Latest Offenders

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A MAN who attempted to hide hundreds of images of children in a secret folder on his mobile phone has been jailed.

Christopher Roberts set up a password-protected area of his mobile in a bid to hide the images from police.

The 32-year-old told police he had forgotten the password when officers visited his home as part of a routine check made due to his previous sexual offences.

When the folder was unlocked, police found more than 500 images of children being sexually abused – with some believed to be as young as six.

On Friday, Roberts was jailed for more than two years at Southampton Crown Court.

Prosecutor Dan Sawyer told the court how Roberts was subject of a sexual harm prevention order after previously being caught in possession of indecent images of children.

Roberts was also convicted of attempting to contact a young teenage girl via social media in 2013.

Police visited Roberts at his home in March last year and asked him to submit his phone.

When officers could not access the password-protected folder, Roberts was arrested for not giving full access to his phone.

When officers inspected the device, they found five category A still images, four category B still images and 544 category category C images.

In an interview with probation, Roberts questioned the harm caused by him viewing the images, and claimed the victims were "often smiling".

Mitigating, Jamie Gammon, said Roberts had been open with probation about his interests.

He said: "There doesn't appear to be any attempt by him to hide his interests.

"He has had a rather frank conversation with probation officers and told them exactly how he feels."

In sentencing, Judge Robert Pawson was critical of Roberts and his views.

He said: "You say that they are not real victims and they are often smiling and it's not like they have been forced into it.

"That shows a complete lack of empathy on your part.

"Every time you download one of these images of a child being sexually abused you contribute to that person's misery."

Roberts, who is currently serving a sentence at HMP Dartmoor for the original breach of his order, pleaded guilty three counts of making indecent images of children.

He was jailed for two years and eight months.

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Pervert Matthew Worthington was arrested in a park after he went there to meet a 13-year-old boy he had met online.

The serial sex offender was snared after police set up a fake Facebook profile claiming to be a teenage boy, who Worthington then befriended.

Their online chats quickly became sexual and 25-year-old Worthington arranged to meet the boy in Stafford but detectives were waiting for him.

Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court heard Worthington was already known to authorities following his conviction for previous sex offences, and had disclosed disturbing sexual fantasies involving children to his probation officers.

Prosecutor Steven Bailey said: An undercover officer logged into Facebook and set up a profile purporting to be a 13-year-old boy Josh. The police initiated contact with the defendant.

Conversation ensued. It became sexual in nature at the instigation of the defendant. He said he was 15, when in fact he was 25.

He said he liked Joshs profile picture and said he was pleasuring himself while they chatted. He talked about meeting for sexual activity. He reassured Josh it would be OK despite him only being 13.

An arrangement was made for Worthington to meet Josh in Victoria Park, Stafford. Mr Bailey said: The defendant went to Stafford. Before he went to the park he went to a charity shop and bought himself a change of clothes. He was in different clothing when he went to the park. The Prosecution say the inference is that was to throw anyone who was following him off the scent.

As he was stopped and arrested he tried to throw his phone away.

The court heard Worthington was subject to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order as a result of his previous convictions. He attempted to circumvent its conditions by installing masking software on his phone that would hide his internet searches and had also used Twitter, which he was banned from doing.

Worthington, of Marsh Street, Hanley, pleaded guilty to attempting to meet a child following grooming, and three charges of breaching a Sexual Harm Prevention Order. He also admitted a further charge of making an indecent image of a child.

Jason Holt, mitigating, said: Its quite clear Matthew Worthington is a troubled young man. He has had 20 years in the system the care system has morphed into the prison system.

These matters come before the courts because of disclosures he has made to probation officers. He must have known there would be an investigation.

He doesnt like what he has become and he hopes to make sure there is no repeat of this behaviour.

Judge David Fletcher sentenced Worthington to 22 months in prison. He said: You have undoubtedly lived an extremely troubled life.

You are a young man who, unless you change, is going to spend more and more time in prison. If nothing else can bring home to you the sheer illegality of what you have been doing, I hope that will persuade you that you have to change. You will only do that if you are willing to take on board the assistance offered to you.

