Latest Offenders

Description

Samuel Morris has pleaded guilty to 40 counts of sexual offences against children aged between 11-15yrs old. He was sent to prison for 11 years and has also been given an indefinite sexual harm prevention order.

Morris offences included inciting children to engage in penetrative activity, inciting sexual activity and numerous offences of sexual communication with a child.

Morris also pleaded guilty to possessing indecent images of children of Category A, B, C, extreme pornography and prohibited images and to the distribution of indecent images of children online.

South Wales Police Online Investigation Team (POLIT) conducted a thorough and complex online investigation which resulted in children being identified within the UK as well as in USA and Australia.

POLIT detectives identified that Morris had been posing as a 16 year-old boy on social media platforms such as Instagram and Snapchat to meet children and establish a relationship.

He encouraged children to send indecent images of themselves which he captured with screen recording equipment and saved to his devices before sharing a number of these with other sex offenders via online forums.

The investigation resulted in 31 children aged between 11 and 15 years old being identified as victims.

Due to the complex and thorough investigation conducted by South Wales Police Detectives from the Specialist Crime, Police Online Investigation Team led to an early guilty plea and todays sentence.

Description

A “DANGEROUS” rapist who “uses his charm to do what he wants” has been jailed.

Ian Mark Whittaker, now 24, put a cloth over the victim’s face to keep her quiet and grabbed her round the neck during the Christmas rape.

Afterwards he used emotional blackmail to try and stop her going to the police, York Crown Court heard.

For two years she didn’t tell officers, but finally she got the courage to do so and Whittaker was convicted.

In her victim personal statement, she said she will never recover from what he did.

“She describes him as a dangerous man, dangerous through his charm and presenting well,” said David Lamb, prosecuting. “He uses that to do what he wants and thinks he will pull the wool over everyone’s eyes with his charm.”

Summarising the statement, the barrister said Whittaker had tried to turn others against her and made “empty promises” that he would admit his guilt and not put her through the ordeal of giving evidence.

But he didn’t and she described “being interrogated in a crown court full of strangers and the defendant forcing her to explain details of the disgusting things he had put her through,” said Mr Lamb.

During the trial “he didn’t show an ounce of remorse, he didn’t even have the decency to look at her,” the barrister said.

She had trusted him and “he had abused that trust and manipulated it to his advantage.”

After the rape more than three years ago, he claimed she would “ruin his life” if she went to police and told her she was “damaged as a result of the rape and no-one else would want her,” said Mr Lamb.

Judge Simon Hickey said the rapist had used emotional pressure to try and prevent the victim going to the police.

In the trial, the jury read several messages sent by Whittaker to the victim about the rape which the judge described as confessions.

They heard how, in a separate incident, Whittaker had put a cloth over the victim’s face and poured water over it.

Whittaker, of Bransholme Drive, Clifton, was jailed for six years and nine months, put on the sex offenders’ register for life and banned from contacting the victim in any way or posting on social media about her, also for life.

He had denied rape but was convicted at trial.

The judge said there was another side to Whittaker and quoted a reference from the defendant’s stepfather which described him as hard-working with good technical skills.

After being made redundant during the pandemic from his security job at York Hospital, he had become a delivery driver.

He had matured in recent times, said the reference.

Defence barrister Katherine Robinson said Whittaker had wanted to go in the Army but would now be unable to do so.

He had no previous convictions.

Description

A man has been given an extended 23-year-sentence after being found guilty of multiple sexual offences in Kirklees.

Adnan Afzal (35) who lived in the Dewsbury area was sentenced for six sexual offences including rape at Leeds Crown Court on Friday (April 22).

The 34-year old was sentenced for rape, attempted rape, and sexual assaults on his victim which took place between 2017 and 2019 in the Kirklees area.

One of the sexual assaults took place when the victim was a young teenager.

He was jailed for 17 years with an extended licence period of six years making for a 23 year term in total.

Afzal was arrested in by officers from the Kirklees Police Child Safeguarding Team in 2019 after the offences were first reported by the victim and her family.

He was found guilty of all six offences by a jury following a four day trial at Leeds Crown Court.

