Latest Offenders

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A disgraced former Royal Navy commander, who was once honoured by the Queen, has avoided jail after being caught on camera by paedophile hunters posing as a 14-year-old boy.

Lieutenant Commander Graham Trewhella, from Gosport in Hampshire, blamed 'loneliness' after being arrested for using dating app Grindr to meet someone he thought was a teenage boy, a court heard.

But when he arrived to meet 'George', the 62-year-old was instead greeted by a man from vigilante paedophile hunting group Trap, an online organisation with more than 241,000 likes on Facebook.

Hampshire Police were called by the group and later found more than 1,000 indecent images of children on his computer.

Trewhella was arrested by officers on October 28, 2017, before retiring from his position in the Navy.

Portsmouth Crown Court heard that the father of three, who used his own photos for his Grindr profile, spent two days messaging someone he believed to be a 14-year-old boy called 'George'.

Following his arrest, police found nearly 1,100 indecent images of children on his Dell computer - including 329 of the most severe category - with analysis suggesting searches for the images dated back to 2015.

Trewhella pleaded guilty to charges of attempting to arrange or facilitate a child sex offence, attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child, and three charges of making indecent images.

Prosecutor Nicholas Hall told the court the disgraced naval officer at one point said he wanted 'maybe (sex) later'.

Mr Hall said: 'The person posing as George made it plain that he was only 14 and asked whether the defendant would be happy with that and he said that he was.

'This went on for certainly two days.'

In a video uploaded to Trap's social media pages, a shocked Trewhella stands in a hat and grey Rab coat, and is challenged by a man who tells him: 'You've thrown your life away'.

Struggling for words, Trewhalla replies: 'I don't do anything outside' and 'I wasn't going to do anything'.

When he later spoke to probation, Trewhella admitted his actions were 'absolutely wrong' and 'unbelievably irresponsible'.

'When I look at what I've done now it horrifies me - I'm incredibly remorseful.'

Trewhella had been named on the New Year's honours list in 2009 for services to the Royal Navy.

In mitigation, Phillip Allman told the hearing that Trewhella's three children had remained supportive of their father.

He added that his actions came as 'a result of loneliness' after splitting with his wife 15 years ago, saying: 'This is the most remarkable stain on his character.

'It's something he will ultimately have to live with for the rest of his life,' Mr Allman said.

Sentencing, Recorder Simon Levene handed him a 17 month jail sentence suspended for two years, commenting that putting him behind bars would do 'nothing towards he rehabilitation'.

Mr Levene said: 'You are deeply ashamed and very, very embarrassed - not just at being caught but at what you realise you've been up to over the last few years.

'I accept that this is a case where I can suspend the sentence because I think that you fall into that category of offender who can be helped.'

He added that in jailing him there was a risk that sex criminals in prison could make him an even worse offender.

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A lot of SICK city pervert who had vile sexual images of children as young as two being raped is now behind bars after costing taxpayers 'thousands'.

Depraved Joshua Bone of Worcester dragged his heels, admitting downloading the 'ghastly' images from the 'dark web' before attempting to deny responsibility, even instructing 'experts' in a cynical attempt to escape justice.

As a result, it has taken four years from the date of his offences to his final admissions and sentence at Worcester Crown Court yesterday, prevarication which has cost the taxpayer 'thousands' and at a time when the public purse is already under huge strain during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Judge Nicolas Cartwright, who jailed him for 50 weeks, said Bone's actions in the 'protracted history' of the case showed his lack of remorse and that he could not be rehabilitated in the community, sending him straight to jail instead.

The 29-year old of Toulouse Drive, Norton, Worcester admitted making 21 indecent images of children at category A, the worst kind, between February 17 and April 17, 2017.

He also admitted making two indecent images at category B and three at category C. All but two images were videos rather than stills, an aggravating feature of the case as were the number of children being abused and the ages of the children, described as 'so desperately young and vulnerable' by the judge.

Judge Cartwright described some of the films in open court, details which are too graphic to report in full. He told the court some of the videos were around an hour long with titles like 'Lolita' and 'four-year-old' and showed children suffering penetrative sexual abuse.