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A 77-year-old man has been jailed for 18 years after being found guilty of a number of historic child sex offences.

Sidney John Jenkins, of Woolavington, abused his vulnerable victims on his boats and the clubhouse of the sailing club he belonged to in the Bridgwater area.

He also committed offences at a caravan he kept in Cannington and at one of his victims homes.

Following a trial at Taunton Crown Court he was convicted of 12 child rapes, three sexual assaults and two counts of causing a child to engage in sexual activity.

He was sentenced today (Friday, 25 January) at Bristol Crown Court.

The court heard he would often convince one of his victims to stand and watch while he would abuse the other and would pay them with cash, tobacco, drugs and alcohol.

Investigating officer PC Becky Norton said: Jenkins systematically groomed his victims over a number of years, bribing them to allow him to abuse them with incentives.

Both victims have suffered significant physical and emotional trauma as a result of his offending and it will no doubt continue to have a lasting effect on their lives.

Id like to commend both of them for the determination and dignity theyve shown throughout the police investigation and court proceedings and I hope this outcome will encourage other victims of rape and sexual assault to have confidence in reporting offences to us, no matter how long ago the crimes occurred.

Id also like to thank the witnesses who gave evidence in court for their support their assistance undoubtedly helped us achieve justice for both his victims.

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A WINSFORD man has been jailed for four years after admitting having sex with a child and making indecent images of children. Liam Martin, 25, of Kingsway, Winsford, pleaded guilty at Chester Crown Court to five counts of engaging in sexual activity with a child under 16 in 2011 and making indecent images of children. In a separate incident Martins phone was checked by police officers as part of his release conditions for a previous conviction for a child sex offence and the check uncovered a total of 271 category C images of children. DC Dave Walton said: Martin tried to make the girl feel like they were in a relationship but in reality he was using her for his own sexual gratification. Her bravery in coming forward means that Martin is now behind bars.

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A sick paedophile who treated his teenage daughter as his 'wife' has been found guilty of sexually abusing her.

Elliott Appleyard, of Gilthwaites Crescent in Denby Dale, raped Carol Higgins 'three or four times a week' during the 1980s when she was aged between 13 and 15.

After a seven-day trial at Leeds Crown Court, a jury of seven women and four men took one hour and 50 minutes to unanimously find the 71-year-old guilty of 15 charges.

The father-of-three was convicted of five counts of rape and 10 counts of indecent assault.

Miss Higgins, who bravely waived her right to anonymity and sat in the public gallery with her partner, brother and other family members, smiled and cried after the verdict was delivered.

She had first reported the abuse to police in 1985, but was told she would be accused of being a liar and it would 'blacken her name' if she pursued a prosecution.

Miss Higgins, who is now 49 and a mum-of-two, went to police again in 2015.

The court heard that after Appleyard's wife left him, he put her engagement ring on his daughter's finger.

Miss Higgins said her father 'wanted to treat me like a wife' and told her they would 'live together happily ever after'.

She said that after the first time he raped her she asked him what her grandfather - his father - would think of what he had just done to her.

She said that he replied:

"He believes the same as me - that grandfather's should break their daughters in like the Indians do."

"He'd try to make me feel like it was normal, he said other friends did it with their fathers," she said.

Appleyard also kept photos of his daughter in her underwear in a box and took her to a tattoo parlour in Barnsley to have a tattoo of a rose between his nickname Sam and his forename tattooed on her shoulder - a tattoo which she later had lasered off.

Peter Hampton, prosecuting, said the abuse had 'destroyed all of her adult life' and she had received counselling for many years.

The jury also heard Appleyard's wife and the children's mother was threatened with a machete for having a 'sex dream' and had a shotgun pointed at her head.

Appleyard was remanded in custody and will be sentenced tomorrow morning (Friday).

A man in the public gallery called Appleyard a paedophile as he was sent down.

Miss Higgins, who now lives in Ackworth, wrote an autobiography titled 'Conquering the Impossible: Making the Dream Come True' which was published in 2015.