DC Samantha Smith of the Kirklees Child Safeguarding Team, said: I want to praise the courage of the victim in this case in coming forwards and reporting the offending Afzal subjected her to.

We welcome the sentence he has received which reflects the very serious nature of his sentencing and his refusal to admit his crimes against his victim and put her and her family through the ordeal of a trial.

Victims of sexual offences will always be listened to and we will do all we can with partners to support them, investigate reported offences, and seek justice for them.

Description

A man was arrested in a Norwich car park after arranging to meet a teenage boy who turned out to be a police officer.

Adrian Stevens, 50, had arranged to meet a 14-year-old boy he had been communicating with online at a car park in Albion Way, Norwich.

Norwich Crown Court heard Stevens was in fact met by an undercover police "decoy" who he thought had been a teenage boy.

Nicholas Bleaney, prosecuting, said Stevens, who was 49 at the time of the offending, had hoped to have sex when he met the boy.

Mr Bleaney said the meeting came after "significant planning" by Stevens who had offered to purchase gifts and also talked about trips to McDonalds with the decoy.

Stevens, of High Way, Lingwood, appeared in court for sentence on Friday (April 22) having previously been found guilty after trial of attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child between August 19, 2020 and September 2, 2020.

He was also convicted of arranging the commission of a child sex offence.

Jailing Stevens for four years, Judge Alice Robinson said he had been the person who suggested a meeting with the person he thought had been a teenage boy but in fact was a police decoy.

Michael Clare, mitigating, said no physical offence was actually committed nor could have been committed, given that the 14-year-old boy never existed.

He said the defendant was an intelligent man with a good job and it was a "terrible waste" he found himself in this position but accepted "he only has himself to blame".

Mr Clare said Stevens was almost 51 and apart from this matter had no previous convictions.

He added the defendant helped look after his mother and had mental health difficulties.

Stevens was also made the subject of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) for 10 years and ordered to sign on the sex offenders' register indefinitely.

Description

A PORTSMOUTH predator has been sentenced to four years in prison for sexually abusing two children. Duncan Daniels, 21, of Sackville Street in Southsea, appeared at Portsmouth Crown Court today (April 22) for sentencing having previously pleaded guilty to three counts of sexual activity with a child, one count of sexual communication with a child and one count of sexual assault on a child. The offences first came to the attention of police in June 2019 when one of the victims reported that Daniels had touched her inappropriately on several occasions earlier that month when he was 18 and she was 14. Two days later, a second victim came forward to report that Daniels had sexually assaulted him in a number of incidents when he was just 12-years-old and again two years later when he was 14. Officers launched an investigation and Daniels was arrested and later charged. DC Maria Sweeney, who led the investigation, said: Daniels repeatedly took advantage of his two young victims in vulnerable situations and we would like to commend them for their courage in coming forward to report this abuse. Without their bravery, we would not have secured this conviction. I sincerely hope that this sentence begins to bring some closure to those he affected, and that it helps others who have suffered similar abuse to find the confidence to come forward and speak to the police knowing their voices will be heard. Police encourage anyone who has been a victim of child sexual abuse to contact police on 101 where you can speak with our specialist detectives in confidence.

Description

A PENSIONER who sexually assaulted a woman was jailed after a judge condemned him for his gratuitous degradation of her. Paul Darnell, 73, from Abertillery, was branded a cowardly bully by Recorder Richard Booth QC, who told him he had humiliated his victim. The defendant had denied the offences but was convicted by a jury following a trial. Sign up to our Crime and Court newsletter to get all the days news direct to your inbox Darnell, of Commercial Road, Llanhilleth, was found guilty of assault by penetration, sexual assault and common assault. He had denied all the charges against him. Matthew Cobbe, prosecuting, said the woman had made a victim personal statement in which she revealed how the defendant had terrified her. Cardiff Crown Court heard how she now suffers flashbacks of her ordeal. She said: I feel embarrassed and ashamed of what happened. Ive never been so frightened in my life as I was on the day of the incidents. I live like a scared animal. Kathryn Lane, representing Darnell, asked the judge to take into account the defendants age and that he was a man of previous good character. She added how her client suffers from a host of health issues which include anxiety, depression, diabetes and a heart condition. Recorder Booth told Darnell: You spanked her and in the course of a terrifying incident you made unwanted sexual advances upon and unwanted sexual demands of your victim. The judge added: There was the gratuitous degradation of her. These were the offences of a cowardly bully. He was jailed for three years and told he will have to serve half of that time in prison before he will be released on licence. Darnell will have to register as a sex offender for life. The defendant was ordered to pay a 181 victim surcharge following his release from custody.