One video recorded the rape of a two-year-old girl and another showed a girl of 10 tied to a bench and being sexually assaulted. Some showed children being abused by more than one adult and others displayed compilations of different children being molested.

The children being abused were aged two, four, six, 10, 11 and 13 years old.

The defendant, who showed no emotion when he learned he was going to prison, said himself in interview: "It's the dark web for a reason - it's horrible."

Judge Cartwright said: "The offences relating to the viewing, making or distribution of these sorts of images is always regarded as so serious because these are real children against whom the most dreadful sexual offences, such as those I have just described, are actually being carried out and filmed so that these films can be circulated to people who have an interest in viewing such things."

The judge also spoke of the physical and psychological harm caused to children by such abuse. He told Bone they grow up knowing the 'ghastly offences committed against them will be out there on the internet for all time, for the whole of the rest of their lives and beyond'.

He also said that without men like Bone downloading these images there would be no demand and it was the demand which drove the supply and therefore fuelled the abuse.

Andrew Wilkins, prosecuting, said the matter came to court following a search of Bone's home in July 2017 following a police investigation into a website known as Paradise Village.

During that search officers seized a Dell computer tower where the images were found. Mr Wilkins said: "He was interviewed about the matter in July and October 2017. The proceedings started in April 2018. It has taken a very long time to get to this stage."

The starting point in the sentencing guidelines is a year's custody with a range available to the sentencing judge of between 26 weeks and three years.

Daniel Oscroft, defending, asked Bone to be given credit for his guilty pleas. "I concede on his behalf that it's late" he said.

He said: "At that time the defendant's life was falling apart. He was abusing drink and drugs. He had a poisonous relationship with his family and his partner left him."

Judge Cartwright ordered the forfeiture and destruction of the computer tower which contained the images. He also ordered Bone to pay a 2,000 contribution towards costs because of the large number of hearings, caused because the defendant declined to admit his guilt.

The judge told him: "This represents only a small fraction of the total cost to the taxpayer because the court has obviously been involved on all these occasions and a significant sum has been expended upon what turned out to be totally unnecessary expert reports that have been pursued and pursued by you despite the fact that, when you were first interviewed about this matter, you admitted that you had viewed the images on your computer."

This amount must be paid back over two years. Judge Cartwright also imposed a sexual harm prevention order for 10 years. This restricts Bone's use of the internet and devices and his contact with children.

For example he must make any devices available to a monitoring police officer on request for inspection, must not delete his search history or install anti-forensic software or use social media to contact any child under the age of 16.

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Gary Ewing has been jailed for 16 years after being convicted of abuse dating back almost 30 years against two victims, who were then both under 13, in the Norwich area. - Credit: Norfolk Constabulary A victim of historic sexual abuse has bravely spoken out to urge others who have been abused in the past to "never give up". Gary Ewing, 57, has been jailed for 16 years after being convicted of abuse dating back almost 30 years against two victims, who were both under 13, in the Norwich area. One of the victims, who is now an adult, has spoken out about the abuse she suffered after Ewing was jailed last month to try and help other potential victims find the courage to come forward. She said: "To anybody that this has happened to please never give up. "It has taken me years to come to terms with what happened to me as a child and in the end I just couldnt take the pain anymore. "For years nobody listened to what I had to say but in the end somebody listened and did believe in me and what I said was the truth and did happen. "Please don't be scared to speak up. Whoever hurt you took away things from you that will never be replaced. Please dont let them take away anything else from you." Both victims have been praised by detective constable Holly Beevis for the bravery they showed in standing up in court and describing what they suffered to help secure Ewing's conviction. She said: "It does show that justice can prevail despite several years passing and should assure victims that they will be listened to if they come forward and the police will take their allegations seriously and investigate them fully." Ewing, formerly of Hercules Road, Hellesdon, was jailed after being convicted following a trial at Norwich Crown Court. He was found guilty of multiple offences against the two victims dating back to between 1992 and 1997, including one count of rape, two counts of sex with a girl under 13 and six counts of indecency with a child. Sentencing Ewing, Judge Stephen Holt said his actions were calculated and planned adding that what he did to the victims "stayed with them into their adult life and affected them greatly. Andrew Oliver, for Ewing, said he had not offended prior to these matters or since but knew he was going to serve a substantial custodial sentence.