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A man could face prison after he was found guilty of sexually assaulting a young girl.

Muhammad Riaz, 26, was convicted on one charge of sexual assault of a child under 13 at Teesside Crown Court .

He denied the charge of sexually assaulting the girl in Stockton , stood trial, and a jury unanimously found him guilty on Wednesday.

After the verdicts, Judge Stephen Ashurst said: "I think this is a case where I ought to obtain a report about the defendant, about his personal circumstances, and also his immigration status.

"And also to assess the risk factors and his attitude in light of the jury's unanimous verdict this morning."

He told Riaz: "It now falls to me to deal with sentence.

"Before I decide on sentence I'm going to hear arguments from both the prosecution and from the defence as to where this case falls in the guidelines issued by the Sentencing Council.

"But before I do that I want to know more about you and your family, to address the risk factors in your case.

"Your case will be listed here in about three weeks' time."

Riaz will be sentenced on February 25.

The judge bailed him on conditions to live at Oak Mount, Bradford, to surrender his Pakistani passport to police and not to apply for travel documents to leave the UK.

Riaz will also be on the sex offenders' register.

The judge added: "The fact that you've been convicted of the sexual assault of a child under 13 means that you are now subject to notification under the sex offenders legislation.

"You are required by law to tell the police of any change in your personal circumstances.

"If you fail to do so you commit a criminal offence for which you can receive up to five years in prison.

"The fact that you are being given bail and I'm asking for a report should not be taken by you as any promise as to what the sentence will be.

"I will want to hear submissions as to whether this is a case where I have no alternative but to send you to prison, or other sentencing options can be considered.

"So you understand clearly, no promises at all.

"For the time being you can leave the dock."

He thanked the jurors for their "careful consideration" of the case.

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THE parents of a seven-year-old girl who was sexually abused by a family friend have said their lives had been ‘shattered’ by his actions.

Nathan Dunne, 28, was jailed for four years at Chester Crown Court after he admitted touching her sexually before forcing her to touch his penis.

The court heard how Dunne, of Powell Drive in Middlewich, had turned up drunk at a gathering at a house in Winsford in May last year.

After his partner left, he entered the girl’s room and went to sleep on the floor. A short time later he climbed into her bed, where he took off her pyjamas, blocked her from leaving the room, and touched her sexually four times.

Despite her telling him to stop and that she was in pain, he continued and eventually took off his own shorts and twice placed her hand on his penis.

She called out for her parents but they could not hear. Before returning to sleep on the floor, he told her to keep what had happened a secret.

After Dunne had left the house the following morning, the girl became tearful as she told her mum that he had made her ‘touch his willy’. A report was made to the police.

In a victim impact statement read out in court during the sentencing hearing on Monday, the girl’s father told of the effect the incident had had on his family.

He said: “Since the incident, we have become very protective and won’t let her out of our sight. We second-guess every decision we make and punish ourselves for previous decisions.

“We feel that everyone is a threat and we need to keep her very close. We will struggle to come to terms with the fact that this has happened to our daughter for the rest of our lives.

“Our world has been completely shattered. It’s a horrific memory that will never leave us.

“No child should have to go through what she has had to suffer.”

Dunne had initially said he couldn’t remember the events and denied the charges, although traces of his DNA were found in the girl’s underwear. He pleaded guilty two months before a scheduled trial was due to start.

Sentencing him to two concurrent four-year sentences, His Honour Judge Simon Berkson said: “What you did on that night was commit terrible crimes towards the girl.

“These offences were committed when drunk in the bed of the girl, in her room, in her home where she should have been – and felt – safe.

“You continued to abuse her when she told you to stop and was shouting for her parents.

“This offending was out of character but very serious. It is unavoidable but to sentence you to immediate imprisonment.”

Dunne was also made subject to an indefinite sexual harm prevention order.

