Latest Offenders

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A convicted child rapist caught with a hoard of indecent images said he had them as a "coping mechanism" to stop him abusing more youngsters.

Jordan Chambers was a youth himself when he was jailed for 57 months for raping a younger boy and molesting a girl.

A court heard he received no help or courses while in a young offenders institution to deal with his sexual interest in children, which remained after he was released on licence.

He was caught with hundreds of indecent images of children, some aged under 10, when police examined his phone.

Newcastle Crown Court heard he said looking at the illegal material helped prevent him from carrying out further contact offences.

It was in November that Northumbria Police's paedophile online investigation team went to his house after receiving information about his behaviour.

He initially denied having a phone but when officers found an iPhone charger plugged into the wall, he told them the device was under his bed.

An examination uncovered 157 of the most serious, category A images, 176 category B and 699 category C. There were also two videos, one of category A and one category B.

The court heard he had posted one of the images on Facebook, although he was not charged with distributing images, just three counts of making them between July and November, which he admitted.

He said he had stored the indecent material on a cloud storage app.

Nick Lane, prosecuting, said: "By way of explanation, he said he had a sexual interest in children and he used the images he downloaded via the Tor browser as a coping mechanism to make sure he didn't commit any further contact offences.

"He said following his previous conviction and since his release from custody he had received little or no help with regard to his sexual preference for children and had been unable to prevent himself looking at the images."

Chambers, of Elton Street West, Wallsend, had been jailed at Preston Crown Court in 2016 for raping a boy under the age of 13 and sexually assaulting a girl aged between 13 and 15.

He was 15 or 16 at the time he carried out those attacks, for which he was sent to a young offenders institution for 57 months, placed on the sex offenders register and made subject to a sexual harm prevention order.

He has been recalled on licence for that sentence, with his release date being October 31 this year.

For the latest, indecent images offences, he was jailed for 12 months, of which he will serve up to half.

Shaun Routledge, defending, said: "While he was serving his last sentence he asked on numerous occasions to go on the Horizon (sex offences) course. He has never been given a single sexual prevention course, despite getting 57 months.

"He said he didn't get on the course and other people did. The course was not available.

"It's the first thing he said to the police when he was arrested. He needs help.

"He is young and pleaded guilty at the first opportunity."

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Sentencing 18-year-old Jacob Young, Judge Martyn Levett described him as a "clever manipulator and a good story teller" and a danger to the public.

"The jury saw through your lies," said the judge

He said Young had carried out internet searches for "sexy girls wearing shorts" and "upskirting" images of girls in the months before the rape and this demonstrated he had been "engaging in unhealthy sexual fantasies behind a facade of being an innocent 17-year-old".

The judge said he had read a letter from Young's mother which described the effect on Young of the family appearing in the "Supernanny" TV show with celebrity nanny Jo Frost.

She said it had led to a campaign of bullying and abuse from people including school friends.

The judge said that on the evening of the rape Young, who was described as a committed Christian, had attended a youth meeting at a church in Ipswich.

Young, of Beechcroft Road, Ipswich, was convicted by a jury last month of rape, assault causing actual bodily harm and theft.

He was sentenced to ten years detention in a young offenders' institution with an extended licence period of five years.

Judge Levett banned him from contacting the victim of the rape for 10 years and he was ordered to sign the sex offenders' register indefinitely.

The victim, who was drunk, left the Unit 17 nightclub in Cardinal Park with her boyfriend, who had gone to collect her, on October 13 last year.

As they were walking through the town, Young was seen on CCTV walking behind them and following them through an archway in the direction of the woman's Ipswich flat.

The victim's boyfriend had left her handbag by the front door while he helped her into the flat and when he returned shortly afterwards it was missing.

Young stole the handbag and was captured on CCTV with it.

The boyfriend then left to go back to work and Young knocked on the victim's door and raped her in the flat.

The woman, who is in her 20s, previously told a jury at Ipswich Crown Court she had been drunk on the evening of the attack and didn't have a clear recollection of what happened in her flat.

However, she said she did remember being pushed against a wall and being pushed on to her bed with her attacker's hands round her neck and trying to get him off her.

She also remembered telling him she would do whatever he wanted if he let her go to the toilet and then running down the stairs and out of her flat.

