Latest Offenders

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Adam Webb, of Newcastle, who has a history of sex attacks on young girls, made disturbing searches on a phone he wasn't meant to have A predatory paedophile had made a series of disturbing searches on a secret phone - including looking for "children's homes in Newcastle". Adam Webb was already subject to restrictions after committing serious sex offences, including against two girls aged six and eight in 2014. Having breached a sexual harm prevention order previously, he has now been back in court for doing it again. He had acquired one mobile phone without telling police, as he was required to do, then failed to provide the pass code for another phone. A search of the first phone uncovered a number of disturbing searches had been made. These included "teen porn", "schoolgirls", "British schoolgirl rape porn", "under skirt little girl" "children's homes in Newcastle", "famous paedophiles" and "how to clean your phone". Now Webb, 26, of Ozanam House Newcastle, who is classed as a danger to children, has been sent back to prison for three years at Newcastle Crown Court after admitting two breaches of the sexual harm prevention order. Recorder Geraldine Kelly told him: "How you behaved in relation to those phones, keeping possession of one from the officers and refusing to hand over the pass code, making those searches followed by a search of how to clean your phone, is entirely in keeping with how the probation officer finds you to be during your recent supervision by them. "They have noted how deceitful you are in order to avoid the consequences of that order. "The purpose is to keep children safe from your sexual offending and you seem to be determined in trying to avoid that order. "You are a high risk to children." The court heard he has 12 previous convictions, all for sex offences or breaches of orders aimed at stopping his offending and was on licence at the time of the latest offences. In the 2014 offences, he was convicted of sexual assault, causing a child to engage in sexual activity and sexual activity in the presence of a child. He approached the little girls, who were unknown to him, committed a sex act in front of them and asked them to touch him intimately, which they did not. He then sexually assaulted one of them. Mark Harrison, defending, said: "He says he was not the owner of the phone throughout the period and it was given to him by a friend to sell on."

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A man jailed by a Sheffield judge after raping a woman on her way home after a night out has had his prison sentence increased. Selfo Myrtaj, aged 28, of Scot Lane, Doncaster, attacked the woman on August 8 last year as she made her way home after an evening out in the town with her boyfriend. Mrytaj passed his 22-year-old victim on foot, before returning to his car which was parked nearby and driving around the town centre at speed looking for her. Once he located her at the Frenchgate Centre, Mrytaj left his vehicle to catch up with the victim, then dragged her back to his car before driving to a secluded location and raping her. Following a police investigation, Myrtaj was identified as the man responsible and he was arrested the following day. Investigating officer PC Rob Zarchi said: This was clearly a pre-meditated attack and that is reflected in the sentence that was handed to Mrytaj. This incident has had a profound effect on the victim and I would like to praise her for the tremendous courage and dignity she has shown throughout the investigation and court proceedings. I hope this sentencing allows the victim to attempt to move forward with her life. South Yorkshire Police takes all reports of rape extremely seriously and will work tirelessly to bring offenders to justice. Mrytaj appeared before Sheffield Crown Court on December 17, 2021, where he pleaded guilty to rape. He was initially sentenced to four years in prison but the sentence was escalated to the Court of Appeal, which found the original sentence unduly lenient and it was increased to six years.

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A 56-year-old Bradford man has been jailed for almost four years for sexually abusing a girl. Locking up Martin Briggs for 46 months, Judge Andrew Hatton told him: Her whole life has been turned upside down by your depravity. Briggs, of Madison Avenue, Holme Wood, pleaded guilty to two offences of sexually assaulting the girl, one of which reflected multiple occasions on which he abused her. Prosecutor Abigail Langford told Bradford Crown Court on Tuesday that the victim confided in a family member and a youth worker what Briggs was doing to her. He was grabbing her breasts and making sexualised comments, she disclosed. Briggs made no comment when questioned by the police and went on to deny any wrongdoing. He pleaded guilty on the day of his trial after the girl had been cross-examined ahead of the hearing as is the usual legal practice nowadays. Timothy Jacobs, Briggs barrister, said he was effectively a man of good character and had no similar offending on his record, just a few motoring convictions many years ago. Its a matter of great sadness to him that he has let himself go in this way, Mr Jacobs said. Briggs was beset with financial worries at the time of the offending. He was in debt, stressed and viewing adult mainstream pornography. He had many serious health and mobility problems and lived an isolated existence. Judge Hatton said he was dealing with him for two offences of sexually abusing the child, one that reflected multiple occasions. He had denied the allegations until the day a jury was to be sworn in to try him. Briggs had touched the girl indecently and made sexualised comments to her. He had told her not to tell anyone else. She was frightened of him and had since self-harmed and suffered with depression, Judge Hatton said. Briggs must sign on the sex offender register for life and the judge made a Sexual Harm Prevention Order without limit of time.

