.

The sentence was adjourned to allow for preparation of a Probation Service background report on Henderson, who is said to remain in denial.

The court heard he made initial contact with both of his victims by parking his vehicle in a car park where children frequented.

Having engaged them in conversation, he would later encourage them to get into the vehicle before driving them to secluded areas and forcing them to engage in sexual activity.

Prosecution counsel, Shaun Dodds, told today’s sentencing hearing one of the girls opted against giving a victim statement, but had said in her original evidential statement to police that she felt so upset at what took place that she sought counselling sessions.

She also felt as if it was her fault for meeting him and she wished she had known better, but also spoke of her hatred of the defendant.

The other girl spoke of “feeling in a dark place” and she, also, wishes she had never met him.

She said she was accused of being a liar after the allegations were made and has also been attacked for reporting it to the police.

The girl said she has since self-harmed, while she has also deliberately cut herself off from her friends.

She said she feels as if Henderson “manipulated” her and it has affected her general trust in people.

Chris Baker, for Henderson, said at the time of the offences he was just short of his 18th birthday and was referred to, in the probation pre-sentence report, as being, “an immature, naïve and vulnerable young man”, despite now having turned 20.

Mr Baker said the defendant has no previous convictions and is particularly “vulnerable” in a custodial environment, having been assaulted twice while on remand.

But he added that he has remained in denial of the offences.

Judge James Adkin told Henderson, however: “You must now be sentenced for a number of serious sexual offences of which the jury found you guilty.”

The judge said there was some planning, taking the girls to isolated areas to commit the offences following, “an element of grooming.”

Imposing the eight-year sentence, Judge Adkin told Henderson he will have to serve two-thirds before he will be released on licence.

He told him the sentence would have been 13 years had he been older when the offences were committed.

Henderson will be subject of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order and a restraining order, prohibiting him from contacting either victim, both for 12 years.

He will also be liable to registration as a sex offender for life.

Speaking after today’s sentencing hearing, Jonathan Hanratty, of the Crown Prosecution Service North East’s Rape and Serious Sexual Offences Uv6nit, said: “Ellis Henderson acted in a predatory manner to carry out these offences against girls he knew to be well under the age of consent.

“He actively engaged both girls in conversation, slowly building their trust in him before exploiting them for his own selfish gratification.

“The Crown Prosecution Service has used the credible accounts bravely provided by both young victims to build a robust case against Ellis Henderson.”

He added: “I sincerely hope that today’s sentence against him provides them both with some measure of comfort.”

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Ryan Scott – who was born female – lured the schoolgirl back to their home after meeting up on Valentine’s Day last year.

A transgender paedophile carried out a sex attack on a teenage girl while living as a man. Ryan Scott – who was born female – lured the schoolgirl back to their home after meeting up on Valentine’s Day last year.

The 20-year-old, who uses the name Coral Scott, pounced on the girl, who was just 14 at the time, and tried to engage her in sexual activity. After being caught, Scott set up fake social media accounts to abuse and threaten the victim.

The sex attacker has been on remand on Polmont Young Offenders’ Institution and is in the female wing of the prison – despite identifying as male since childhood. Scott appeared at Dundee Sheriff Court on Friday under the birth name Coral and admitted to a series of charges.

Last night, the mum of the victim, who is now 15, said: “After it happened my child changed, she became withdrawn, even violent and wouldn’t speak to us. We knew something had happened. We didn’t know she had gone to meet someone.

“Then a friend got in touch and said this person had told others they were going to be meeting our daughter. They also said the person was called Coral Scott. We kept asking our daughter, ‘Who is Coral?’ She said he was called Ryan. We didn’t understand.”

The 33-year-old parent from Dundee, who cannot be named for legal reasons, added: “It was weeks later when she finally told us this person had forced her to do things she didn’t want to do. She said she was traumatised and paralysed with fear when it was happening.

“It broke our hearts to see what this monster had done to our little girl. It destroyed our beautiful daughter. She was a child and whether he was a man or a woman, this is an were adult preying on a child.”

Scott – designated on court papers as “Coral Scott, also known as Ryan Scott” – admitted “engaging in sexual activity with or towards” the 14-year-old girl. In court, the paedophile was referred to as Coral and is understood to be identifying as female in prison.

During a hearing, prosecutor Joanne Ritchie told the court the pair had developed a friendship on Snapchat through a mutual friend’s group. Describing the attack, she said: “She and the girl met at the McManus Galleries in Dundee. She and the accused then travelled to the accused’s address by bus.

“They were initially alone and sat in the living room watching movies. A short time later the accused’s friend arrived. The accused’s behaviour changed and she began to show off by kissing and sucking the girl’s neck, leaving bruising.”

Scott then tried to pervert the course of justice by sending the schoolgirl death threats. The sex attacker used fake social media accounts to target her. Scott was reported to police and then traced and charged on May 1 last year.