Description

A seedy sex offender started searching for sickening images of child pornography just a month after being spared prison for having "very lewd" sexualised online chats with a decoy 12-year-old girl. Devious and sneaky Anthony Press tried desperately to cover up what he was doing by deleting his internet search history but he was caught out when police made checks on his activities and discovered what he was secretly doing.

It was a "deliberate" breach of the "golden opportunity" that he had been given to turn over a new leaf and change his ways, Hull Crown Court heard. Press, 40, of Wentworth Way, Hull, admitted breaching a sexual harm prevention order and failing to register his details as a sex offender.

Stephen Welch, prosecuting, said that in March 2019, Press was given an 18-month suspended prison sentence at Hull Crown Court for attempting to communicate sexually with a child. He repeatedly contacted a fake 12-year-old girl, who told him her supposed age, and he used "very lewd language" to her in their messages.

Within a month of being given the suspended sentence, Press was searching on the internet for indecent images of children. A detective asked to look at his phone as part of monitoring on April 2, 2019 but there was no search history on it and Press claimed that he had to reset it and lost the internet history.

This was in breach of a court order which banned him from deleting his internet history. He had searched for "teen brunette f****d" in the early hours of that morning but claimed that it was "just out of boredom".

On January 31, 2020, the detective went to the home of Press, who was very nervous throughout the visit. There were no indecent images of children on his computer equipment but search records suggested that he had been seeking such images. Settings put in place erased data after the internet was exited.

"This was a very serious breach," said Mr Welch. "The defendant accepts that it was done deliberately to avoid detection on downloading indecent images of children. All of that which he was seeking for was going to be illegal."

Press should have gone to the police to update and confirm his details on September 13, 2020 but he did not do so until September 23 - 10 days late. Hannah Turner, mitigating, said that, apart from these incidents, Press had fully complied with the terms of the suspended sentence and had increased insight into his behaviour and the impact that it had on others.

"It's obviously a deliberate breach," said Miss Turner. "We don't know what actual material was accessed. We have just the search terms.

"There is no hiding from the fact that this offence occurred within a month of that suspended sentence being imposed. He feels embarrassed and ashamed in respect of what he has done."

Press had medical difficulties and walked with the assistance of a walking stick. Judge John Thackray QC told Press: "The court gave you a golden opportunity to rehabilitate yourself. Within a month of receiving that golden opportunity, you were committing these serious offences.

"You were doing your best to find indecent images of children and to hide the fact that you were looking for indecent images of children. Indecent images of children and those who attempt to obtain them fuel child sexual abuse and untold suffering and harm to the children who are abused, photographed and videoed, at or from a young age, often with adverse consequences for them.

"I am not satisfied that your risk can be managed in the community or that you can be rehabilitated in the community."

Press was jailed for one year. The sentence included a consecutive four months after part of the original suspended sentence was activated.

Description

A pervert asked what he believed was a 13-year-old girl to ring him for a sick phone call, but didn't realise he was actually speaking to an undercover cop. Paul Barrett has been jailed for two years after failing to convince a jury that he thought that the account he was speaking to was an adult 'role playing'.

Barrett, who was 40-years-old at the time of the offence, used an online chat room to speak with a profile called 'Sasha' between January and February 2019, Bolton Crown Court heard. Despite the account telling Barrett that she was 13-years-old and in school, he turned the conversation sexual.

In the first conversation, Barrett asked if she liked getting kissed and also asked if she wanted to perform sexual acts on him. The following day he asked the account questions about her school uniform and detailed sexual acts that he wanted to perform on her.

Sickeningly, Barrett then sent a message with his phone number and asked if he could speak with the girl directly so he could 'hear her orgasm'. The undercover police officer operating the account rang the number twice but Barrett did not answer.