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A couple who raped a little boy offered his mum cash afterwards.

David Bradbury, 55, would film the horrific abuse performed by William Gamble, 65, before offering to pay the little boy's mum 30.

Their sickening acts were only discovered after they uploaded an image of child abuse, not involving the same boy, to Facebook.

When police raided their St Helens home they discovered the horrific pictures and videos, in which Bradbury would encourage Gamble as he abused the child.

They also found toys, sweets and games they would use to groom the boy.

Judge Rachel Smith, sentencing today at Liverpool Crown Court, said: "You embarked on a course of grooming and sexually abusive behaviour."

The court heard the couple "exploited" the boy and groomed him before Gamble would commit "physical acts" of abuse while Bradbury would film them, sometimes engaging in physical abuse.

The judge said: "You acted as a team".

In one of the indecent images discovered the boy is naked lying on his back on a rug.

In one video the boy is seen performing a sex act on Gamble and in another Gamble is seen raping the child.

Judge Smith said Bradbury "commented on the quality of the recording you were making at the time", which the judge said is "clear evidence of Bradbury encouraging Gamble to continue with the rape".

Even when Gamble and Bradbury were told they shouldn't contact the boy they continued to try.

Judge Smith said: "You persisted with it in the face of involvement of the police."

Both Gamble and Bradbury were arrested on October 26 last year after the true extent of their crimes had been discovered when an indecent image, not of this child, was uploaded to Facebook.

In total officers found 14 category A images, which are the most serious and include child rape, four category B images and three category C images, on devices found at the men's home on Pigot Street, many of which were images of the boy.

John Wyn-Williams, prosecuting, said police "seized a notebook which contained a list of about 500 names" which are believed to be Facebook contacts, and the court heard "many are foreign names".

The judge added that the notebook showed "extensive contact with an all male group on the internet", adding that there was no evidence of distribution of images of this child.

In an interview the boy, when asked about the abuse, said he "wanted to keep secrets from himself" and "not remember it".

The court heard in a victim impact statement the child's father said: "Every single day I worry about the time [his son] will be old enough to fully realise what happened to him. I dread this and know it will be a terrible day."

Jim Smith, defending Gamble, asked the judge to take into consideration his guilty plea and said Gamble had an "evolving" understanding of the impact of his behaviour on the victim.

Mr Smith explained that it was Gamble's first period of custody and asked the judge to consider the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on inmates.

The judge, citing a medical report, noted that Gamble "falls in the learning disability range" and is "more vulnerable to manipulation and coercion than others".

The court heard that speaking in a pre-sentence report, Bradbury had said: "No I don't want to talk about it, I don't see how it will help".

Judge Smith explained that the author of the report said Bradbury had a "failure to take full responsibility for his actions".

Paul Becker, defending Bradbury, asked the judge to consider his history of anxiety and depression and his guilty pleas.

Gamble and Bradbury both admitted four counts of rape, two sexual assaults and two assaults by penetration, plus the taking of indecent videos associated to each act.

The court heard Gamble had no relevant previous convictions while Bradbury has a conviction for exposure in 1995.

Judge Smith said both Bradbury and Gamble were "dangerous" offenders and jailed each of them for 16 years, with an extended one year on licence.

This type of sentence means they will spend at least two thirds of the custodial term behind bars.

They will then only be released before the end of the sentence if a parole board considers they are no longer a risk.

Detective Constable Craig Doyle of Merseyside Police said: Both of these men are very dangerous individuals.

They acted as a team to exploit and carry out this horrendous abuse over a period of time and both men deserve to spend the rest of their lives behind bars.

Merseyside Police is committed to protecting victims of sexual offences, and anyone who reports an incident to us will be safeguarded and supported throughout the investigation.

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This Derby rapist filmed himself subjecting a woman to a horrific three-hour ordeal of sexual assaults.

