Latest Offenders

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A dangerous sex offender who sexually assaulted and robbed a woman as she walked home from a night out has been jailed for 10 years.

Aaron Burns, 31, followed his victim as she walked through Lancaster city centre at around 2am on November 14, 2019. When she got to her home the victim felt somebody put a hand over her face and a hand around her waist.

Burns then said: Youre coming with me or Ill murder you. Burns pulled her onto a canal towpath, before asking what money she had and going through her handbag.

He then sexually assaulted her in a harrowing ordeal. The victim pushed Burns away and shouted for him to leave her alone. But he then grabbed her mobile phone and threw it into the canal, telling her she wasnt using it.

Burns then ran off and the victim sought help. Burns, of no fixed address, was arrested and linked to the offence from CCTV footage recovered by Lancashire Constabulary's investigation team.

He denied any wrongdoing but was found guilty of sexual assault, kidnap and robbery following a trial at Preston Crown Court. He was sentenced at the same court earlier this month.

Having deemed Burns to be dangerous, the Judge told him that he must serve at least two thirds of his sentence before he is eligible for parole. Burns was also ordered to sign the Sex Offenders Register for life.

DI Dylan Hrynkow, of Lancaster CID, said: This was an appalling offence committed against a young woman as she walked home from a night out with friends. This crime has understandably had a profound impact on her made all the worse by the fact Burns forced her to relive the ordeal by running a trial.

"He did this in the full knowledge that he was responsible for this despicable crime. I would like to commend the bravery of the victim. Burns is a dangerous offender who poses a risk to the public by his appalling offending and I am glad he has been given a significant custodial sentence. The notification requirements mean he will be monitored by the authorities for the remainder of his life.

Chief Supt Karen Edwards, our Divisional Commander for the West of the county, said: The persistence and determination of the diligent investigation team has led to a dangerous offender being taken off the streets of Lancaster. We are committed to protecting women and girls from all form of violence and where we identify this type of abhorrent behaviour we will do everything we can to put the perpetrators before the courts.

I hope the outcome of this case will encourage other victims of sexual offences to come forward, knowing they will be believed, listened to and we will do everything in our power to put the perpetrator before the courts.

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Police have released a picture of a man who has been banned from every women's toilets in the UK. Asere Shumba has been jailed after breaching a court order when he was found in the women's toilets at a McDonald’s in Derby.

Derby Crown Court heard how Shumba, of Shakespeare Street, Sinfin, was caught by a female staff member in the cubicles of the ladies' toilet in the St Peter's Street branch just after 6pm on December 28, 2022.

Shumba was already serving a ban for previously taking photographs of women in the lavatories in the Sinfin branch as well as in the former Walkabout bar in the Market Place. His photograph was sent to staff members at the restaurant, which led to his recent arrest and sentence.

The 27-year-old was spotted heading into the women's toilets at the St Peter's Street branch and officers were called. Shumba was arrested at his home address later that evening.

In December, when Shumba was arrested, a different court heard a statement from a female member of staff in St Peter's Street. In it, she said "I recognised him and he followed me upstairs and made some conversation with me. I thought he was going to sit down and order some food but instead, I watched as he walked into the female toilets."

That staff member said there was a woman in the toilets and when they entered she said 'I think there's a male in one of the cubicles acting suspiciously' so she banged on the door and the defendant replied 'what do you want?' They said to him 'you are in the female toilets, you need to get out' and he replied 'I thought this was the male toilets?'."

Serena Varatharajay, prosecuting, said: "He was convicted on June 9, 2021, of voyeurism and that offence was for him hiding in a toilet and taking photographs of a female in cubicle next door. His phone was seized and on it was found images of people.

"On December 28, last year, the defendant was in McDonald's in Derby and was seen entering the female toilets by a female staff member. She asked him to leave and he replied that he thought it was the male toilets."

In January 2021 Shumba had been handed a five-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) after being convicted of two counts of voyeurism. On two occasions he had filmed women using the female toilets, once at a McDonald’s restaurant in Surrey and then he was caught again at the former Walkabout bar in Derby.

Shumba was banned from entering any women’s toilets or changing rooms but breached the conditions of the order when he once again entered the female toilets late last year. At that hearing, the same court heard how Shumba locked himself in cubicles then filmed the victims as they went to use the facilities.

On the first occasion, he was spotted and ran out the fast-food outlet, chased by the woman who told how she felt “violated” by what happened to her. And the second time, in Derby, he was identified, arrested by police, slipped his handcuffs and ran off.