Barrett, of Nearcroft Road, Wythenshawe, was arrested in March 2019 but denied the offences in interview and subsequently pleaded not guilty to a string of crimes under the Sexual Offences Act. Following a trial, a jury found him guilty of sexual communication and three counts of attempting to incite a child to engage in sexual activity.

Defence barrister Helen Longworth told the court that Barrett has a 'supportive' family, including a partner and two step sons. She said that at the time of the offence, he was going through 'family difficulties' and 'stress' at work.

Ms Longworth also said that Barrett, now 43, has no previous convictions and cited the long delay between the arrest and case going to trial. She added: "Imprisonment will affect him but also have a significant impact on his family who clearly rely upon him."

Judge Tom Gilbart jailed Barrett for two years. He said: "I find it utterly mind boggling to consider how a father could act in this way to a person he thought was a 13-year-old child."

"These were extremely serious offences in which you sought to engage a child in sexual activity of the most serious kind. It was predatory behaviour by you."

Barrett will be subject to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order for the next 10 years. He will also have to sign the Sex Offender Register for the same length of time.

Description

A predatory sex offender who attempted to seek out vulnerable teens online has been jailed.

Luke Winder, 27, interacted with four online profiles which he believed were operated by young girls, aged about 12 or 13.

Norwich Crown Court heard two of the profiles he contacted were actually undercover police officers.

John Morgans, prosecuting, said as part of the offences, which happened between 2016 and 2020, asked the profiles he was engaging with to send pictures of themselves.

He received a photo on at least one occasion.

Mr Morgans said some of the offending happened at the time when Winder was 21 and the girls he thought he was contacting were 12 or 13.

Winder, of Thorpe Road, Norwich, appeared at court for sentence on Thursday (April 21) having previously admitted attempting to cause a child to engage in sexual activity

He had also previously admitted three counts of attempting to engage in sexual communications with a child.

Jailing Winder for 36 months, Judge Katharine Moore described Winder's behaviour as "predatory" and "corrupting".

Judge Moore said he was "seeking out or attempting to seek out vulnerable young teens".

The judge said it was his "sexual interest in young girls" which resulted in these offences.

Rob Pollington, mitigating, said these were attempts, or "decoy offences", rather than actual offences.

He said the defendant, who admitted his offending, had a significant issue with his health having suffered a brain haemorrhage which had inhibited him to a great extent.

He said the defendant did not feel comfortable speaking to peers and sought companionship in an electronic world.

Mr Pollington said his client felt more attractive to those he interacted with online, which he acknowledged was wrong.

But he said he does suffer from "an entrenched problem" which he needed to get to grips with and be rehabilitated.

Winder must sign on the sex offenders' register indefinitely.

The defendant might also be made the subject of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) but that has been adjourned until April 28.

Description

A FORMER karate coach caught with more than 100 indecent images was caught red-handed when he tried to talk to a minor online. Jordan McCarthy-Simmonette was arrested in October 2019 by officers from one of Northumbria Polices most specialist units the Paedophile Online Investigation Team (POLIT). Detectives acted after receiving information the 24-year-old had been talking to someone he believed was a 14-year-old male online but was actually engaging with a registered sex offender, who was the subject of a separate ongoing police investigation. When he was arrested his Newcastle home was also searched and a tablet and mobile phone were seized and taken for examination. Digital Investigators soon uncovered 109 Category C images stored on the devices, and McCarthy-Simmonnette was charged with attempted sexual communication with a child and possession of indecent images of children. Following his arrest, extensive partnership work was carried out between officers and partners from the local authorities to ensure McCarthy-Simmonette was removed from his role as coach and appropriate measures put in place. McCarthy-Simmonette, of Teviotdale Gardens, in Heaton appeared at Newcastle Crown Court on Wednesday (April 20) where he was sentenced to 10 months imprisonment suspended for two years, after previously pleading guilty. He was also given a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) for seven years and placed on the Sex Offenders Register for 10 years. Speaking after the sentencing, Detective Constable Rob Smoult from POLIT said: As a force we are committed to keeping children and young people safe from harmful and dangerous online predators. In this case, McCarthy-Simmonette believed he was engaging with a 14-year-old boy and unfazed by this. That behaviour is completely unacceptable. Thanks to a thorough investigation, a solid case was presented before the courts and McCarthy-Simmonette was left with little opportunity to deny his actions and I am pleased he has admitted his guilt. We know that cases like this can cause concern in our communities, but I want to reassure people that we are constantly working with our partners in the local authority and across a wide range of services to ensure the right measures and appropriate safeguards are in place to keep children and young people safe from harm. We will continue to work with schools, youth groups and parents to highlight the dangers which can be present across different platforms and would encourage adults to keep talking to their children about who they engaging with, and to keep promoting the use of privacy settings.