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A man has been put behind bars for a string of masturbating incidents across South Londons railways, following an investigation by the British Transport Police (BTP). James Gathercole, 36, from Beckenham, repeatedly masturbated in front of women and teenage girls on trains around South-East London before eventually being caught by the police. He was found guilty of ten indecent exposure offences between December 2020 and November 2021. Six of which occurred in one single day. Gathercole was sentenced at London Crown Court in February to sixteen months in prison and will be placed on the sex offenders register for the next ten years. Its clear from Gathercoles persistent and sickening actions that he is a danger to women and girls, and Im pleased to see that after a rigorous investigation this serial offender is no longer free, said BTP detective constable Sonja Lucas. These incidents will have had a serious impact on the victims lives, and no one should have to experience such vile behaviour, she added. The Beckenham man, , was first detained in November last year when a teenage girl approached an off-duty police officer in distress, saying that Gathercole had exposed his genitals and touched himself inappropriately in front of her on a train at New Cross Station. Officers from the BTP shortly arrived at the scene to arrest him and he was remanded in custody. This sparked a months-long dedicated investigation by the BTP into a series of reports about masturbating incidents on trains in South-East London, which were soon linked to Gathercole. The court heard how on 7 August 2021 Gathercole committed six separate offences throughout the afternoon and evening, exposing himself to young women and teenage girls on services between New Cross Gate, Lewisham, and Sydenham stations. BTP detective constable Lucas said: We are absolutely committed to stamping out this behaviour, and we will continue to target patrols to crime hotspots to catch and deter sexual offenders. I would also urge anyone who witnesses or experiences a sexual offence or sexual harassment on the railway to report it to us by texting 61016. We will always take you seriously, she added.

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Two rape victims whose ordeal was filmed after their drinks were spiked had to wait more than five years to see their attacker brought to justice. Delays in the legal system mean Bradley Carman has only now been jailed for the 2016 attack, in which he humiliated and degraded two unconscious women. He had spiked their drinks before a friend filmed the attack, with the footage later being circulated. Judge Mark Weekes jailed the 22-year-old for seven-and-a-half years at Canterbury Crown Court on Friday. He told Carman he slipped chemicals or made drinks as strong as possible to render them unconscious. They were given drinks that made them very unwell, he continued. There was evidence from both (during your trial) that it was recorded by your friend, and while you might not be responsible for that, you were a willing and enthusiastic participant. You chose to fight this trial on what I deemed to be the clearest and compelling evidence. Carman argued during his trial in December that sexual contact with both women was consensual. His lawyers argued the women falsely accused Carman after becoming shameful once a video of the ordeal began circulating. Carmans barrister Kieran Brand told jurors the victims evidence was inconsistent and the pair behaved in a reckless, impulsive manner. But jurors unanimously convicted Carman, who was 17 at the time of the attacks, of three counts of rape. One victim told jurors she dipped in and out of consciousness while being attacked, as Carmans friend filmed and laughed. We had one-and-a-half drinks and after that I dont remember what happened, she continued. I remember coming to and Bradley was on top of me, I dont remember what (happened) in between. I was really, really out of it. I wasnt in the right position, I didnt say no, I didnt say yes either. I couldnt do anything to stop it, I wasnt in the right position to say no. Someone was filming it, I remember someone filming it, it was dark and he had his flash on, laughing. Carmans second victim told how she was then attacked after falling unwell once shed finished her drink. "I couldnt do anything to stop it, I wasnt in the right position to say no..." (It started) getting really weird, we started to feel not necessarily paralytic, but it wasnt right, she said. The court heard both girls reported the attacks months afterwards, claiming they may have been spiked. But it would take more than five years before they would see justice owing to delays in the justice system, the court heard. At the sentencing hearing, one of the victims told how she attempted to take her own life in her battle with the aftermath, often experiencing feelings of being alone and helpless. I thought death was my only way out, she said. Sometimes I get flashbacks and night terrors and wake up crying. The other victim told how the attack stripped away her confidence, replacing it instead with anxiety and trust issues. Carman, of Ince Road, was sentenced as a juvenile given his age at the time of the attacks. He will remain on the sex offenders register indefinitely. No charges have been brought against his friend.