Chasing officers caught him and seized his mobile phone on which almost 400 upskirt-style photographs were discovered. Jailing him for 20 weeks, Recorder Graham Huston said: "You now understand that the breaching of that order leads to custody and you have now been remanded for the last eight weeks.

"You will then be on a 12-month licence after that and should you be arrested in similar circumstances you can expect to be returned to custody."

Lauren Fisher, mitigating, said her client had pleaded guilty to breaching a sexual harm prevention order at the earliest opportunity. She said he had completed all of the unpaid work, treatment programmes and probation service requirements from his last sentence.

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Man sentenced to a minimum term of 35 years in prison for murder, rape, and sexual assault of a woman in Ashton-Under-Lyne.

On Thursday 25 August 2022, officers were called to a concern for welfare of a woman at a property in Ashton-Under-Lyne.

Officers attended the scene, and a 26-year-old woman was found dead at the scene.

A 52-year-old man was arrested and remanded into custody.

The victim was later confirmed to be 26-year-old Elizabeth McCann.

Elizabeth’s family are continuing to be support by specialist GMP officers and support services at this incredibly difficult time.

Simon Goold (16/11/1970) of Manchester Road in Ashton-Under-Lyne was later charged with murder, rape, and assault by penetration and was further remanded to await trial.

Today (Wednesday 22 February 2023), Goold was sentenced at Manchester Crown Court to a minimum of 35 years in prison for murder, rape and sexual assault.

Duncan Thorpe of GMP’s Major Incident Support Unit said: “Firstly, my thoughts are with Lizzie’s family and loved ones at this very difficult time.

“Lizzie was preyed upon by Simon Goold. He befriended her and plied her with drinks. He then took her back to his flat where he raped and sexually assaulted her, before strangling her with a ligature, she sadly died as a result of her injuries.

“Goold’s disregard for Lizzie and her welfare is unfathomable. He claimed that this was a game gone wrong and the catalogue of injuries that Lizzie sustained were horrific and definitely not consented.

“Goold is an extremely dangerous individual who fully deserves the sentence imposed on him today.”

Description

A company director told a 14-year-old ‘girl’ who asked him for a job that she could be ‘daddy’s sex slave’.

Paul McCombe, 49, had been due to stand trial at Oxford Crown Court on a charge of attempted sexual communication with a child.

But he pleaded guilty on Monday (February 20) after a judge threw out submissions that the prosecution should be stopped as McCombe had been ‘entrapped’ in the undercover police sting operation.

McCombe. who has previously been convicted of sending sexual messages to children, added the ‘girl’ on Snapchat on July 15. The Oxfordshire man claimed to be called Connor Jones, a man in his late 20s.

By July 19, the girl ‘M’ – in fact a decoy account run by an undercover police officer – asked ‘CJ’ whether she knew him. He replied: “No.”

They began exchanging messages. Those made it clear McCombe understood the girl’s purported age, as at one point he asked: “When was you 14? You are sexy.”

Over the ensuing days, they sent a series of images to each other. None of hers were sexual, while his showed his exposed groin.

In another exchange, she told McCombe she was going to Asda with her mum and asked him she should ring him. “Yes, as long as you are naked hahaha,” he replied.

‘M’ asked the defendant what he did for a living. Told that he ran his own company, she asked him for a job. He said: “You can be daddy’s sex slave.”

Later in their correspondence, he said he would come to see her and made a veiled reference to sexual activity that could happen between them on that visit. She had earlier told him she lived in Newcastle, while McCombe said he lived in Oxford.

Lawyers for McCombe had tried to get the incriminating Snapchat messages he sent the decoy account thrown out, which would have cut the prosecution’s case at the knees.

Recorder John Ryder KC did not buy Richard Sutton KC’s argument that McCombe was the victim of police entrapment and messages that were ‘come hither in nature’. He ruled that the messages were admissible – and so could go in front of the jury.

After that ruling, McCombe, formerly of an address in Shrivenham, returned to courtroom four and entered his guilty plea to a single count of attempted sexual communication with a child under-16.

He was granted conditional bail to return to court on April 21.

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A DEVASTATED mother told how her family’s life had been “completely wrecked” by a Christchurch paedophile who was jailed for eight years for sexually abusing her toddler son.

Giving a victim impact statement at Bournemouth Crown Court, the woman broke down while describing the toll taken by the “vile and disgusting behaviour" of Adam Weeks (25), of Moorcroft Avenue.

She said: “This is the most painful experience I have had as a mother. I feel I have failed my son.

“He was a predator preying on us to get to our son. The betrayal has devastated both me and my partner."