Matthew Hemmings used a variety of sex toys on the woman who he handcuffed, trussed up, humiliated and degraded at his city centre flat.

The 41-year-old later told police "I worry about myself sometimes" when they discovered his hideous recordings of the disgusting abuse.

The prosecutor at Derby Crown Court called the case "the most extreme rape" he had ever dealt with in court.

And even the defendant's own barrister described what his client did as "a catalogue of horrors".

Jailing Hemmings for 20 years and six months, Judge Nirmal Shant QC, Derby's most senior judge, said: "In every way possible you humiliated her and recorded what you were doing to her over a prolonged period of some three hours.

"You targeted her because she was vulnerable, approaching her she lay in the doorway of a shop and enticing her back to your flat.

"(There) you had laid out sex toys and outfits on your bed your had bought from Amazon.

"She was vulnerable and a heavy Mamba user and once inside your flat you took photos of her and recorded her.

"You raped and sexually assaulted her while she was helpless. There was a pause and you re-emerged in a full face mask and with a machete.

"Mercifully you did not use it on her, but one cannot imagine how frightening an incident this was."

James Varley, prosecuting, said the sex attacks took place at the defendant's flat, in Carrington Street, on November 24.

He said Hemmings filmed the woman as she lay in the doorway of a city centre shop and then coaxed her to his address with the promise of warmth and shelter.

Mr Varley then went on to describe some of the acts he forced her to do for him and on him while he recorded and photographed it.

Most are too shocking for publication.

He said: "I would say this is the most extreme rape I have ever prosecuted, it was an ordeal that went on for three hours.

"After his arrest the defendant even told the police 'I worry about myself sometimes'. It was clearly degrading, it was prolonged, he filmed it and violence was threatened.

"It involved a number of sex toys which he had laid out on a bed and on his own account she was particularly vulnerable."

Mr Varley said at one stage the victim had handcuffs put on her from behind by Hemmings, after encouraging her to smoke more drugs.

He said: "She was incapacitated, that must have been terrifying, he used her as he pleased."

Mr Varley said at the end of the poor woman's ordeal, the defendant let her out in the street where she was found by a support worker "walking around in circles crying".

Hemmings was arrested and the videos he made of his sex attacks were discovered by the police.

He told them the victim was "compliant throughout". But he later pleaded guilty to rape and sexual assault.

He has no previous convictions of any kind.

William Bennett, mitigating, said his client had pleaded guilty and spared the victim having to come to court and relive her ordeal at trial.

He said: "Any right-thinking person will say this is a catalogue of horrors."

The victim is afforded lifetime anonymity.

Hemmings' sentence is made up of a minimum of 13-and-a-half years custody and an extended licence of a further seven years.

He will be on the sex offender register for life.

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A pervert who filmed girls in toilets at a leisure centre and fast food restaurant has been jailed.

Luke Murdoch, 26 from the Worthing area, was found guilty of three counts of voyeurism in Guildford.

Guildford Crown Court heard the first of the offences occurred on May 20, 2019 when officers were called to Spectrum Leisure Centre following reports of a man in the female toilets who was filming under the cubicles.

The victim, a 15 year-old girl, saw a camera phone being placed beneath the stall and ran to tell her sister. They reported the incident to staff, who called the police.

The second incident on October 23, 2019 saw officers called to Burger King at Ladymead Retail Park after an 11-year-old girl was followed into the bathrooms and photographed while on the toilet.

The matter was again reported to staff and police were called.

Murdoch was identified after an appeal with CCTV footage circulated to the public via the media media and on Surrey Police's social media channels.

He was arrested on December 17, 2019 and subsequently charged with voyeurism.

Forensic examination of his phone post-arrest uncovered further voyeuristic images of adult women that appeared to have been taken in various public toilets.

On March 11 he was sentenced to nine months behind bars and given a Sexual Harm Prevention Order lasting 10 years.