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A Louth man who carried out a sex attack on a four-year-old while on bail for an assault on another young girl has been jailed for seven years at Lincoln Crown Court. Richard Hunt, 31, of Virginia Drive, denied the offences but a jury took less than two hours to convict him following a trial. Judge Simon Hirst, passing sentence, told Hunt: You were on bail for count one at the time you committed count two. Plainly these offences are so serious that only a custodial sentence can be imposed. Hunt denied two charges of sexual assault of a child under the age of 13. The charges related to separate incidents on February 5 and August 30 last year. He was placed on the sex offenders register for life, and given an indefinite sexual harm prevention order. Tony Stanford, prosecuting, said that Hunt sexually assaulted the seven-year-old when he indecently touched her. Then, while on bail, he carried out a further serious sexual assault on the four year old. The court was told that Hunt had twice previously been jailed for offences of robbery but had no previous convictions for any offence of a sexual nature. Edna Leonard, representing Hunt, admitted that her client had behaved in an appalling way and told the court: There is little I can say in the way of mitigation. She said that Hunt had been disowned by members of his own family after being charged with the offences and remanded in custody. His father, his siblings, none of them have had anything to do with him. Since he has been in prison he has had no contact whatsoever with any of them.

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A hunt has been launched to find a missing sex offender who previously raped a teenage girl.

Christopher Clarke is wanted by police for breaching his sex offender's notification requirements.

The 38-year-old is on the sex offender's register after the rape and sexual assault of a girl, aged under 16, in 1997.

Officers have been carrying out a number of enquiries in Southampton to locate him and are now asking the public for help in finding him.

He is described as white, 5 ft 9 in, brown hair and may have facial hair.

Detective Inspector Howard Broadribb said: "We believe that Clarke is most likely to be in the Southampton area.

"We have not been able to locate him since he failed to report at a police station as part of his requirements as a registered sex offender.

"We have been carrying out a number of enquiries to locate him and are now asking the public for assistance in finding him.

"If you have seen him or know where he is, please call us immediately."

Clarke has previously been hunted by police for a similar offence.

In June 2018, he appeared among a Hampshire's Most Wanted list, put together by charity Crimestoppers.

An appeal was also launched for Clarke in December 2004 after an alleged assault earlier that year.

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A HIGH risk sex offender who indecently assaulted a three-year-old girl in a supermarket has been spared jail despite repeatedly flouting court orders imposed to protect children.

Keith Holloway of Worcester thrust his exposed genitals against the girl, filmed under the skirts of young women and offered a girl of eight an ice pop, telling her she was 'beautiful' and inviting her to use his new shower.

But the 65-year-old was not sent to jail by Judge Nicholas Cole at Worcester Crown Court because the most recent breach of his sexual harm prevention order was deemed too 'minor' and because his defence barrister argued that prison would be 'crushing'.

It is the fourth time Holloway has breached the same order since it was imposed in September 15, 2017. Three breaches involved his possession of devices (phone or laptop) with cameras and the most serious involved the befriending of a child (the eight-year-old girl).

Holloway, of Back Lane South, Barbourne, failed to tell his offender manager he had bought a new mobile phone fitted with a camera and was sentenced at Worcester Crown Court on Wednesday.

Although he is permitted to have a mobile phone he did not inform his offender manager he had bought a new one after breaking the old one by dropping it into a sink full of water.

Holloway, who walked with a stick, lowered his head in the dock, covered his face with his hands and at one stage dabbed his eyes with a tissue.

The mobile phone was discovered during an unannounced visit to his home on July 5 last year by his offender manager. He bought it in Argos on June 13 that year.

Michael Aspinall, prosecuting, described the defendant's previous convictions.

The first dates back to 1984 for sending an obscene article in the post.

Holloway was jailed for 51 months on February 7, 2003 for indecent assault on a female under 16. Mr Aspinall said Holloway had approached a three-year-old girl in the corner of a supermarket and began 'thrusting his pelvis' into her.

"He was grabbed by the mother. His penis was exposed. Being confronted he began crying and saying he shouldn't have done it," said Mr Aspinall.

On that occasion Holloway was detained until police arrived to arrest him.