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A BAR manager attempted to persuade a 13-year-old girl to model for him and offered to pay her for sex. But convicted paedophile Link Robinson did not realise the teenager he had targeted in a chat room was an undercover police officer. Robinson was already subject to a sexual harm prevention order after being convicted of possessing and distributing indecent images of children. And when police arrested him again at his flat in Bradshawgate, Bolton, they discovered that he had devices capable of accessing the internet which he was banned from having unless his offender manager was informed. At Bolton Crown Court Robinson, a father-of-one, was jailed for three years after admitting attempting to communicate with a child in order to obtain sexual gratification, attempting to incite a child to engage in sexual activity, and four breaches of his sexual harm prevention order. Geoff Whelan, prosecuting, told how, on September 23 last year 34-year-old Robinson, using the name Model Scout, logged into an online chat room and began a conversation with "Izzy". Her profile made clear that she was a schoolgirl. "The defendant messaged her asking her why she wasn't in school and asked if she wanted to earn some cash by modelling for him at his apartment in Bolton," said Mr Whelan. During the subsequent chat Izzy, who was an undercover police officer, told Robinson, she was aged 13 and a virgin. The conversation quickly became sexualised with Robinson, sending her pictures of male private parts, encouraging her to commit a sexual act and offering to pay her 150 if she would model for him and they had sex. "I was thinking if you wanted to be boyfriend and girlfriend we could be and that would lead to sex stuff. I'd pay extra if needed," he told her. Robinson also messaged Izzy using Kik Messenger using the name AdiBoy87 and encouraged her to send him pictures of herself. But he became angry when he traced to pictures she used to a Russian Instagram account. "He accused her of being fake, stating 'I am trying to date and have sex with you. I want you to be real'," said Mr Whelan. Police tracked Robinson's IP address to his home and he was arrested on January 14. He initially denied being in contact with Izzy although he admitted having used a number of chat rooms. "He stated the reason he couldn't specifically remember September time was due to it being Freshers Week which was a busy time of year for the bar that he is manager of," said Mr Whelan. Robinson, who also uses the aliases Carl Robinson and Cark Robinson, admitted that he had changed his name by deed poll following his previous conviction. Michael Goldwater, defending stressed that the contact with Izzy had been on a single occasion and was "relatively short" in duration. "The defendant is very distressed at his own behaviour and is very remorseful," he added. "Although he recognises these are very serious offences, he is confident that, having served his sentence, he will not trouble the courts again." Jailing Robinson, Recorder Andrew Long told him: "It is clearly indicated that you have a sexual interest in children." Robinson was made subject to a sexual harm prevention order for life.

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A convicted sex offender who set up fake profiles on chat sites was snared by paedophile hunters posing as underage girls.

Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court heard that Phillip Browne even pretended to be his own sister to try to persuade one 14-year-old to become his boyfriend.

He sent her a photo of his penis and provided an address in Fenton.

Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire headlines

But 41-year-old Browne was rumbled when the vigilantes turned up at his bail hostel in Newcastle.

Nick Tatlow, prosecuting, said they were trying to stage a confrontation. Police were called and his accommodation was searched.

Now the defendant, of Albert Street, Newcastle, has been jailed for 36 months.

He admitted three counts of breaching a sexual harm prevention order (SHPO), four counts of attempting to breach the order, and two counts of failing to comply with notification requirements.

The court was told Browne had been sentenced to two years in prison in March last year for similar breaches. He was released on licence on October 29.

A risk assessor visited him to talk through the requirements of the SHPO, which had been imposed for an indefinite period. He provided details of his mobile phone, SIM card and an Xbox console, said Mr Tatlow.

The assessor made several further visits. One of them was prompted by Browne saying he want to chat to females. The SHPO was explained to him again.

But by January, he had secretly bought a smartphone and was using it to set up the fake profiles online. The profile names he used included Phil Bro and Sarah.

The first person he contacted on the chat site was Scarlet, a decoy profile set up by vigilantes. She purported to be aged 14.

Mr Tatlow said: The conversations with Scarlet were not overtly sexual. He said he liked her and wanted her to be his girlfriend.