Prior to the rape, Young had hidden in bushes near McDonald's in Cardinal Park and had taken photographs of scantily clad women, and was described as a "sexual predator" by prosecutor Jane Oldfield.

He was also captured on CCTV walking round Ipswich town centre and going up and down Silent Street frequently changing direction to follow women

Following the guilty verdicts, the jury heard that Young had a previous conviction as a 14-year-old when he followed a 12-year-old schoolgirl down an alleyway and threatened her with a knife.

Investigating officer Sgt Rory Prior from the Suffolk police safeguarding unit said after sentencing: "I am extremely pleased to see Young behind bars after being handed this sentence.

"However, it will be of little comfort, I am sure, for the victim who showed immense courage in giving evidence in court about the terrible ordeal she experienced. No prison term will ever make up for the trauma she suffered.

"Using a variety of investigative tools available to us, we were able to dismantle his web of lies and deceit and safely remove someone who was a genuine threat to the public."

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Jason Tilbury, 50, of Crowborough Road, Hastings, appeared at Teesside Crown Court on January 14, where he pleaded guilty to arranging and facilitating the commission of a child sex offence, Teesside Crown Court has confirmed.

A spokesman said Tilbury was given a 27-month prison sentence.

He was also given a sexual harm prevention order for ten years, and was placed on the sex offenders register for ten years, the Teesside Crown Court spokesman added.

Durham Police said they were made aware of the incident by Dark Justice – an online child protection organisation based in Newcastle.

A charge of assault by beating remained on file, according to Teesside Crown Court, with no action proceeded with.

A Durham Constabulary spokeswoman said: “We were initially informed of this case by Dark Justice. We have since carried out a full investigation using both the information provided to us by the group, and information gathered through enquiries by detectives, which has resulted in the court hearing.”

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A SOUTHAMPTON teenager was caught with "sickening" images of young girls and asked others to share them.

Ryan Maidment was caught with dozens of indecent images of some young girls – the youngest thought to be aged between four to six years old.

Now aged 20 Maidment, who was aged between 17 and 18 at the time of his offending, also "traded" images with other paedophiles via an online chat site and used a mobile application aimed at hiding private photographs or videos.

At Southampton Crown Court, he was given a suspended sentence.

The court heard how Maidment was arrested in May 2018 after police received information that an internet connection linked to his flat in International Way, was being used to share indecent images.

Police found more than 60 indecent images on his Samsung mobile phone, the majority of which were category C – the least serious category.

Officers also found moving images and that Maidment had shared images in group messaging chats.

This meant he had committed an offence of distributing indecent images – a more serious offence than possession.

Maidment admitted three counts of possession of indecent images, ranging from category A to C, and three counts of distributing indecent images, again ranging from category A to C.

In mitigation, Gemma White said Maidment was an "isolated" teenager at the time of the offences and had spent much of his time gaming.

She said Maidment had since managed to get a job, though did not disclose where, and had formed relationships and had began to socialise with his work colleagues.

She urged Judge Peter Henry to follow a pre-sentence report by the probation service recommending he suspended the sentence and allow Maidment to take on a programme aimed at helping paedophiles ¬– which he would not be able to access in prison.

In sentencing, Judge Peter Henry described the images as "sickening".

He said: "Any right minded person will think someone like you deserves severe punishment.

"But on the other hand you are young, you have no previous convictions and you were, as I find, isolated in some sort of fantasy world.

"It's clear the most serious offences took place when you were 17."

He added: "I have to find the balance between the punishment best for the public interest against the best way to protect society."

Judge Henry imposed an 18 month prison sentence, suspended for two years.

He also put an "onerous" order of 160 hours of unpaid work, ordered Maidment to complete the Horizon programme and 20 days or rehabilitation activity requirement.

Maidment was also made the subject of notification requirements and a sexual harm prevention order and ordered to pay costs of £670.