He received a sentence of nine months in prison suspended for two years for outraging public decency on October 15, 2007 after he used the camera on his mobile phone to photograph young women under their skirts.

"They were unaware of his activity but a passing member of the public reported it to police," said Mr Aspinall.

Holloway was made subject to a sexual offences prevention order for 10 years but breached that on December 14, 2016 when police discovered during a routine visit that the defendant had a tablet which had a camera facility.

He was fined for this offence on August 24, 2017. As a result of a further breach Holloway was made subject to a sexual harm prevention order which was due to last until October 15, 2027.

When Holloway was visited again by police they found he had a mobile phone with video and camera facility in his hallway which led to a seven month prison sentence, suspended for 24 months on March 6, 2018.

He also befriended a girl of eight, giving her 2 to buy some sweets and also gave her ice pops, telling the girl's mother her daughter was 'beautiful' and inviting her and her daughter to use his newly installed shower unit, Mr Aspinall told the court. Holloway told police he did not think it was a breach of the order because the girl's mother was present. Mr Aspinall described the breaches as 'persistent'.

Jamie Scott, defending, said his client had provided medical evidence that he had been discharged from hospital after a fall, had heart palpitations, suffered from low potassium levels and was on 17 different forms of medication.

Mr Scott described possession of the phone as 'a relatively minor breach' and that it did not represent an escalation of matters.

He said: "It's a breach I hope can be characterised as an honest mistake. I ask for full credit for his guilty plea.

"It's plain immediate custody would have a crushing effect on someone who is obviously a frail and unwell man."

He argued that Holloway's accommodation was 'a stabilising force' in his life and that he would stand to lose that if he was jailed, a view shared by the probation liaison officer.

His offender manager advised the judge that Holloway was managed as 'a high risk'.

Judge Cole said Holloway had 'a history of disobedience to court orders' but this latest breach was 'minor' and that, because of the defendant's health issues, it would be 'unjust' to activate the suspended sentence.

Judge Cole sentenced him to a 12-month community order with up to 20 rehabilitation activity days. He imposed a fine of 1,000 and ordered him to pay 350 costs. Both must be discharged within 28 days.

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A man from Eastleigh sourced indecent images and videos of children from an internet chat room, a court heard.

Zach Mockford used a registration-free chat site to search for people to send him images, some showing children as young as four being sexually abused.

When police caught wind of his activities, they searched his laptop and found more than 200 videos and hundreds of illegal images, as well as more than 50 bestiality videos showing humans engaging in sexual activity with various animals

Prosecuting, Simon Wiltshire told Southampton Crown Court that police visited Mockford at his address in Cranbury Road, Eastleigh.

They checked the 24-year-olds laptop and found 222 videos, almost half of which were the most serious, category-A images.

Police also found more than 100 still indecent images as well as 103 images of bestiality, both moving and still.

Mockford pleaded guilty to three counts of making indecent images and one of making extreme images related to the bestiality images.

He was given a suspended sentence by Judge Gary Burrell, who said: You now know that these are real children being abused in real life.

"Some of the videos show children as young as four being abused.

They must have been suffering both physically and mentally."

Mockfords nine-month sentence was suspended for two years.

He was also given a five-year sexual harm prevention order and will be made to sign the sex offenders register, which he will be on for the next ten years.