The mum, who cannot be named for legal reasons, said she had felt suicidal at times, adding: “I will never be the same person, Adam has stolen that from me.”

She went on: "His actions have completely wrecked us as a family and words will never really convey the impact of his actions.

"I cannot understand why he did this to us.

"Now I think he is a predator.

"I am terrified of what could have happened in time, what Adam may have gone on to do."

She added: "Although it has wrecked our life, my son is safe."

Weeks was serving a suspended sentence for possessing over 1,000 indecent images of children when he committed the abuse in June last year at an address in Bournemouth.

He was also subject to a sexual harm prevention order imposed a month earlier which banned him from having contact with a child or having photos of any children.

But prosecutor Charles Gabb KC said the defendant had lied to the parents of the toddler – known as Child A in court – telling them all the charges against him had been dropped.

During a meeting in July, however, a probation officer found indecent images of children on Weeks' phone, including a video of him abusing Child A.

He was arrested, and a search of his iPhone and iPad revealed more indecent images and videos.

Also found were videos of a nine-year-old American child whom Weeks had “groomed” online, manipulating him with payment into sending sexual videos.

Weeks later claimed to police that the boy – referred to as Child B – had been "blackmailing" him, something Mr Gabb called: “Utterly ludicrous.”

Weeks had pleaded guilty at a previous hearing to two charges of sexual assault of a child under 13, four offences of taking indecent images of a child, six charges of making indecent photographs of a child, and two counts of causing or inciting a child under 13 to engage in sexual activity.

Defending Weeks, Guy Ladenburg said his client had been raped at the age of 10 in a school toilet, and later in life had been repeatedly abused by a boyfriend.

But Mr Ladenburg admitted Weeks had a “very entrenched pattern of behaviour” and “cannot help himself or resist the temptation of touching" a child.

He said he also struggled to “accept the culpability” of what he had done.

Sentencing, Judge Robert Pawson told Weeks: “Whether you accept it or not you are a paedophile.”

He said that due to the “seriousness” of the offences he was jailing him for eight years, followed by an extended licence period of a further four years.

Weeks was also given a 10-year sexual harm prevention order.

Speaking after the case DC Steve Cartwright, of Dorset Police’s paedophile online investigation team, said: “Adam Weeks was a convicted sex offender who continued to subject young children to despicable sexual abuse for his own gratification.

“Through our investigation we were able to expose his offending and ensure he was held to account for his actions.

“Offending of this nature often has a devastating and lifelong impact on the child victims involved and we remain committed to identifying those involved in these horrific crimes and bringing them before the courts.”

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A dangerous pervert who sexually assaulted a woman in a ladies' toilet claimed he was in there because he identified as female.

Ian Bullock, 39, subjected his victim to a 'vile' attack after loitering in the toilets at busy Birmingham New Street station.

The woman, who was on her way to work last March, said she thought it was odd when she spotted Bullock in the loo – but assumed he worked at the station because of a high-visibility jacket he was wearing.

As she washed her hands, Bullock made a 'beeline for her', British Transport Police said. He bent down next to her as if he was going to pick something up before launching the 'pre-meditated' attack.

The woman challenged Bullock who afterwards 'casually' walked out of the toilets before sitting down and removing the high-vis jacket he had been wearing. She carried on watching him as he put on a beanie hat in an attempt to disguise himself – before reporting what had happened to station staff.

BTP officers were called and officers arrested Bullock. When interviewed, Bullock tried to claim the reason he was in the toilets was he now identified as female, police said. Sources last night suggested it was an 'off the cuff remark' and stressed Bullock was treated as a man throughout proceedings.

He was convicted of sexual assault at Birmingham and Solihull Magistrates' Court in December. He was sentenced to 16 months in prison and ordered to sign the sex offender's register for ten years. He also was handed a ten-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order which bars him from entering or loitering outside women's toilets, and wearing any type of high-vis jacket other than for a lawful employment purpose.

Detective Inspector Ian Wright said: 'Bullock is a dangerous individual who deliberately changed his clothing in order to loiter in the female toilets undetected and launch this vile, pre-meditated assault on the victim in a space she had every right to feel safe in.

'I would like to commend the bravery of the victim, who faced with an unimaginably awful situation and reported what had happened – meaning officers were able to arrive quickly and arrest him at the scene.

'Bullock deserves every day of the prison sentence he's been handed.'

Controversy over sex offenders identifying as female has grown following the conviction of transgender rapist Isla Bryson, who was initially placed in a women's prison after being convicted of two attacks.

Bryson was taken to Cornton Vale prison – Scotland's only all-women jail – before being moved to a men's prison following public outcry.