Description

A former teaching assistant was jailed after he deliberately used his position as a football coach to groom and abuse a young boy.

David Jones, described by a judge as a "serious risk to boys", first met the young boy when he was working at his primary school as a teaching assistant. The 33-year-old took an "instant liking" to the child and invited him to join a football club that he coached, with the young footballer doing so.

He began to groom him with text messages and lifts in his car with him integrating himself into the life of the boy's family. His parents innocently thought that the friendship was good for their son and improved his confidence but Liverpool Crown Court was told that his sexual abuse of the young boy led to him attempting suicide and has devastated his life.

When jailing Jones, Judge Anil Murray told him: “Your actions were carefully planned and designed to groom a child to take part in sexual activity with you for your sexual gratification.” The court also heard that some years later, in 2018, by which time Jones was a fully qualified teacher, he created a fake Instagram profile posing as an 11-year-old girl to contact a boy one year older.

He sent him messages that included "you're fit" and asked him to send naked photographs of himself. Fortunately, the boy was sceptical and told his mum about the messages who then contacted the police.

Officers managed to track the IP address of the account to a home of a couple where Jones had been house sitting at the time of the offence. He originally denied being to blame when interviewed and then wrote to the couple saying he had developed an addiction to pornography. He said that this had led to an increased interest in boys aged 12 and 13, however, when he was re-interviewed he made no comment.

Judge Anil Murray told Jones, of Loxley Road, Southport, that every parent of every boy he had taught “will be wondering whether you have committed any other offences. He said: "You are an intelligent man and you used your intellect to commit these offences.”

He said that he was satisfied that he had “selected the boy for grooming due to your sexual attraction to him from the beginning”. And he told him that the victim “says that his whole childhood was taken away from him by you”.

He said he accepted that Jones has lost his career but pointed out, “It is all your own fault”. Judge Murray said that Jones posed a high risk of re-offending. He added: “I am satisfied you present a serious risk to boys.”

He jailed him for three and a half years and ordered him to sign on the Sex Offenders Register for life. He imposed a Sexual Harm Prevention Order and a restraining order for 15 years.

Jones admitted the Instagram offence involving inciting a child under 13 to commit a sexual act involving sending him photographs. He denied two offences of sexually assaulting the schoolboy footballer - one happening on at least five occasions - and an offence of causing him to engage in sexual activity but he was convicted by a jury after a trial.

Gareth Roberts, prosecuting, told how the two sexual assault offences on the schoolboy involved him putting his leg on his leg and rubbing his crotch. The third offence involved him asking the boy to touch his penis which the boy refused to do.

Mr Roberts told the jury that eventually the victim had enough of the texts and the touching and attention and left the football club. The prosecutor explained: “He didn’t want to tell anyone what had happened to him, he was embarrassed about it.”

But some time later he found that Jones had been in contact with his parents wanting to talk to them about rumours about him and so he told them about what Jones had done to him. Mr Roberts said: "He cried as he told them”, then his parents rang the police.

In an impact statement read to the court today, the victim told how he was having counselling and the offences have “impacted my day to day life”. He said that while at school he tried to commit suicide and became very angry but has since managed to control his anger.

He now has trust issues and only speaks to his family and girlfriend. The victim also said he has mental health issues and was afraid of bumping into the defendant. Hugh Barton, defending, said that Jones “has lost everything".

He said: “It wasn’t just a job, it was something he was passionate about and he was passionate about his coaching. He maintains it was not some sinister job to gain access to children.”

He pointed out that there were no other complainants and said that Jones was now a logistics manager for a salad production company after twice being promoted. Mr Barton added that the defendant “is a man who struggles with his identity”.