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A TEENAGE girl who was molested by a 31-year-old later found her schoolwork suffering as she struggled to sleep. Alexander Caple told the 14-year-old she should not tell anyone about her ordeal or they would put him in prison, Preston Crown Court was told. But within hours the youngster had informed a schoolfriend and told her mother what had happened. Police were alerted and Caple, of Helston Close, Burnley, was arrested and confessed to some sexual activity with her. Caple later admitted to two offences of sexual activity with a child. An indecent exposure offence, which he denied, was withdrawn after the prosecution offered no evidence. Judge Phillip Parry jailed him for four-and-a-half years and imposed a 12-year sexual harm prevention order. The court heard Caple groped the girl over her clothing before carrying out a more serious sexual attack. In a victim impact statement, she said she had been left struggling to sleep and her mother had reported she could be heard crying through the night. She was studying for her GCSE exams and had been sent from from school after falling asleep in her lessons. Her grades had also suffered.

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A sex offender from Fareham has been jailed for 24 years after being found guilty of a string of sexual offences.

A jury found Steven Ward, 43, of Chartwell Close, Fareham, guilty of 15 counts of rape, five counts of sexual activity with a child and one sexual assault between 2006 and 2017.

Portsmouth Crown Court was told that the offences were committed against three girls.

Ward pleaded guilty to one count of sexual activity with a child.

The jury found him not guilty of one count of sexual activity with a child and one count of rape.

Yesterday (January 13) he was sentenced to 24 years in prison.

DC Marie Duffy said: "I would like to thank the victims for their bravery in coming forward and trusting us enough to tell us what had happened to them.

"Without their courage this depraved man would not be behind bars today.

"I hope that today's conviction and jail sentence gives others who have suffered abuse of this nature the confidence to report it to police.

"We will always take these sorts of allegations extremely seriously, and wholeheartedly commend the courage it takes to speak out many years after incidents have happened."

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A victim of child sexual abuse bravely told a court how his life has been decimated as a result. He said being molested at the hands of Christopher Lawrence caused him trust issues, ruined relationships and prompted him to seek solace in obsessive behaviour. He told Bristol Crown Court: "I've realised how much the abuse affected me and how much it changed my life." Lawrence, 72, of Orchard Square in Redfield, Bristol, pleaded guilty to nine historical charges of indecent assault on a male. The Recorder of Bristol His Honour Judge Peter Blair QC jailed him for 10 years at a sentencing hearing today (Wednesday, January 12). The judge told Lawrence: "I have taken account of the victim personal statement which [was] bravely read out, explaining the impact he has faced throughout his life as a result of sexual offences on him when he was aged five to 12. "The impact has been severe, prolonged harm." Kannan Siva, prosecuting, told the court Lawrence repeatedly sexually abused the victim by touching his private parts. Though the victim confided, aged 15, to his family that Lawrence abused him, at that time he did not wish to make a complaint to police. But the court heard in 2019 he did report the abuse - but Lawrence made no comment. 'I gave the image of a happy child' The victim, who cannot be named for legal reasons, told the court: "It had a huge impact on my life. "As a child I was determined to be very strong. "I didn't want to tell anyone. "I gave the image of a happy child but I was not happy inside." He described how the abuse prompted him to seek comfort in obsessive behaviour, which went on to ruin both relationships and his finances.

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"Why was he released twice? It baffles me as to how that could be allowed to happen" A man has been jailed after being caught trying to target underage children online. Simon Wilkinson exhibited a persistent, perverted aim to chat sexually with under-age girls and have intimacy with them, Bristol Crown Court heard. However, he was inadvertently speaking to 'paedophile hunters' posing as children. But after initially being arrested he was released under investigation twice and re-offended twice before finally being brought to book with a third arrest. Wilkinson, 40, of High Street in Staple Hill, pleaded guilty to three charges of attempting sexual communication with a child and three charges of attempting a child to engage in sexual activity. He also admitted possessing and making indecent images of children. Judge Julian Lambert jailed him for 16 months. He told the court: "Why was he released twice? It baffles me as to how that could be allowed to happen. "It is terribly worrying for the public." Wilkinson was handed an indefinite sexual harm prevention order, banning him from unchecked internet use or contact with children. He was ordered to register as a sex offender indefinitely. Richard Posner, prosecuting, said Wilkinson was initially snared when he made lewd suggestions to "Clare aged 14", who turned out to be a paedophile hunter from the group Safeguarding The Innocent. When Wilkinson's telephone was analysed it was found he had deleted three child abuse photos in the Category C lowest level of concern. Mr Posner said: "He was released under investigation. "He returned to a similar pattern of offences of a similar nature." The court heard Wilkinson then chatted sexually online with "Megan, 15" - who turned out to be the same paedophile hunter who caught him the first time. Mr Posner said: "Police were informed again. "He was arrested again and in interview, he again made no comment. "He was released again pending further investigation." After being released Wilkinson resumed lewd chats with "Megan, 15" and was reported again and arrested a final, third time. A telephone in his possession then had 23 deleted child abuse images, 11 of which were in the Category A highest level of concern. Mr Posner told the judge the police's primary focus had been on any other victims being exploited, in a protracted investigation which included interrogation of devices. Clare Fear, defending, said her "lonely" client had done some thinking on remand and aimed to do all he could to "put himself right".