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Isaac Cluley, 23, filmed himself committing the depraved act with the Shetland pony, which was discovered on his mobile phone. A young man who had sex with a horse was tearfully accused by the owner of having "raped" her family's pet pony. The woman emotionally made her accusation before Isaac Cluley was sentenced for his "unusual" offending. The 23-year-old pleaded guilty at an earlier hearing to one count of sexual penetration of a living animal last August. He also admitted possessing extreme pornography, relating to mobile phone footage of the pony and two obscene and perverted images downloaded from the internet. Leicester Crown Court was told Cluley was prosecuted in 2016 for an earlier offence of having sex with a different horse - when he was given a community order. Andrew Fitch-Holland, prosecuting, said a friend of the defendant's chanced upon the video when borrowing his phone last summer. Cluley was drunk at the time and the concerned friend wanted to phone his mother - and was shocked to see the footage with the pony. The police then became involved. Cluley, described as having learning difficulties, was in "considerable distress" following his arrest and officers were concerned for his wellbeing. The defendant told them: "I want help with my mental health, it's why I've been drinking more lately." The horse's owner attended court to read a personal impact statement. She said she purchased the Shetland ten years ago for her five year-old-son, and the two had grown up together. Before being informed of the incident by the police, she said she suspected her horses had been "frightened in some way" in their field because of a noticeable change in their behaviour - particularly the small 10 hands high Shetland mare. The pony was unusually fearful and nervous and suddenly began acting threateningly towards her teenage son, as if to kick him. Sobbing with emotion, she spoke of the distress caused to her family and the expense of having to install a £286 CCTV field camera to watch her animals grazing, in the Leicester area. A veterinary forensic examination of the pony cost her £60. The Shetland is now kept locked in a stable overnight, when it was used to being outdoors, as the offence is thought to have happened in the early hours. She told the judge: "The fact someone was walking around and prepared to rape an animal on more than one occasion (because of the previous conviction) concerns me greatly." The 44-year-old owner added: "I feel anxious because I don't know how many times it's happened." After the hearing she said: "The pony was such a sweetie, so trusting, but is now wary and defensive. "When she becomes scared and fearful - even by something normal like having a rug put on - it reminds me of what happened. "If it was down to me he would be in custody now. "I can only hope whatever his rehabilitation involves, that it works. "I can't forgive what he did to a harmless animal, I've not heard anything to explain why he's done it and he's shown no remorse." WHAT WAS THE SENTENCE? Cluley, unemployed, of Milligan Road, Aylestone, Leicester, was given a six month jail sentence, suspended for two years, with a 30 day rehabilitation activity requirement. He will have to attend up to 40 days of a sex offender programme and pay the pony's owner £350 in compensation. Cluley was also placed on a two month electronically monitored home curfew, between 8pm and 8am. He will be on a sex offender register for five years and was placed on a sexual harm prevention order, for the same duration - stipulating various conditions, including not entering a field, paddock or any animal enclosure where there is livestock, when he is on his own. He is barred from working with animals in any capacity and cannot own or care for any animal without the permission of his offender manager. WHAT THE JUDGE SAID Recorder William Edis QC said: "For the second time in your life you're before the court for having sexual intercourse with a horse and that - if I say no more - is an alarming picture. "One thing I have to do as the judge is to try and work out why you've committed this unusual offence twice. "Is it because you have overpowering sexual interest in horses? "Is it a cry or help or attention seeking? "One thing that has to happen is you have to decide to stop doing this - or be made to stop. "Even though you amply deserve a prison sentence, I'm not sure that's going to address the problem, I have to find the best way to protect society and animals from you. "You have been extensively examined by various professionals. "No-one has told me why you did this." Recorder Edis said he hoped Cluley had "heard the pain" expressed by the pony owner. He said: "Her son grew up with that animal and his relationship with that animal may never be the same again. "She's anxious about more abuse happening to another animal. "These are not victimless crimes, these are real victims with real pain and you caused it for reasons I can only guess at. "You have learning difficulties and a mix of anxiety and depression and an inability to cope. "There's a package that's been put together to stop you doing this and if I send you to prison that opportunity would be lost." MITIGATION Gary Short, mitigating, said that rehabilitation courses were not available in prison, due to the pandemic, and the defendant was due to move into sheltered accommodation in a few weeks - which would provide him with additional support. He said Cluley, who attended court with his mother, suffered from significant intellectual impairment, had a lack of impulse control and failed to understand the consequences of his actions - and needed specialist help and supervision. Mr Short said Cluley's previous community order sentence did not "get anywhere near" addressing the root cause of his offending, but a suitable rehabilitation package was now available, if he was spared immediate custody. The barrister added that Cluley was mixing with of a group of people who "used him like a puppet," getting him drunk and encouraging him to do certain things. Mr Short added: "It's clear he was also suffering from the impact of the loss of his father."