Description

Thomas Hammersley continued to download sick material despite a previous conviction for doing the same thing A convicted paedophile has tried and failed to have his identity withheld in the media to protect his family. Thomas Hammersley, who is 28 years old and of Park Lane in Camborne, made the unsuccessful application at Truro Crown Court as he appeared to be sentenced for three making indecent images charges. Prosecuting the case, Ryan Murray told the court how police raided Hammersleys house in July 2020 following a tip off from the National Crime Agency that his IP address and email were suspected of uploading material to a file sharing platform using terms indicative of child abuse images. A number of devices belonging to registered sex offender Hammersley were seized and all found to contain varying numbers of images. In total Hammersley had 107 Category A images and one movie, 48 Category B images and 81 Category C images, many of which were inaccessible. The material had been accessed over the course of two years and the victims were said to be aged between six and 12. Hammersley at first denied the offending before going onto make admissions, blaming his offending on drugs. Back in 2015 Hammersley was convicted of identical offences and given a suspended sentence and made subject of a sexual harm prevention order. Representing himself, Hammersley said: When I was doing the crimes I was under the influence of drugs. After I came back round Id realise what Id done and delete it. Then the next time I got drunk Id do it again. Addressing the application for anonymity, Judge Simon Carr said that while he sympathised with Hammersleys family, the application went against the principal of open justice. Sentencing, Judge Carr said: As a result of information from the NCA your premises was raided and a number of devices found. All the devices had indecent images of children including Category A images and at least one movie. In 2015 you were convicted of identical offences and given a chance to address your offending, something you failed to do. These images were downloaded over a significant period of time and the children depicted were very young. You seek to minimise responsibility and blame it on drugs. This is an excuse without foundation. You do it because you have a sexual interest in children. Hammersley was jailed for two years.

Description

A JUDGE has described what she believes a paedophile intended to do at a play area when a concerned parent stopped him.

Oliver James Anglesmith, 34, is now serving a two-year sentence for breaching a court order designed to protect children.

He has a previous conviction, in 2008, for sexual activity with a boy.

When he appeared before her at York Crown Court to answer for his actions at a play area earlier this year, Recorder Geraldine Kelly told him: "I have no doubt you were hanging around, looking for children.

"When you found them ... you didn't stop at simply looking at them. You found an opportunity to talk to them."

The children were aged five to nine years old.

"You sought their company, you found an opportunity to touch them," she said.

Anglesmith had lifted two of the children over a fence, a "wholly unnecessary" action.

"I have no doubt it was motivated by your perverted interests," she said.

"This was a determined effort by you to get these children in your company."

She was sure he was trying to get them away from other adults.

Anglesmith had told police he didn't think he was doing anything wrong.

But he knew exactly what he shouldn't do under a sexual harm prevention order (SHPO).

"It seems you have no interest in changing your ways," she said.

Anglesmith did not achieve his aim because a parent, concerned about what they were seeing at the play area in Scarborough, called in police.

Anglesmith, of Northstead Flats, Scarborough, pleaded guilty to breaching the SHPO which bans him from being in the company of children among other restrictions aimed at protecting youngsters from him.

He has several previous convictions for breaching the order and for failure to keep police informed of his up to date details as an offender on the sex offenders register.

The register enables police to monitor sex offenders and know where they are living and other matters about them.

His solicitor advocate David Camidge said he had no recent breaches of court orders. The last breach was in 2014.

The SHPO order was made by East Yorkshire magistrates in 2013 and lasts until next year. He had been subject to an earlier similar order following his conviction in 2008.

Description

A man convicted of more than 40 child sex offences has been jailed for eight years.

Jon Gordon, 43, was arrested after officers from the Police Online Investigation Team (POLIT) carried out a warrant at his address in Gershwin Boulevard, Witham, in December 2018.

It followed information that he had been engaging in sexual communications with someone he believed was a 13 year-old child.

He was arrested and 33 items were seized. On five of those, officers found more than 1,200 indecent images and videos of child abuse.

They also found a total of 6,500 conversations on Skype with 900 contacts of young people. Among these, officers found evidence he had communicated with boys and girls under the age of 18.