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A deceitful woman who dressed as a boy to groom and sexually abuse teenage girls from around the country has been jailed for 8 years.

Gemma Watts, aged 21 years, met the four girls online and began grooming them through social messaging apps such as Snapchat and Instagram. The youngest was aged 13.

Winchester Crown Court heard that Watts, who was 19 at the time, pretended to be a boy named 'Jake Waton', telling one victim that she was 17 and another that she was 15.

She maintained this fictional persona – described by one of the victim's mothers as 'the ultimate betrayal' – when meeting the girls in person, and even changed her appearance to look like a boy so her mask of deceit would not slip.

Watts, of Pembroke Avenue, Enfield, pleaded guilty to seven sexual offences at an earlier Winchester Crown Court hearing on 28 November 2019.

The offences were:

• Assault by penetration (Section 2 of the Sexual Offence Act 2003) – victim 1

• Sexual Assault, (Section 3 of the Sexual Offences Act 2003) – victim 1

• Meeting a child following sexual grooming (Section 15 (1) of the Sexual Offences Act 2003) – victim 1

• Sexual Assault, (Section 3 of the Sexual Offences Act 2003 – victim 2

• Meeting a child following sexual grooming (Section 15 (1) of the Sexual Offences Act 2003) – victim 2

• Meeting a child following sexual grooming (Section 15 (1) of the Sexual Offences Act 2003) – victim 3

• Sexual Assault, (Section 3 of the Sexual Offences Act 2003) – victim 4

Judge Susan Evans QC sentenced her today (Friday 10 January) to a total of eight years, and imposed a Sexual Harm Prevention Order.

PC Nicola Benson, from Hampshire Constabulary's Missing and Exploited Team, said: "The level of manipulation and deceit used by Watts to snare her victims in this case was truly shocking.

"Children are particularly vulnerable to exploitation online with increased use of social media apps, and there is a real risk that any contact with a stranger online can lead to a child meeting an offender in person.

"This case demonstrates the stark reality of that, and it is astonishing the lengths that Watts went to, to ensure she could abuse these girls.

"I am pleased that Watts has now received a custodial sentence, and I would like to commend the bravery of the girls and their families who found the courage to come forward and make this happen. I want them to know that they are not in any way to blame for this, and hope they can now move on from this ordeal.

"I would also like to thank officers from West Midlands Police, Devon & Cornwall Police, Surrey Police and the Metropolitan Police for their involvement in this complex and lengthy investigation."

The court heard that one of the victims, from Hampshire, first came across the defendant on a YouTube comment before engaging in contact with her on Snapchat.

The pair met in November 2017, and Watts even met the victim's parents, staying on the sofa at their house.

Prosecutor Barnaby Shaw said that sexual assaults occurred at the house every night and every morning, and Watts was challenged by the victim over her gender.

He said: "[The victim] challenged Jake over gender, a challenge that had been made before.

"Members of the family remarked that there were particular things said and done that caused them initial concern, but it was apparent by the evidence given by both parents that Gemma Watts was adept at manipulating people and continuing the subterfuge that she did."

Hampshire Constabulary became aware of 'Jake' following reports made by the victim's doctor that she had been sexually assaulted by a teenage boy.

Further enquiries led police to uncover Watts' true identity.

The court heard that police were made aware of other girls, from Surrey, Devon and the West Midlands that had also been contacted by 'Jake' online, and were sexually assaulted when they met the defendant in person.

One girl said she was 'shocked and disgusted' when she learned who 'Jake' was.