Nine days later, when already subject to six bail orders, Scott sent threatening messages to the girl. She received two voice messages from Scott, who said: “So see if I get the jail mate, you’re f***ed mate. You’re dead. You’re just a pure f***ing horrible c***.”

On April 29, the complainer was in her bedroom when she received a Snapchat voice message from someone called 'Bob', who was not known to her. When she opened the message, she immediately recognised her attacker’s voice. Scott said: “See the next time I see you, you better not be in my scheme or I’ll f***ing do you.”

The sex attacker is housed in the female wing of HMP Polmont in Falkirk, which houses remand and convicted youngsters of both sexes aged between 16 and 21. Scott, who turns 21 in June, could be moved to an adult prison if handed a jail term when she is sentenced on March 2.

A spokesman for the Scottish Prison Service said: “We do not comment on individuals.” First Minister Nicola Sturgeon is still facing questions over why male-born double rapist Isla Bryson was sent to a female prison.

Description

A dangerous sex offender is back behind bars after committing further offences just two weeks after being released from prison.

Craig Gilbert was previously locked up for inciting and attempting to incite four different children and was released from a 66 month extended prison sentence on licence in July last year. However within two weeks he was found to have offended again.

Police officers monitoring him went to the hostel in Elswick, Newcastle, where he was living to check he was complying with his sex offender registration requirements and his sexual harm prevention order and asked to see his mobile phone. On it, they found a sexual exchange with a girl who appeared to have been 16 in which he asked if she was still at school and offered to be her "sugar daddy".

A further examination of his phone showed he had deleted his browsing history, which he was forbidden from doing under the terms of the sexual harm prevention order. And he had also downloaded 11 indecent images of children, which were saved in a folder on his phone - with one showing a girl aged between three and five being raped.

Now Gilbert, 32, of no fixed address, has been given given a two year prison sentence, extended by an extra three years on licence, by a judge at Newcastle Crown Court after he admitted possessing indecent images of children, breaching his sexual harm prevention order and attempting to breach it.

Locking him up, Judge Edward Legard said: "This is a worrying case because it appears your period of incarceration and probation work has taught you little, if anything. You are clearly a persistent sex offender with entrenched sexual interests.

"It's clear you demonstrate an implacable refusal to address your offending and you are deemed unmanageable in the community. You have shown no remorse and you deliberately and wilfully offend without any regard to court orders, without any thought for the children you seek out to harm and with no insight and no awareness.

"It's quite clear you pose a significant risk of serious harm to members of the public, especially children."

Referring to the indecent images, the judge added: "Sadly, having read the pre-sentence report I suspect this might fall on deaf ears but I will try my best. These crimes are not victimless, far from it.

"Those who appear in these images are often young, highly vulnerable children, sometimes recruited from impoverished backgrounds, often forced to perform degrading sexual acts or exploited and abused by others purely to feed the sexual gratification of people like you.

"It's you and many others like you who are ultimately responsible for creating a market for this highly offensive and damaging material."

As well as the prison sentence, Gilbert's indefinite sex offender registration and sexual harm prevention order continue.

Jonathan Walker, defending, said: "There's a level of acceptance of responsibility on his part."

Description

A secret stash of covertly recorded indecent images of children and footage of a woman taken without her knowledge were found by a pervert's horrified ex.

Paul Baird's sickening actions came to light when his now-ex wife noticed explicit material on an iPad a child was using, which was linked to a Google account on the phone Baird was using. A court heard there were a number of videos, many showing children.

Rachel Glover, prosecuting, told Newcastle Crown Court: "The videos show filming of them, focusing on their bare legs, their bottoms in swimwear and up their skirts...He focuses the camera on their private parts and under their skirts.

Baird's disgusted ex was left distressed and found discovering what he had been doing "traumatic and overwhelming", the court heard.

There were also 35 videos of a woman, including filming or attempting to film under her clothing. After finding out, the woman was left "devastated" and has suffered mental health issues and struggles to go out in public because when she does and sees people on their phone she feels an impulse to check they are not filming her.

Baird, 38, of Garth 24, Killingworth, North Tyneside, who has no previous convictions, pleaded guilty to five offences of taking indecent images of children and one of voyeurism. He was jailed for 20 months and must sign the sex offenders register and be subject to a sexual harm prevention order for ten years.

Judge Edward Legard told him: "Filming young female children purely in order to feed your sexual gratification is simply unconscionable. The lives of these young children can and often are permanently scarred. You and others like you must bear responsibility for it.

"What your ex wife has had to endure can only be guessed at. For her to discover, in the way she did, that the man to whom she was married was taking indecent photographs of children must have been profoundly shocking and distressing."

Mark Harrison, defending, said: "The defendant acknowledges, as he rightly must, that this behaviour, over a relatively short period in 2021, was absolutely disgraceful and amounted to a gross invasion of privacy.

"He has written a letter saying how sorry he is for the pain and upset. He was at a low ebb, drinking and misusing drugs when his mental health was in a poor state."