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A 29-year-old man from Essex who raped a woman as she slept has finally been locked up.

Marti Reynolds, of Baardwyk Avenue, Canvey Island, Essex, was found guilty of the offence which took place in the seaside town of Bournemouth, Dorset.

The terrible crime happened when Reynolds had been out on a night out in 2017 with a fellow student in the town centre.

His victim returned to her address that night and invited Reynolds to stay over as a friend. She woke to discover Reynolds raping her and proceeded to get away and leave.

The following Friday, she told police what had happened and Reynolds was arrested the same day.

Reynolds was convicted of the offence on Wednesday, December 9 last year following a trial at Salisbury Crown Court.

He was found not guilty of a second rape charge involving a different woman. At Bournemouth Crown Court last Friday (March 5), he was sentenced to four years' imprisonment.

Detective Constable Christopher Panther, of Dorset Police, said: "Marti Reynolds targeted his victim as she slept and at no point had she given consent.

"She was taken advantage of by someone she believed she trusted.

"I would like to thank her for coming forward to report this offence and for the courage she has shown in standing up to Reynolds to say what he did to her was wrong and supporting the court process.

"I hope this case will again demonstrate that Dorset Police takes these offences extremely seriously.

"We will always listen to and support anyone who reports matters to us and offenders will be held accountable for the crimes they commit."

If you have been a victim of rape or sexual assault, and you want to report directly to the police please call 101 and ask to be put in contact with a specially-trained police officer.

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A man has been sentenced to two years and six months in prison after being found guilty of several non-recent sex offences in Cowplain following a trial at Portsmouth Crown Court.

Simon Shaw, 46, of St John Street in Wells, Somerset, was found guilty on Friday 8 January of four counts of engaging in non-penetrative sexual activity with a child.

The court heard that Shaw began abusing his victim in 2011, with his final offence occurring in 2012.

His offences were reported to the police by the victim in 2017.

He was sentenced on Monday 8 March, after previously denying all charges against him.

Detective Sergeant Shaun Goddard from Hampshire Constabulary's Eastern Criminal Investigation Department said: "Understandably this was a very traumatic ordeal for the victim and I would like to commend her on her bravery and courage, which has helped secure this guilty verdict.

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Russell Eric Smith, 30, of Folly Field, admitted the breach by not telling the authorities of a change of address within three days or getting a new bank card within seven days, which happened on December 18, magistrates in Basingstoke heard.

Smith admitted the charge and was fined £166 with a £34 victim surcharge and £85 costs.

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A man who raped a girl in the back of a car after a night out was yesterday 22 July 2020 found guilty at Southampton Crown Court.

Marlon Nelson, aged 34, of no fixed abode, after a night-out offered a lift home to a then 17-year-old girl from Calmore and raped her at Testwood Recreational Ground on 11 November 2014.

Following a further investigation, Nelson was also charged with the rape and sexual assault of a woman a then 20-year-old woman from Romsey. The incident occurred at Ampfield Recreational Ground, Romsey in late November 2017.

During a seven-day trial, a jury found him guilty of two counts of rape, one count of sexual assault and one count of digital penetration.

Nelson will be sentenced on Monday 27 September.

Detective Constable Lisa Robins and Police Staff Investigator Kerrie Green, the Officers in Case, following the verdict, said: "We cannot underestimate the trauma that both women have suffered. Rape is one of the most serious crimes a person can survive. We would like to commend both women on the bravery and courage they've shown, which has helped secure today's guilty verdict.

"We know that this will have no doubt brought up memories of the incident for them both, especially since there has been a significant time-delay since the initial report. We're hoping that this will bring them some form of closure, and that they can now begin to move forward with their lives.