When questioned by police, Watts made initial denials, but at a later point said she did not know why she targeted any girls and saw it 'as a game'.

n November 2018, officers from the Met obtained an interim Sexual Risk Order from Stratford Magistrates' Court which allowed Watts to be closely monitored by officers to prevent her from re-offending until charges were authorised by the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) in Hampshire. A final Sexual Risk Order was obtained on 2 May 2019 and Watts was charged on 12 September 2019.

Detective Constable Phillipa Kenwright, who was the Metropolitan Police's Safeguarding Lead, said: "In this particular case, Watts targeted her young victims on social media platforms and duped them into believing they were entering into a relationship with someone whom they could trust. She then went on to form physical relationships in which she spun a web of lies and deceit, giving her the opportunity to commit sexual offences.

"Her arrest, and now lengthy prison sentence has prevented her from targeting further victims, but I hope that it also gives reassurance to other victims of sexual exploitation that offenders will be brought to justice and would encourage them to come forward and speak to us.

"I am delighted with the sentence that the Judge has passed today and hope it acts as a warning to others intent on exploiting and manipulating children online, that they will be dealt with robustly."

Following sentencing, PC Maria Carrick, Hampshire Constabulary's Education and Youth Engagement Coordinator, said:

"Young people are vulnerable to exploitation online, and in serious and worrying cases, adults pose as young people to groom and exploit them into engaging in sexual activity online, or trick them into meeting with the intention of physically causing sexual harm.

"This is what makes prevention so important and why we continue to actively work with young people, schools, parents and youth partners in a joined up approach to educate whole communities about the risks children face online, and the impact this can have on them and their families.

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A homeless man, who kidnapped a schoolboy playing tennis and abused him in his Burgess Park woodland lair, was jailed for eleven years today.

Shane Upton, 24, sexually assaulted the eight-year-old in his makeshift tent as a frantic search led by the lad’s mum ensued in Burgess Park.

The youngster told his mother he was going to use the toilet a few yards away while happily taking a tennis lesson with his brother on June 17 this year.

When he came out of the cubicle Upton was standing in his path blocking the exit.

Upton told the terrified boy he needed help finding a house before leading him through the back exit of the toilets and into his den on the other side of the park.

He was arrested near the scene after tripping over during a police chase which involved a helicopter and officers on horseback.

Jurors convicted the paedophile of kidnap, sexual assault on a child under 13, and two counts of causing a child to engage in sexual activity.

Adrian Amer, prosecuting, said: ‘The boy said that the man locked in the entrance to the men’s toilets and then locked the cubicle door.

‘The complainant said that he tried to shout for help, but the man covered his mouth with his hands.

“He said that he felt scared and the man told him not to be scared.”

Upton then performed sex acts on him.

“He said this happened for a minute and then it stopped and he did it again,'” Mr Amer said.

Upton then took the boy out of the toilet’s emergency exit.

He walked the boy around Burgess Park and a nearby housing estate for nearly an hour, before taking him to his tent.

“The boy said that the man told him that he lived in a tent and took him to a tent somewhere in Burgess Park,”Mr Amer said.

“The boy said that when they got in the tent the man went inside the tent and told him to come in.

“The boy said that he did not want to run away because he was scared and he knew that the man would catch him.

“He then describes going into a wooden cave made out of twigs and leaves. The man told him to lie down on his back.

“The man then pulled his trousers and pants down.

“The boy said that he was scared when this was happening so he closed his eyes because he wanted it to stop.

“He said that the man stopped when he realised the police were outside the tent.

“The boy said that the man ran off when he realised that the police were there. He said police chased the man and he then ran to the police officers.

“The boy said that he was very scared so he pulled up his pants and trousers and ran out of the cave.

“He said that the incident lasted about three to four minutes and that when he was in the tent he could hear a helicopter.

Judge Nigel Seed QC said that the attack was “an opportunistic moment that quickly became carefully planned.”

The judge said: ‘On 17 June the eight-year-old complainant went, as he and his brother did every week, to tennis lessons in Burgess Park.

“It was something he enjoyed doing, but not anymore. In fact he has not played tennis since that day. This is a result of what the defendant did to him on that day.

“The complainant left the tennis court, where his mother was sitting waiting for the tennis lesson to finish, to use the lavatory.

“It was something he had done before and was capable of doing on his own.