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A TAUNTON man supplied four teenage girls with drugs before sexually exploiting them, a court has heard. Austin Stuart Taylor, 21, has been jailed for nine years after being found guilty of multiple child sex offences at addresses in Minehead, Taunton and Wellington. He was convicted of 15 offences against his victims, who were aged 13 to 17, between 2015 and 2017. Stuart-Taylor admitted two counts of supplying Class A drugs and one of supplying a Class B drug at the start of his trial at Bristol Crown Court. The jury found him guilty of three counts of sexual activity with a child; one of causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity; three of possessing indecent images of children; one of offering to supply a Class A drug; three of offering to supply a Class B drug; and one of permitting a premises to be used for smoking cannabis. He had denied those 12 charges. In addition to his jail sentence, he was also given a 10-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order, a 10-year restraining order against his victims. He will be on the Sex Offenders' Register indefinitely. The court heard neighbours would often see girls in school uniform arriving at the properties occupied by Stuart-Taylor, who provided them with drugs such as cannabis, ketamine and MDMA. The jury was told sexual images and moving video footage of children as young as three-years-old were found on Stuart-Taylors computer. An examination of his phone also found a substantial number of photos of his genitalia, some of which were sent to his victims in an effort to groom them. He also repeatedly asked his victims to take indecent pictures of themselves and send them to him. Investigating officer Det Sgt Phillip Clarke said: "Austin Stuart-Taylor is a manipulative individual who plied young girls with drugs in order to gain influence over them and abuse them. "Its clear he has a disturbing interest in young girls from the images found on his electronic devices. "His actions were deliberate and calculated and there is absolutely no doubt he knew how old his victims were when he engaged in sexual activity with them. "Together with Barnardo's Against Sexual Exploitation (BASE), support has been provided to all the girls through what has been a lengthy criminal justice process and I hope now that Stuart-Taylor has been handed a substantial prison term they can move on with their lives." At today's hearing, the judge awarded commendations to DS Clarke, DC Paul Moares and investigations support officer Alan Chambers for their work on this investigation. The judge also awarded a commendation to Kate Chisnall from BASE. Since June last year, police have introduced a partnership approach to tackling child sexual exploitation (CSE) in Somerset which sees agencies share intelligence to investigative reports, catch offenders and support victims. Operation Topaz, which was initially launched as pilot in Bristol in January 2017, allows officers to identify offending at an earlier stage. Force lead for (CSE) Detective Chief Inspector Liz Hughes said: "With the introduction of Operation Topaz in Somerset we are now better equipped than ever to protect children and young people from sexual exploitation. "The unique approach of Topaz allows us to identify offences early and, at times, offending which may not have ever come light at all. The partnership working also increases our ability to build relationships with those affected by abuse and provide them with support. "By working together and sharing information we can help inform, educate and prevent this form of child sexual abuse from happening. But we and our partners can only do so much though and we still need the publics help.

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A man who spent months repeatedly indecently assaulting a young girl after grooming her has been jailed.

Clive Manning was found guilty at Lewes Crown Court on Monday, January 7, of 12 historic counts of indecent assault on the victim, who was under 10 at the time.

Manning, 54, of Burnt Oak Lane, Newdigate, lived in Crawley at the time of the offences.

After months of sexual abuse, he moved out of the area and a chance meeting with the victim led her to finally report it in October 2017.

He was arrested and charged, pleading not guilty to the allegations ahead of his trial. However a jury found him guilty. He was sentenced to 15 years in prison on Wednesday (January 16).

Detective Sergeant Martin Alchin-Gadd, of Sussex Police, said: "The victim was very brave to come forward after all this time.

"She has lived with the abuse she suffered as a child for a long time before deciding to come and speak to us. Now she has seen justice served.

"We will always take allegations of this nature seriously, regardless of how much time has passed since they happened, and a full investigation will take place. Wherever there is sufficient evidence, we will seek to bring offenders to justice."

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A NAKED student who indecently exposed himself to dozens of women for sexual thrills has heard how his perverted behaviour was “creepy” and “disturbing”.

Ali Hassan, 18, was caught by police after finding a till receipt and an empty packet of Haribo sweets he had discarded along a secluded riverside path he frequented to startle his victims.

The teenager, of Musgrave Gardens, Durham, would wear just his running shoes to run alongside women jogging next to the River Wear after spying on them from bushes.

Between April and June last year, Hassan exposed himself to a number of women of various ages who were running near the Durham Rowing Club and Maiden Castle sports complex.

Hassan was arrested after police officers used the empty sweet packet and till receipt to pinpoint the shop and date they were purchased, ultimately leading them to identify the pervert via CCTV.

He pleaded guilty to six counts of exposure before magistrates in Newton Aycliffe yesterday.