"Rape investigations are some of the most complex cases we work on, and each case requires careful review and collaboration between the police and CPS. We are working hard in partnership with CPS Wessex to identify offenders and get justice for victims of rape and serious sexual assault (RASSO) cases.

"We want to show you that no matter the circumstances, Hampshire Constabulary is committed to supporting survivors of rape and sexual assault and we will do everything we can to identify offenders and put them in front of a court."

Description

A little girl's dad caught a paedophile abusing his daughter only for the pervert to claim it was her fault.

Robert Gardener twice targeted the child but covered up the first incident by suggesting he was "just playing".

The 64-year-old predator's lies came crashing down when the victim's father saw the sick abuse for himself.

However, Gardener, of Rocastle Close, Kensington, then had the gall to claim that the child instigated it.

Liverpool Crown Court heard another girl first spotted Gardener with his trousers and underpants down in the presence of the little girl.

Fiona McNeill, prosecuting, said the child reported this to the victim's mum, who in turn spoke to her partner, who talked to Gardener.

Gardener assured the little girl's dad that he was "just playing" with the victim and that the child witness hadn't seen anything untoward.

However, on a second occasion the girl's dad saw his daughter with her hand moving down the front of Gardener's trousers near his groin.

Ms McNeill said the girl looked up and moved her hand away and Gardener stared at the victim's father.

The court heard the dad, who has his own vulnerabilities, removed his daughter from the situation.

As a result, the girl's mum again spoke to the child who witnessed the first incident and asked for more details.

The child told her she had seen Gardener standing over the little girl with his genitals close to her face.

Ms McNeill said the witness described how the little girl had "tears in her eyes".

The mum spoke to her daughter, who said she had put her hand down Gardener's trousers because he asked her to.

The dad then chatted to his daughter, when she pointed out to him on a drawing where she had touched Gardener.

The girl also confirmed to police that Gardener had pulled his pants down in front of her.

Gardener was arrested and made no comment when the allegations were put to him.

However, screenshots of a conversation between him and the girl's dad showed Gardener said he had been "messing around" with the girl.

Gardener, who had no previous convictions, admitted two counts of causing or inciting a girl under 13 to engage in sexual activity.

In a victim statement, the girl's mum described a "deterioration" in her daughter's behaviour since the abuse.

Description

Shaun Higginson, 47, of no fixed abode, pleaded guilty to a total of eight offences including one count of attempted rape of a female under 16, one count of gross indecency with a girl under 14 and six counts of indecent assault on a girl under 14.

The charges relate to offences that took place against one child between 1987 and 1992 in Southampton.

Today, Higginson was sentenced at Portsmouth Crown Court to a total of 13 years in jail and handed a lifetime Sexual Harm Prevention Order.

Detective Constable Mark Harris from Hampshire Constabulary's Amberstone team said "Firstly I would like to commend the woman for her courage and bravery in telling us what happened to her when she was young.

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THE Earl of Starthmore has been jailed for ten months after committing a sex attack in his Scottish castle.

Simon Bowes-Lyon, 34, pleaded guilty to assaulting a woman at Glamis Castle, the seat of the earls of Strathmore and Kinghorne, part of the late Queen Mother’s family.

Bowes-Lyon, who inherited his family’s large Holwick estate in Teesdale in 2016, was sentenced at Dundee Sheriff Court on Tuesday. His father, Michael Fergus Bowes-Lyon, was the Queen's cousin.

The court heard that sexual assault was committed last February during a three-day public relations event at the castle hosted by Bowes-Lyon.

Sentencing, Sheriff Alistair Carmichael said the complainer had shown no sexual interest in the landowner.

Sheriff Carmichael said: “She had gone to bed early because she had to leave early the next morning.

“This assault involved you going to her bedroom at about 1.20pm, persuading her to open the door of her bedroom and then pushing your way into the room and pushing her down onto the bed. You then grabbed her hard by a breast and nipple, tried to lift her nightdress up, followed her into the bathroom and stopped her from closing that door, followed her back into the bedroom, pushed her against a wall there.”