“On this occasion as he emerged the defendant was there waiting. This might have been opportunistic moment but it quickly became carefully planned, because the defendant then locked the door to the lavatory, he removed the complainant’s clothing.

“The defendant then led the complainant out the back to avoid the attention of the cafe attendant but mercifully this was caught on CCTV.

“He led him around the park while the complainant’s mother and the tennis coaches went searching for him.

 

 

 

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A second-year PhD student studying astrophysics at the University of Hull walked free from court despite having more than 1,800 indecent images and videos of children and discussing abusing children on online chat rooms.

Hull Crown Court heard that Alexander Hamilton, 35, had been caught out when police identified him uploading an indecent image on to one of those chat rooms from his parents' house in Essex.

The court heard Hamilton initially denied having any knowledge of it when police visited him in Hull in March 2018, but admitted responsibility when they said they would have to carry out a warrant at his parents' address too.

A number of devices were eventually recovered from both his and his parents' addresses, the court heard, showing Hamilton had been in possession of 1,817 indecent images, including 62 videos, over an eight-year period.

Those included 554 'Category A' images, the worst category, defined as "involving penetrative sexual activity" or "sexual activity with an animal or sadism" in the Crown Prosecution Service's sexual offences guidelines.

Police also recovered an online discussion with another individual about abusing a five-year-old and seven or eight-year-old children.

Hamilton never committed any physical abuse himself, the court heard.

Prosecuting, Richard Woolfall told the court Hamilton said he had been "struggling for a number of years" and would regularly delete all the images before being lured back on to the chat rooms by his "urges".

"He was more interested in the discussions about abuse of children rather than the images," Mr Woolfall said.

"He said he preferred category B and C images, those of Category A showing distress sickened him, and at that point he would stop and delete everything."

He said Hamilton admitted he would masturbate when viewing the images and accepted that he needed help.

"He accepted that he had urges, but he never acted on those urges," Mr Woolfall said.

"He did not sexually abuse any children himself but did discuss abuse in the chat rooms.

"Such exchanges were fantasy, but once it moved to a degree of torture or a pair of very young children he would leave."

But it was those urges, Mr Woolfall said, that eventually led to his downfall.

"He had uploaded images and he knew he might have been caught, but his mindset was such that he did not think rationally," he said.

"It was a compulsion he had."

Mitigating for Hamilton, Timothy Clark said: "There has been an unusual level of honesty in accepting that he has a problem.

"Since the police came into his life in March 2018, he has had to have conversations with family members and those involved in his education on matters that must have been really difficult for his family to hear.

"He committed no contact offences and has been deemed very unlikely to commit such an offence.

"He has no previous convictions and has been extremely successful to a high level of education.

"And he has shown remorse, telling police he needed help and accepting responsibility."

He also said he had suffered with mental health problems which were "linked to his offending".

He added that Hamilton's studies were "on hold" and that it would be for the university to decide if he could continue with his course.

Sentencing Hamilton, Judge Bury said: "You are a highly intelligent man, you do not need me to tell you the seriousness of your position.

"You have, over a long period, accessed a large number of indecent images of children - over 550 of the most serious category.

"Each image of a child represents an instance of abuse of that child. That is why these offences are serious.

"Because people like yourself look at images like these, there is a market for them, which is why children continue to be abused."

But despite Hamilton's offending "clearly crossing the custody threshold", Judge Bury said he would suspend his sentence.

"You have no previous convictions and your attitude, one of self-loathing and a desire to right yourself, is such that you may be amenable to counselling and treatment to prevent you from reoffending," he said.

"But any repetition, particularly during the terms of suspension, and it's custody next time, do you understand that?"

"Yes," Hamilton said, looking up for the first time in the hearing.

For the possession of the indecent images, Judge Bury sentenced Hamilton to a total of eight months, suspended for eighteen months.

He will also be required to attend up to 20 rehabilitation activity days.

But Judge Bury did not include a curfew in the requirements after Mr Clark made a request on behalf of Hamilton's parents, who said his mental health is often at its worst when alone in the evenings.