The conversation moved to WhatsApp. Browne claimed to have a 14-year-old sister who passed as a 20-year-old. He then posed as Sarah, who was supposedly his sister, to contact the girl.

Other females targeted included Amber and Lexi-Mae, who both claimed to be aged 13. He asked one of the girls: What do you think of me as a BF (boyfriend) type of thing?

He then switched between two fake profiles - Phil Bro and Sarah to strike up a conversation with a girl who claimed to be 14. It was this person who received a photograph of Brownes private parts.

During the police search of Brownes address, a smartphone was recovered.

The WhatsApp chat log on that Huawei phone showed a deleted conversation with Scarlet, added Mr Tatlow.

In interview, Browne said he committed the offences so he could go back to prison.

Brian Williams, mitigating, described him as disarmingly honest and said the defendant was desperate to get onto a course to address his behaviour.

He wants some help, his barrister added.

Sentencing him, Record Anthony Warner said the offences were part of a pattern of behaviour.

He told Browne: "Youve been identified as someone of high risk of serious harm against exactly the sort of people identified in this case, namely young girls to whom you are attracted.

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A sex offender with a flagrant disregard for court orders has found himself behind bars again.

Shaun Paul Roberts, 32, is no stranger to Cornwalls courts.

In May 2020 CornwallLive reported how Roberts was given a suspended sentence after being found by police slashing his face with a razor blade after harassing his terrified former partner.

Weeks later he was back at Truro Crown Court again and jailed for going straight to the woman he was banned from contacting and breaching a restraining order - on the day he was given it.

Roberts told her: "If I want to be with you, Ill f***ing be with you, I dont care about the restraining order."

Now, 18 months or so later, Roberts, now of Trenoweth Crescent in Penzance, was back in the dock, this time at Truro Magistrates Court.

Roberts was sentenced after pleading guilty to between February 8 and 24 once again breaching a restraining order.

He also admitted failing to notify a change of address which he was required to do as a registered sex offender, and possession of cannabis.

Magistrates said the offence was so serious because the defendant has a flagrant disregard for court orders and because the offence was aggravated by the defendant's record of previous offending.

Roberts was jailed for 12 months and the cannabis ordered to be destroyed.

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A "manipulative predator" who admitted 19 sexual offences against two teenage boys has been jailed for 12 years. Daniel Harrison, 44, of Roe Hill, Woodborough, was investigated in 2018 after one victim reported what had happened to him in 2009. Police said detectives were then alerted to claims of offences committed against the other victim, taking place over several years. The victims "showed enormous courage", Nottinghamshire Police added. Police said Harrison initially denied sexually abusing the two boys, claiming they were making it up. However, he later admitted sexual assault on one boy and 18 offences - seven counts of sexual activity with a child and 11 counts of inciting a child to engage in sexual activity - against the other. 'Dignity and bravery' He was jailed at Nottingham Crown Court on Monday. Harrison was also put on the sex offenders register for life and given an indefinite sexual harm prevention order. Det Con Christopher Featonby said: "Harrison is a calculating and manipulative sexual predator who groomed and exploited two teenage boys. "His victims - supported by their families - showed enormous courage by coming forward and giving evidence against him and I would like to thank them both for the dignity and bravery they have shown."