He grabbed her bottom and intimate areas, the sheriff said. The multi-millionaire landowner then “got in to bed with her, pulled at her, repeatedly shut the bedroom door when she tried to open it, continued to pull at her and tried to kiss her”.

Sheriff Carmichael told Bowes-Lyon: “Throughout all of this she made it clear that she wanted you to stop.

“She told you repeatedly that she had a boyfriend, repeatedly told you to leave and repeatedly had to keep pushing you away from her.

“All of which you ignored. Once she’d finally managed to eject you from her bedroom, you returned to the door and pleaded with her to let you back in.

“You were drunk. The assault and your refusal to leave spanned some 20 minutes.”

The victim was so afraid that she locked her door and wedged a chair under the handle and was left shaking, the court heard.

The sheriff added that she still has nightmares.

He added: “The amounts of force, aggression and persistence that you used are concerning.

“In mitigation, you apologised to her soon after the assault, you have expressed remorse, you have accepted responsibility for you actions, you have no previous convictions and you appear to

be otherwise of good character.”

Dundee Sheriff Court was told that Bowes-Lyon had been assessed by experts as posing a “medium risk” of committing more sexual crimes.

The court imposed an initial sentence of 15 months and reduced it to ten months to recognise the plea of guilty at the first opportunity.

Bowes-Lyon was also placed on the sex offenders’ register for 10 years.

After his initial court appearance last month, he said he was “greatly ashamed” of his actions, adding: “I did not think I was capable of behaving the way I did but have had to face up to it and take responsibility.

“My apologies go, above all, to the woman concerned, but I would also like to apologise to family, friends and colleagues for the distress I have caused them.”

Description

A married teacher and former police officer has been jailed for two years for "grooming" a person he believed to be a 12-year-old girl online.

Barry Lander, 49, of Bron y Graig, Bodedern, appeared at Caernarfon crown court charged with attempting to incite a child under the age of 13 years to engage in sexual activity on Friday, March 5.

The maths teacher at Ysgol Ardudwy in Harlech in Gwynedd thought he was speaking to a child called Ashley in an online chatroom for two weeks, but in fact it was an undercover police officer.

The court heard the pair had several conversations in the chatroom and on Skype between October 16, 2019, and October 30, 2019, and by October 22 Lander began telling 'Ashley' that he wanted to "kiss her neck" and "open her legs".

He suggested that they meet up in Cardiff where he was due to travel for work the following month, but the police officer stopped replying.

Even after he received no response from the officer, Lander continued to send messages of a sexual nature, the court heard.

Lander initially denied the charges, stating that he knew all along that he wasn't talking to a child but a "vigilante" who he wanted to string along.

Despite denying the charges, Lander was convicted on a 10-2 majority verdict by a Caernarfon crown court jury last month.

Sentencing Lander to two years in prison, Judge David Hale said: "You were a teacher, you have been a policeman and one day when you were perhaps at a low ebb you entered this chatroom.

"There is no evidence that you had done this before.

"The conversation quickly moved over to Skype and you had a number of conversations with Ashley.

"You are fixated by your contention that you realised straight away that this was a vigilante.

"There is an ease in which you use phrases and steer the conversation to sexual matters. They are your phrases throughout.

"The officer never steered you towards them - you did.

"I do not believe for one minute that you thought you were talking to a vigilante.

"You didn't think about anything except this conversation with a young girl, culminating with the possibility of going to meet in Cardiff where you knew you were likely to have to go as part of your employment in November.

"I am not assuming that you had resolved to meet but you continued to try and get in touch with Ashley once the police officer had cut contact.

"Why would you do this except for a sexual reason? There is no other reason.

"You have forthrightly denied it throughout. You cannot face up to the obvious truth.

"People who make these suggestions to children, or people they assume to be children, are inciting sexual contact with children. It is clearly a serious matter.

"It's incomprehensible why you as a teacher, a man of your past, happily married, should do it. You have lost all of that."

Landers will serve half of his sentence in prison and will then be released on licence.

He was also given a Sexual Harm Prevention Order for 10 years, was ordered to sign the sex offenders register for 10 years and has been banned from working with children.