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A remorseless child sex offender who groomed, molested and raped a vulnerable underage girl has started a 15-year prison sentence. The young woman bravely faced her childhood abuser across the courtroom, saying: "I thought people wouldn't believe me". Prosecutor Shaun Dodds said Anderton targeted a "particularly vulnerable child". He gave her alcohol and medication to make her sleepy, a court heard. At one point she fell asleep and when she awoke, he told her they had had sex and claimed she "enjoyed it". He made cruel threats to her to stop telling her anyone what he was doing. "It's such a relief to be believed," the victim said, before she saw Daniel Anderton go to prison still denying his crimes. 'I struggled to breathe' She stepped into the Teesside Crown Court witness box to read out powerful statements about how it affected her. She said the abuse had a "massive impact" affecting her relationships and leading to anxiety, depression, flashbacks, sleep problems, suicidal thoughts and self-harm. She said she had believed Anderton's threats as he "blackmailed" her, only to realise later: "Everything he said was a lie. "I remember feeling numb and every time he touched me I wanted it to end. "My heart raced and I struggled to breathe." It left her feeling isolated, lacking confidence and finding it difficult to socialise, make friends and trust others. "The night I told my family was beyond difficult," she said. "I couldn't keep it to myself anymore." She remembered the relief and surprise she felt when, expecting a bad reaction, she was simply hugged. She added: "I felt like it was all my fault because I let him do it to me. "But now when I look back I see that I was a vulnerable child. He took advantage." Still denied his crimes Anderton, of Henry Taylor Court, Ormesby, Middlesbrough, denied three charges of rape, one of sexual assault and five of sexual activity with a child. He claimed he only had consensual sex with her after she turned 16. He admitted he had sex with another underage girl in his evidence, saying he thought she was over the age of consent. The jury did not believe him and rejected his account, convicting him unanimously on all charges after a trial. Robert Mochrie, defending, said: "He continues to deny acting unlawfully at any stage. "I can't advance mitigation along the lines of remorse or anything of that nature. "He will receive a lengthy custodial sentence. The last couple of weeks have impacted upon him greatly. It's his first taste of custody. "He has spent the last two weeks or so trying to comprehend what will now come." He said Anderton was immature, naive and much-loved, and had worked throughout his adult life. Anderton, 26, was supported by his "incredibly distraught" mother and friends who wrote references for him. 'Selfish and devious' Anderton exploited and threatened Judge Stephen Ashurst said: "Unhappily this court has seen an unpleasant aspect of your behaviour which displays, I regret to say, some very selfish and devious aspects which have underlined your capacity to commit these very serious sexual offences." He said Anderton exploited and threatened the girl. "I'm afraid I've come to the conclusion that you really didn't care less for the impact of what you were doing," he told the defendant. "You remain in denial about all of these matters. "There appears in my judgment to be a complete lack of remorse or shame as to the damage that you've caused to others. "That has to be reflected in your sentence. "Unless your attitude to sexual matters improves in years to come, there remains a significant risk of you causing harm in the future. "It is you, Daniel Anderton, who is responsible for the position that you find yourself in." Anderton was jailed for 15 years, of which he will serve half before the Parole Board decide whether it is safe to release him. He was given an extra year's licence for an "offender of particular concern". He was given an indefinite sexual harm prevention order banning him contacting the victim, going within 100m of her home, work or unsupervised contact with girls under 16, and governing his internet and devices use. He will be on the sex offenders' register indefinitely.

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A SEX offender who hid his past from a single mum of two is spending Christmas in prison. Richard Robert Arthur, 34, from the Felling area of Gateshead, was convicted in July 2010 of meeting a child under the age of 16 years following sexual grooming. Last month the police learnt that Arthur was breaching the conditions of his sentence by repeatedly failing to declare his whereabouts and striking up a relationship with a woman who he had met online. The unsuspecting mum was unaware of his past until she was contacted by someone who knew of Arthurs sex offender status. The mum has now praised Northumbria Police for their swift action and support. She said: A man like him has no place in my, or anyones, family home. When I ended things, he wouldnt take no for an answer and then began harassing me. Luckily, I had the support and protection of Northumbria Police, who not only helped keep my family safe but supported me through the process and I know they are only a phone call away. After learning about his past, she finished the relationship and banned all contact but Arthur started a campaign of harassment against her. He was arrested for breaching his sex offender notification requirements and for domestic abuse harassment and was given a seven-month suspended sentence. But after continuing to contact the woman, he was rearrested and has been remanded in custody after pleading guilty to breaching a harassment order when he appeared at Newcastle Crown Court on December 13. He is awaiting sentencing. Sgt Elliot Richardson, the investigating officer, is appealing for other women who may have come into contact with Arthur to come forward. He said: I would like to thank the victim in this case, who was clearly very concerned when she learned of Richard Arthurs past. She has shown a great deal of resilience throughout and I am pleased that we have been able to secure a conviction.