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Benny Lundquvist was extradited to face justice for his sick crimes in Merseyside A paedophile who suffered a stroke before he was extradited to the UK has moaned about his treatment in British prisons. Benny Lundquvist, 65, from Sweden, molested a little girl in sexual abuse in Merseyside that had a "devastating impact" on the victim. But while she was left contemplating suicide, he returned to his native country and carried on with his life like nothing had ever happened. In late 2020, the pervert suffered a stroke, just months before he was dragged back to Merseyside to face justice for his sick crimes. Now he is complaining about prison healthcare not being of the same standard he was receiving in a rehabilitation centre back home. Liverpool Crown Court heard Lundquvist's victim was a very young girl when he started abusing her in the Merseyside area. Lundquvist performed sex acts on the child and also exposed himself to her and asked her to perform a sex act on him. Frances Willmott, prosecuting, said the little girl "didn't tell anyone because she had been told to keep it a secret". When the girl got older she realised what happened was wrong, was "distressed" and told friends, but by then Lundquvist was long gone. He was extradited to UK and stood trial in January, when he was found guilty of three counts of indecent assault and one count of indecency with a child. Ms Willmott said the now adult woman described self-harming as a teenager and "struggling with her body image due to comments made to her by Mr Lundquvist". She said the victim suffered from suicidal thoughts and flashbacks, struggled with sexual relationships and had feelings of shame, leading to her undergoing therapy, but she hadn't felt able to speak openly about what happened to her. The court heard Lundquvist, of Blockfljtstigen, Kungsngen, Sweden, had no previous convictions in the UK or in his native country. Mark Pritchard, defending, said his client's comments in a pre-sentence report meant "I will be somewhat limited in the mitigation I can put forward". He said Lundquvist had ongoing health issues arising from a stroke he suffered in October 2020 in Croatia, when he was flown by air ambulance to an intensive care unit in Sweden. Mr Pritchard said: "He was hospitalised in a stroke unit for a number of months. He was unable to walk or talk properly and was tube fed." The lawyer said Lundquvist was discharged to a rehabilitation centre, but then the extradition proceedings began and "that rehabilitation was of course put on hold whilst he was in custody". Mr Pritchard said: "He still has sensory issues, hearing loss left hand side, numbness in his right side, which goes up into his head, causing him pain. "He says the prison healthcare here is not of the same standard as he was having in rehabilitation. It's taken two months in custody to receive the medication he was relying on to prevent further strokes." Mr Pritchard said Lundquvist also suffered from a "hormone imbalance", which in Sweden was treated with injections, but because the NHS works differently, in the UK this treatment can only be prescribed by a selected few specialists. He said when his client doesn't receive these injections he struggles to sleep, his bones become "brittle" and he feels "achy all over". Judge Louise Brandon said she had read the victim statement and heard the woman give evidence about the "devastating impact" of the abuse on her life. The judge said: "She struggles with feelings of shame and disgust. She has contemplated suicide because of the disgust she feels at what you did to her." Judge Brandon said there had been a delay in bringing Lundquvist to justice, adding: "She felt unable to speak up because she had been conditioned by you into believing that the behaviour was normal and she felt a sense of shame." She told Lundquvist: "I have read your pre-sentence report with care. You have maintained that you did not commit the offences and so have shown no remorse, understanding or empathy for your victim. "It's clear you put your own sexual desires above the consequences of what you were doing." Judge Brandon said Lundquvist had children and grandchildren who would "bear the burden" of his time in jail and that she took into account his age and the state of his health, which would make prison a greater punishment for him than it would a younger man. The judge jailed him for eight years and said he would be released at the halfway stage, at which point he will be "liable for automatic deportation". Lundquvist must sign on the Sex Offenders Register indefinitely.

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Ian Chapel, of South Shields, who was angry at not being able to see his children after the end of his relationship, posted private sexual footage of the woman on Snapchat A mum was horrified to be told by her son that his dad had posted a private sexual video of her online. Ian Chapel was devastated at being unable to see his children after the breakdown of his long term relationship when he sought to humiliate his former partner. A court heard he posted the footage, which the woman had sent him years earlier while they were together and told him to delete it afterwards, on Snapchat. A friend of one of their son's saw it and told his pal, who told his mother. Newcastle Crown Court heard the couple had been together for around 18 years until they split up and they have four children. Initially, Chapel had contact with the youngsters but this was stopped after arguments. In July last year, the woman got a text from a friend saying Chapel had posted things about her on Instagram. On a page open to the public, he had called her a s**g and a s**t and accused her of having affairs, said she was not letting him see the children and said he wanted to kill himself. He also posted a court letter with the woman's name and her mother's name on it. Then on July 10 she was told by her teenage son about the intimate video being posted by Chapel on Snapchat. The woman had blocked Chapel but asked her friend to check and she confirmed the video was there. There was also a video of him saying he hoped she got attacked with acid at work and he threatened to print leaflets if he didn't get to see his children. In a victim impact statement, the woman said: "I feel degraded, harassed, alarmed, distressed and violated because that video was private to me. "I didn't think he would still have it, it's from years ago. "This has left me feeling like a broken woman, I feel deflated. "I've been made to feel dirty, knowing my two eldest sons are aware of this. "I'm quite anxious about what's going to happen. He threatened me on Snapchat and said he will not stop. I'm constantly watching my back. I've had cameras put up because I fear for my safety." Chapel, 39, of Winskell Road, South Shields, who has 34 previous convictions, pleaded guilty to disclosing a private sexual picture and harassment. He was sentenced to 12 months suspended for 18 months with 150 hours unpaid work, 200 compensation and a five year restraining order. Recorder Geraldine Kelly told him: "You were so angry about not seeing your children you chose to intimidate, manipulate and humiliate her. "Your son was told by his friend about an intimate sexual video you posted. Your teenage son. What an awful experience for him to have to go through." Referring to the comment about acid, the judge said: "The venom in your delivery is palpable." She added: "It's clear the end of this relationship has broken you but it's not an excuse. "Your distress is evident but it's something you are going to have to get over." Fiona Lamb, defending, said Chapel has been left "heartbroken" at not being able to see his children after his contact with them broke down. She told the court: "The complainant may have her own reasons for that and I don't seek to blame her but the effect on the defendant has been he has been extremely depressed for the past few years and he has tried to commit suicide on a number of occasions. "He is angry, no doubt, but very, very upset. "I'm not saying that excuses, in any way, shape or form what he did but I hope your honour will take it into account. "It appears he was utterly desperate and didn't know what else to do."