He was charged with 45 child sexual offence offences including sexual communications with a child, inciting a child to perform sexual acts, and indecent images of children offences.

He admitted the offences at Chelmsford Crown Court on February 24 and at the same court on April 13 he was sentenced to a total of eight years in prison.

Detective Sergeant Samantha Lewin, from POLIT, said: Jon Gordon is a dangerous sexual predator who sought out and preyed upon underage boys and girls for his own sexual gratification.

He had a huge library of child abuse images and videos and the sheer number of charges he admitted to highlights the scale of his offending.

I have no doubt Essex is a safer place now he is behind bars.

Description

A 41-year-old man described as a fantasist and a monster has been found guilty of the murder of the schoolboy Rikki Neave, who was found strangled in woods near Peterborough nearly 28 years ago.

James Watson, of no fixed abode, was convicted by a jurys majority verdict at the Old Bailey in London of the 1994 murder after a DNA breakthrough in 2016 revealed that, as a 13-year-old, he had been in physical contact with the six-year-old boy on the day of his disappearance.

Watson, who has a long list of previous convictions including sexual assault evaded detection for more than two decades, changing his account of his interactions with Neave as evidence piled up against him.

The conviction brings to a close a cold case mystery in which Rikkis own mother, Ruth Neave, was acquitted of his murder in 1996, removing suspicion that had haunted her since she pleaded guilty to a litany of shocking child cruelty offences against the boy, of which the jury in her murder trial were unaware.

Speaking after the verdict, Neave described Watson as a monster and criticised the original investigation, saying police and social services totally ruined mine and my daughters lives.

saying police and social services totally ruined mine and my daughters lives.

She said: The only thing now is to close this chapter in my life and open a new one. I wonder what Rikki would be like today. Married, children, who knows? But this monster has taken that all from me and my daughters.

Rikkis sister Rochelle Neave, 30, hailed the verdict as a victory for the family who had campaigned for justice. He thought hed got away with it for that many years and thought we were just going to go away and roll under the table. We werent.

She remembered her brother as a cheeky and loving boy who would look after his sisters. Sheradyn Neave, the youngest of the siblings, who was a baby when Rikki died, added: I think we were let down by the police at the time, we were let down by social services, we were let down by everyone who was in our lives who was meant to care.

The jury deliberated for 36 hours and 31 minutes to convict Watson by a majority of 10 to two after an 11-week trial.

The judge, Mrs Justice McGowan, said Watson would be sentenced as if he were a teenager. That means he will receive a life sentence but the starting point for the minimum term will be 12 years. The defendant was not in court on Thursday but watched verdict on a video link.

The prosecution said he lured Rikki to woods near his home in Peterborough on 28 November 1994 and strangled him from behind with a ligature or anorak collar to fulfil a morbid fantasy he had told his mother about three days before.

He stripped Rikki and posed his naked body in a star shape for sexual gratification, deliberately exhibiting him near a childrens woodland den, jurors were told. Rikki was reported missing that evening by his mother and found the next day.

Watson obsessed over newspaper coverage of the killing, photocopying front-page stories at school. The next month he was interviewed as a witness by police after a person reported seeing him with Rikki on the nearby Welland estate. His lies went unchallenged as police wrongly focused on a theory that Neave killed her son and used a buggy to dump his body.

The mother of four was cleared of murder in 1996 but jailed for seven years after admitting child cruelty. The case was unsolved for more than 20 years until Watsons DNA was identified on Rikkis clothes, which had been recovered from a wheelie bin.

In a police interview in 2016, Watson attempted to explain the DNA presence by claiming he picked Rikki up to look at diggers through a hole in a fence. The prosecutor, John Price QC, said that was his really big mistake as police were able to prove the fence was not there in 1994.

After the verdict, the former assistant chief constable Paul Fullwood, who led the cold case, called Watson a fantasist, a dangerous individual, and a compulsive liar. He said: All the way through this, its been a monumental series of challenges. But, as far as were concerned, weve got the right person responsible for the dreadful, dreadful murder of that little boy Rikki Neave.

Hopefully we can bring some justice for his family and also make sure that we put a dangerous individual in prison.

Sentencing will take place on 9 May at the same court.