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A former police sergeant has been jailed for a second time after admitting sexual activity with a boy and possessing indecent images. Phillip Patterson, 34, was sentenced to six years in prison and will be a registered sex offender for life. Sussex Police say Patterson's latest offending came to light during a routine visit in 2018 as part of his terms. Judge David Rennie at Hove Crown Court said Patterson was "dangerous". Patterson, of Alexandra Road, Burgess Hill, West Sussex, already served a prison sentence for possessing more than 50,000 indecent images of children. He resigned from his position with the police force on the day of his arrest in 2010. 'Online grooming' Det Con Vicky Jones said: "During a routine visit in 2018 to Patterson as part of their role to monitor registered sex offenders in the community, colleagues found on his mobile phone references to indecent material about children. "The phone also contained evidence of his online grooming and sexual relationship with a 13-year-old boy, a relationship which the boy confirmed when we traced him." He had already been given an eight-week suspended sentence in October 2016 for a previous breach of his sex offender notification requirements, and in September 2018 was given a 17-week custodial sentence for the further breach of the registration requirement which came to light in the police visit earlier that year. In sentencing Patterson, Judge David Rennie said: "Some people reach for the idiotic justification that 'they're only pictures'. "In all of these pictures, a child is having their innocence destroyed. Secondly, the 13-year-old, you groomed him and led him into your dark world of paedophilic abuse. I have no hesitation in concluding that you are dangerous."

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A PENSIONER who abused two young girls has been jailed for eight years.

Paedophile Gordon Renaut was blasted at Southampton Crown Court for committing what Judge Nicholas Rowland described as a gross breach of trust.

One of his victims, neither of whom can be named for legal reasons, said Renaut had destroyed her confidence and she had had suicidal thoughts.

Renaut (83), of Alexandra Road, Hythe, faced 12 charges relating to offending against the girls. When he appeared before the court he pleaded guilty to six of them.

Four of the charges he admitted were sexual assault on a child under 13, one related to causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity, and the other of engaging in sexual activity in the presence of a child.

Prosecutor Gemma White said the offences were unearthed when the mother of the younger girl was teaching her about inappropriate contact with adults.

The youngster revealed she had been the victim of touching by Renaut which prompted the mother to confront him. The offending against the other victim subsequently came out.

This was an abuse of trust. There was a significant age disparity between the defendant and the victims, and significant vulnerability in respect of the two girls, Mrs White told the court.

Mrs White read out a victim impact statement by the elder victim, adding the younger girl was not old enough to complete one.

In it the victim described how she felt bad, had lost her self-confidence and found it difficult to trust anyone now. Sometimes she says she does not want to be here, Mrs White added.

The prosecutor said there had been considerable discussions between the Crown Prosecution Service and the defence before Renaut made the six admissions.

The other charges will lie on file.

Defence counsel Fern Russell said her client was a man of good character and handed in a clutch of references from friends to the court. In them Renaut was described as kind and helpful, she said.

She explained that Renaut, who sat with his head bowed in the dock during the proceedings, had been married for 20 years and had lived at the same address, his parents home, since 1948.

He retired at 60 having worked with companies in the shipping and construction industry helping to maintain the integrity of pipelines.

She said he had several health problems related to old age: kidney disease, high blood pressure, and he needed a cataract operation and heart scans.

These [offences] are serious aberrations in the life of a hard-working, responsible and it would appear caring and supportive man, said Ms Russell.

Sentencing, Judge Rowland said the offences were grave and serious.

He went on: This was a gross abuse of trust in relation to those girls and in the ways the offending has affected them, particularly the youngest.

In addition to the eight-year jail sentence, Renaut will have to sign the sex offenders register for life and be subject to a sexual harm prevention order for 10 years.

During the hearing Renauts wife left the courtroom in distress. It is understood an ambulance was alerted by court staff but stood down.