The issue was raised in the Commons yesterday by Alba Party MP Neale Hanvey. Mr Hanvey said the case and others have 'illustrated the danger and naivety of self-ID'. He added that latest figures for England and Wales show that 97 of the 230 transgender prisoners in England and Wales are being held for sexual offences.

The Government said transgender women held in women's prisons in England and Wales have committed no assaults or sexual assaults since reforms were introduced in 2019. In October 2022, further reforms required that transgender prisoners with male genitalia should no longer be held in women's jails.

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AN evil thug dragged a schoolgirl into a field and repeatedly raped her as he held a screwdriver to her neck, a court heard.

Phillip Williams planned the attack which came after forcing his victim to take cocaine and alcohol.

After raping the child, the defendant - who was also armed with a length of rope - forced the muddy and half-naked girl into his car.

He took her on a lengthy journey to secluded woodlands in Port Talbot, Wales, where he beat her up and repeatedly demanded oral sex.

Sentencing Williams to 22 years in prison, followed by an eight-year licence period, a judge told him he was so deceptive and manipulative that friends and family had no idea what he was really capable of.

Swansea Crown Court heard the incident took place in the summer of last year when Williams put into action his plan to commit child rape.

The defendant forced his victim into a muddy field in the Llandovery area and beat her before stripping her, forcing her to consume alcohol and cocaine.

He tied her hands and then repeatedly raped her while holding a screwdriver to her neck.

The court heard the child was crying and resisting Williams during the ordeal and when she asked the defendant why he was doing what he was doing he replied: "Because I can."

After attacking the girl Williams – under the influence of cannabis and alcohol – took her phone and dragged her into a car taking her to woods near Margam Park.

Once in the woods he beat up the girl and again demanded oral sex, which was refused.

The court heard the girl eventually managed to retrieve her phone from Williams and flee the woods and she then called 999.

Police were soon on the scene and found the girl – muddy, half-dressed, shoeless, and in an extremely distressed state – and took her to safety.

An investigation was launched – which included looking for evidence at the site of the rapes where the child's underwear was recovered – and 48-year-old Williams was identified.

The defendant tried to evade capture but a manhunt by Dyfed-Powys Police and South Wales Police located him and he was arrested.

He denied all the allegations against him.

In a victim impact statement read to the court by barrister Helen Randall the teenager described the devastating impact of her ordeal.

She said she used to be an outgoing girl who would talk to anyone but now feels paranoid and untrusting of strangers and is constantly worrying about people's intentions.

She struggles to sleep, has lost weight, feels isolated at school, and keeps having nightmares that Williams will find her again no matter where she is.

The teenager said "it feels like he took control of my life" and "nothing will ever be the same again".

She said she feels like she wants to change her appearance, change her name, and move away to start a new life.

Judge Catherine Richards told Williams he had subjected his young victim to a "brutal" ordeal which had caused "severe psychological harm and has affected every aspect of her life".

The defendant can apply for release after serving two-thirds of the custodial element of the sentence but it will be for the Parole Board to determine if he is safe to be released and on what conditions.

Williams will be a registered sex offender for the rest of his life.

Speaking after the sentencing, Dyfed-Powys Police detective inspector Dale Thomas said the defendant had thought he could get away with his crimes.

But thanks to the bravery of the victim and the efforts of the investigating team he had been brought to justice, with the jury in the case taking just 40 minutes to reach its verdicts.

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A 40 year-old man has been sent to prison for 21 years with two years on licence after he was convicted of multiple sexual offences at Worcester Crown Court on Tuesday 31 January.

Mark Turner from Corbett Road, Hollywood, Birmingham, was charged with:

• Gross indecency with a girl under 16
• Indecent assault of a female under 14
• Cause/incite a child to engage in sexual activity by penetration
• Sexual assault of a child

The charges relate to child sex offences against three victims, two of whom were discovered following the initial report which was made to detectives in 2018.

Detective Constable Fiona Millership said: The verdict and the sentence handed down to Turner will I hope offer some solace and comfort to those he hurt.

Tuner is a predator of children and once our investigation was under way, we uncovered more victims who, between 2001 and 2004, he also abused and sexually assaulted.

Not only should the sentence of 23 years serve as a warning to those sexually abusing children but my hope is that it reassures other victims and survivors that they can trust us to find them justice. If you have been abused, sexually assaulted, raped or exploited, talk to us and let us help you.

If you feel you are a victim of any sexual offence you can report it to us via West Mercia's Victim Advice Line on 0800 952 3000 or visit www.victimadviceline.org.uk. This is a free, independent and confidential support service. In an emergency always dial 999.