Emma Shea, prosecuting, read several victim impact statements to the court, with many witnesses echoing how they found Hassan’s behaviour “shocking” and “concerning”.

One statement read: “I was quite shocked especially since media reports came out that this is not a one-off incident – it makes it more creepy.” 

Another reported: “I’ve not returned to the area to run as a result of this incident. I’ve never seen anything like what I saw that day. I’m scared to be in that area and when I walked nearby recently, I felt on edge. It’s disturbing.”

The court heard that Hassan’s family were also shocked by his behaviour, but remain supportive.

Stephen Andrews, mitigating, said: “There are elements of naivety and immaturity in so far as his sexual relationships and relationships with women are concerned.

“He does come across as a very young 18-year-old. He no previous convictions, not so much as a caution, so this is very much out of character.”

Mr Andrews added that there was no suggestion that Hassan performed sex acts in front of the joggers he targeted and would not make comments or threaten them. 

The full-time student was given a 24-month community order and will remain on the sex offenders’ register for five years. He has also been banned from being within five metres of the edge of the River Wear in Durham and must wear at least one item of clothing over his underwear in public.

He must pay £85 court costs and £85 victim surcharge.

Speaking the Northern Echo after the sentence had been passed Hassan said: "I would like to apologise for my foolish behaviour.

"I am guilty of this and take full responsibility. It was nothing but stupid and immature.

"I really regret what I’ve done and that’s not an excuse all.

"It was a mistake and I really just want to get on with my life after I serve my punishment

"I’m getting the help I need." 

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A sex offender who raided a pubs cellar to escape with booze worth 2,000 was caught after the landlord posted CCTV pictures on Facebook.

Alex Clough, aged 26, has been jailed for sneaking down the stairs of the Stoke Inn six times to grab spirits, cider and wine.

Clough also spat in the face of a police officer and failed to tell the authorities where he was living, Plymouth Crown Court heard.

He was locked up aged just 14 for attempted rape and robbery in 2007.

But Clough was caught after the burglary when landlord Steve Bowen posted a CCTV picture on Facebook.

Mr Bowen said today: Justice has been done.

He has used the crime to launch an appeal which has raised 200 for homelessness charity Shekinah.

Clough, recently living in Plymouth, pleaded guilty to burglary on December 15.

He also admitted assaulting a police officer in Andover on October 20.

Clough, also known as Sanders, pleaded guilty to failing to register his address with the authorities in that Hampshire town.

Jailing him for a total of seven months, Judge Paul Darlow said: You behaved in a repulsive manner. You then made all the right noises to probation and said you were going to turn your life around.

You show how much you regret your behaviour by going on to burgle the public house.

Judith Constable, for the Crown Prosecution Service, said Mr Bowen noticed the door to the stock room was unlocked following a busy Friday night.

She said he spotted that some of his shelves had been cleaned out.

Miss Constable added that an intruder had taken 21 bottles of spirits, including Smirnoff vodka, Gordons gin, and a box of wine and a box of cider.

The barrister added that CCTV showed a man going up and down the stairs six times to steal the alcohol.

Miss Constable said Mr Bowen posted the image on the pubs Facebook page and Clough was recognised by his parents.

The court heard he handed himself in to police.

Katie Churcher, for Clough, said he had mental health problems and had taken an overdose to end his life.

She added that he had stolen from the pub to try and repay a debt.

Miss Churcher said that he had just started a job doing paving and driveways.

Clough was sent into custody for five years in 2007 for robbing youths in the street. He also pushed a 14-year-old girl into an alley and tried to rape her.

Mr Bowen said after the latest case that he thought justice had been done.

The landlord posted on the pubs page that he loathed and despised Clough.

He added: He was just so brazen. It suggests he is never going to learn.

Mr Bowen said that he had to cancel the staffs Christmas party because of the burglary.

The landlord posted once Clough had been identified: You have robbed me of my Christmas.

He added: We will have a staff party but it is obviously a lot later and it wont be such a grand affair.

Mr Bowen said the pub had raised 200 for Shekinah to help people in need.