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But the judge dismissed the claims and jailed Dwight Williams for a year A judge shot down suggestions that a pervert broke the rules of a sex offenders' order due to his dyslexia. Dwight Williams was slapped with a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) in December after being caught with indecent images of children, including some in the worst category of abuse. But within weeks, the Loftus paedophile was caught breaching the order. A judge shot down suggestions that a pervert broke the rules of a sex offenders' order due to his dyslexia. Dwight Williams was slapped with a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) in December after being caught with indecent images of children, including some in the worst category of abuse. But within weeks, the Loftus paedophile was caught breaching the order. Go here for the latest reports and live updates from Teesside's courts Teesside Crown Court heard on Tuesday how Williams was expected to declare any devices or equipment which could store images. But when police turned up to check he was following the rules, he was arrested for four breaches. Prosecuting, Rachel Masters said: "On February 1, police attended his home address to carry out a routine review as part of his sentence regime and asked for a inspection of his devices. "He pointed out a number of different devices including a Playstation, hard drive and a laptop." But a search then revealed two USB sticks and a mobile phone, which he had not declared. "The mobile phone was checked and it was established he had been using Snapchat," said Ms Masters. "He had sent and received in excess of 1,000 which had been deleted." As the Snapchat app automatically deletes the images and messages after they have been read, it was impossible to see what had been posted. And Williams had therefore been banned from using the app. The court also heard he had been cautioned prior to this offending by failing to register one of his aliases. Williams, of High Street in Loftus, admitted the four breaches of the order. Kelleigh Lodge, defending, said he was in stable accommodation and was "quite a religious individual who has tried to make use of that on remand". She also said his dyslexia "takes him longer to understand certain things". "He now seems to have a better understanding of the SHPO so that would hopefully prevent any futther offending in the future," she added. Judge Jonathan Carroll said it was "a deliberate breach" and jailed Williams for a year and extended his SHPO by another five years. He told him: "Police asked you to identify any relevant equipment or devices that linked up to the internet. "Your dyslexia could not have impacted on your understanding of that." He said Williams' offending had "driven a coach and horses" through the order which was aimed at safeguarding children. "It's precisely why these orders are made and must be followed," he said. "I do not accept any explanation that you did not understand what was required, you simply failed to comply with it."