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A 29-year-old Eaglescliffe man who pleaded guilty to five charges relating to sexual communications with four children has received a four-year prison sentence and he will also be subject to a sexual harm prevention order (SHPO) for 10 years.

Jonathan Wall appeared at Teesside Crown Court on Friday (17th February) where he received his sentence.

Detective Sergeant Derric Wade from Cleveland Polices Child Abuse Investigation Unit said: We will continue to do all we can to protect vulnerable children from abuse whether that be in person or, as in this case, online.

Walls offending understandably had a terrible impact on the victims and on their families who then had to hear the full details in court.

On that note, Id like to pay tribute not only to the victims but also to their parents and extended family who were key to supporting the victims when they came forward to speak to specially trained officers, and for their general support throughout the investigation and court process.

I hope the fact that Wall will spend time in prison and that he will also be subject to strict conditions and restrictions for a considerable period will bring them some relief as they continue to come to terms with what happened.

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A paedophile was caught with images of children as young as five-months-old being abused, a court heard.

Sean Hammerton has a history of sexual offences involving children stretching back six years. 

The 28-year-old asked online forum users for “young selfies” and said he was “into those aged 10 plus".

When officers seized his silver iPhone they found 730 still and moving images of children, aged six months to five years.

They also found images of “extreme bestiality”.

Prosecuting, Mr Andrew Houston said that the defendant boasted online about how he “kept his images so they couldn’t be found".

Hammerton, of Bursledon Road, Southampton, appeared at the city crown court on Monday charged with possessing and distributing indecent images of children, and possessing extreme pornography.

He pleaded guilty to the offences committed between 2017 and 2020.

He also admitted to breaching a suspended sentence. 

Mr Houston told that in 2016 Hammerton was handed an 18-month suspended sentence for distributing and taking indecent images of children, sexual assault, and voyeurism.

In 2020 he was found to be in breach of a sexual harm prevention order after using an incognito private browsing mode to watch porn.

He was also caught with three prohibited images of children. 

Speaking on the previous convictions, Mr Houston said: “When the defendant was 16 he began discussing the sexual abuse of others.

“His crimes spanned over 10 years.

“He then went on to commit further offences during the period of his suspended sentence.”

Defending, Charles Gabb said that entering a guilty plea was Hammerton’s “sincerest way of expressing remorse".

He said: “The effect upon others is very reprehensible.

“Mr Hammerton has got to do something about this because it’s longstanding and a problem.

“This dark side of his life can be exposed in such a format that he learns ways to avoid it in the future.

“Sometimes, it takes people a bit longer to face reality.

“One can only hope that a new chapter of his life is about to begin.”

Passing sentence, Judge Nicholas Rowland said: "There are a number of passages of offending after your previous conviction.

"I can see you are highly manipulative and you do pose a significant risk of harm."

Hammerton was jailed for four and a half years.

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A REGISTERED sex offender who was found to be living with a two-year-old child has been put behind bars.

Jason Bell, of Firs Chase, West Mersea, was being monitored by the police due to a sexual harm prevention order imposed upon him.

Essex Police said Bell posed a “serious risk to young girls” and the order was in place to protect vulnerable people.

Colchester Magistrates’ Court heard the sex offender was banned from owning internet enabled devices unless monitored by Essex Police and had to notify officers of changes to his address.

But the 33-year-old tried to evade detection by residing at a new property which officers were unaware of.

In November, Essex Police received a call informing constables of Bell’s whereabouts and that there was a two-year-old child at the address.

An officer was deployed to the scene and arrested Bell after spotting him returning to the property.

Appearing before the magistrates, Bell was sentenced to one years imprisonment.

Investigating Officer Harry Callaghan said the defendant “genuinely believed” he wouldn’t go to prison.

“I acted quickly on the intelligence received and was able to attend the address," he said.

“Bell had unfortunately run away from the address after seeing the police but after a short wait around the corner, I was able to witness him return to the address I knew he shouldn’t have been at.

“Bell thought that he could continue to breach the order which we’d placed upon him to keep vulnerable people safe. He genuinely believed that he wouldn’t go to prison.

“I made sure that the courts were fully briefed about the risk he presented and am pleased that he received a custodial sentence.”

Mr Callaghan, is part of the team which manages sexual offenders and violent offenders.

He continued: “Essex Police is constantly looking at the measures we can use to keep everyone, especially young women and girls safe.

“Anyone on the Sex Offenders Register and who poses a risk will be monitored by my team.”

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.

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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.

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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.

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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."