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The co-owner of two Callander hotels who preyed on and abused female members of his staff is facing jail. Gary Adam, 35, used his power as the boss to intimidate and sexually assault two young women, Falkirk Sheriff Court was told. The incidents occurred at the Waverley Hotel and Crags Hotel, opposite each other on Main Street and both co-owned by Adam. Jurors heard the first woman had been working for Adam for only a week when he made a pass at her while she was in another pub playing pool, forcing her to tell him when she saw him at work that she didnt want to lose her job or have sex with him. Within hours, however, he asked her into the office at the Waverley Hotel on the ruse that she needed a new uniform T-shirt, pushed her against a wall, put his hand quite tightly round her neck, kissed her forcibly on the lips, and tried to put his hand down the front of her trousers. The woman told jurors he was growling or grunting in her ear and said he would snap her like a twig. She said on an earlier occasion he had snapped a pool cue in front of her. She left in shock and disbelief but later that night Adam sexually assaulted her again, touching her bum as she bent over to retrieve something. The day after the incident, which occurred in 2019, she gave her notice. The court heard Adam sexually assaulted another woman repeatedly in 2020 while she was working at the Crags Hotel. Weeping, she said he had followed her into a walk-in cupboard where she was fetching something, pulled the door so it locked behind them, then pinned her forcibly against the wall with two hands on her shoulders and tried to kiss her. She said she was frozen and scared and didnt know what to do, but suddenly a customer called from the bar, and she was able to leave. Later Adam, who had earlier been drinking with friends, returned alone and a bit more drunk and asked her for the key to one of the hotel bedrooms. He then texted a demand that she deliver a Peroni beer to the bedroom, and after she left it outside he opened the door, grabbed her wrist, dragged her in, pushed her back onto the bed, held her arms above her head and tried to kiss her. She said she just kept saying no and eventually he sent her away but refused to give her back her phone - which he had pushed away from her grasp on the bed. When he returned it later, the text message asking her to take beer to his room had been deleted. The court heard Adam later told the woman it would never happen again, but three weeks later after finishing her shift at the Crags she went over to the Waverley to see some friends and Adam approached her and asked her if she would give him a lift back to his home on the outskirts of Callander. She thought it awkward if she refused, but on the short drive he immediately asked her if she would stay with him in one of the hotel rooms. When she turned him down, he demanded she stop and let him out, but before she had even had a chance to turn off the car engine he climbed over, sat on top of her, forced her head back, and forced her mouth open with his hand. She said: He managed to get it open and put his tongue down my throat. I just sat there. I didnt know what to do. He put his hand in my leggings and under my underwear. His fingers touched my private area. Scared and disgusted, the woman managed to call a random number on her phone, and when Adam realised, he stopped and asked to be driven the rest of the way home. After a three-day trial, the jury found father-of-one Adam, a first offender, of Cambusmore, Callander, guilty of five charges of sexually assaulting the women. He described himself in evidence as a scumbag for cheating on his own partner, but denied the offences. He claimed that in some cases what the women had said did not happen, and when it had happened, it was with consent. Prosecutor Cheryl Clark said Adam had perpetrated a pattern of systematic abuse against the two young women, engineered situations to be alone with them, and used fear, intimidation, physical strength, and his powerful role as their employer to manipulate the situation. Sheriff Christopher Shead continued bail for reports. He placed Adam on the sex offenders register, and warned a custodial sentence would be considered. Adam will appear again on March 31. Defence advocate Wendy Hay reserved mitigation.

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A woman said she feels like 'her life is crumbling' after she endured four years of sexual abuse at the hands of a sexual predator.

Michael Harvey, 47, attempted to rape the little girl in her sleep when she was just eight years old, Preston Crown Court heard.

In the years that followed he subjected her to numerous sexual assaults which left her feeling 'sick to the stomach', she said.

Harvey, of Lulworth Road, Fulwood, Preston, has been jailed for 10 years with a year's extended licence after pleading guilty to the abuse.

Judge Richard Gioserano, sentencing, said the woman waited 'years' before she found the courage to report what had happened to her as a child.

"You thought you could get away with it because children often don't tell and feel unable to tell for many years - often overcome with fear and shame and confusion", he said.

When the woman did speak out against her abuser, Harvey lied and only pleaded guilty as he was due to stand trial at Preston Crown Court.

He admitted attempted rape of a child under 13 and six counts of sexual assault. which represented a pattern of abuse.

Judge Gioserano said: "This is no isolated case of sexual abuse. You subjected her to sexual abuse on many occasions over a long period of time between the ages of eight and 12 years old.

"You corrupted and distorted her childhood and she is now still paying the price for the sexual gratification you obtained from it."

In a victim impact statement, the woman said: "I find it hard to cope with anything around me and I just feel like I am on my own all the time, with no-one to talk to. It's like I am completely alone.

"My life feels like it is crumbling. I don't even feel like I am living - more that I exist. It is so hard to forget something that haunts me and makes me feel sick to my stomach.

"This man has left me feeling worthless. I shouldn't have to feel like this - I shouldn't have to feel like no-one wants me around, but I do and nothing ever changes, so I stay in my room and don't leave the house."

Harvey wrote a letter to the judge admitting what he had done and expressing remorse, but the judge said in an earlier interview with a probation officer the defendant had tried to minimise his offending.

He said: "She still struggles. One can only hope in time and with love it might become easier to bear. "

He sentenced Harvey to 10 years for the attempted rape and added a year extended licence upon his release.

He also made a Sexual Harm Prevention Order and made Harvey the subject of notification requirements indefinitely.