Latest Offenders

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A paedophile has been jailed for eight and a half years after sexually abusing a little girl in Luton.

Ben Storey, 26, who until recently was residing at Marlborough Road, Banbury, was sentenced at Luton Crown Court today after being found guilty of four counts of sexual touching and two counts of assault by penetration in October.

Storey assaulted the young girl on a number of occasions over a period of time in 2016. He was arrested when the child told her mum about the abuse who then contacted the police.

DC Stephen Francis said: “Fortunately Storey’s victim disclosed her abuse to a trusted adult and as a result Storey has now been locked away and can no longer cause harm to others.

“I hope this sentence shows how seriously we take child sexual abuse. It will not be tolerated and we will do anything in our power to bring abhorrent offenders such as Storey to justice, while providing our support to victims and their families.

“We’re also continuing to work with our partners to educate both parents and children around the issue of child sexual abuse in order to help reduce the risk of it happening.”

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A pensioner was jailed for 17 years for twice raping a very young girl and committing a catalogue of indecent assaults against her and another victim.

Robert Croxford, now 68, sat with his arms folded as a judge recounted his crimes, telling him how he stole his victims childhood, and blighted her adult life.

The Wirral man pleaded not guilty to all the charges made against him, forcing his youngest victim to relive her ordeals in a trial.

But jurors unanimously convicted Croxford him of two rapes, and 11 indecent assaults.

His victim told how she had gone through phases of pulling her hair out and had taken overdoses.

Prosecutor Martine Snowdon read from the womans personal statement, revealing how she thought it was her fault and she had a false view of herself.

She added: She was the person who Croxford made her believe she was.

The woman experienced feelings of guilt when she disclosed the sexual attacks perpetrated on her, and has been diagnosed with complex post traumatic stress disorder.

She is still on anti-depressants after starting taking them in her 20s, following a major breakdown during which she was admitted to hospital.

His second victim was targeted with inappropriate touching and kissing during her teens.

Andrew McInnes, defending, said Croxford would find prison particularly difficult, asking the judge to take into account his advancing years and the effect custody will have on him.

Judge Robert Warnock told Croxford: You created the opportunity to indecently assault and rape a girl 20 years younger than you. You stole her childhood and blighted her adulthood, it was wholly unacceptable behaviour.

I hope her courage and dignity in this trial is a help to her in her later life.

Croxford, of Lee Court Road, Hoylake , had only one previous criminal conviction, for possessing indecent images of underage children.

He was ordered to sign on the Sex Offenders Register for life.

DC Loretta Dean said: "Croxford is starting a long prison sentence after a jury found him guilty of a number of offences carried out over a number of years in the 1970s in the Wirral area.

"Croxfords victims have shown an immense amount of bravery in coming forward and I hope his sentencing today gives them some sense of closure and justice. Their adult life has been deeply affected by these crimes and they have shown immense courage to report them.

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A man jailed for abusing boys in Britain was hired by a Paris school A paedophile teacher who worked at English private schools before he was jailed found work at a new school after his release and immediately started preying on a young boy again. Julien Bertrand, 37, from Nanterre in western Paris but educated in England, was sentenced to six years in prison in 2006 after he was found guilty of sex offences against two boys aged 14 and 16 who were pupils at schools in Essex and Somerset between 2000 and 2005. The boys were subjected to prolonged emotional blackmail by Bertrand, who threatened to kill himself unless they fulfilled his ultimate desire. He pretended to load a gun to force one of the boys to have sex with him, and showered one victim with gifts worth up to 5,000. However, The Sunday Times can reveal that Bertrand simply moved to France after being released from prison, found work as a music teacher and once again preyed on a boy he taught. In 2011, after leaving prison, Bertrand who is on the UK sex offenders register and is barred from working with children got a job as a teacher at the exclusive Victor Hugo School, one of the best-known international schools in Paris with fees of up to 24,000 (21,100) a year. He began grooming a 14-year-old boy, sending him explicit texts including many that said I love you. The boys father complained to the school, which dismissed Bertrand in 2013. Yet in 2014 he had jointly set up a private school called Kingsworth International, also in Paris, where he is also a shareholder and became a deputy head. Asked why Bertrand had been employed despite his conviction, Kingsworths head teacher, Stephen Jankowski, said the paedophile had lied about his past. Parents at the school, which is for pupils aged 3-18 and include many British families, were sent a letter saying the school had discovered Bertrands UK criminal record and dismissed him, but no details were given. Bertrand left the school last month. Jankowski said Bertrand had passed the required background checks, adding that the welfare of the children is the schools priority and that it acted immediately when it learnt of his previous conviction. Sonia Notarianni, an American mother involved in the parent teachers association at Kingsworth primary school, said: We were told there were parents who were very upset and have left the school because of this, but that was because he was apparently an amazing teacher. We [wrongly] understood that as a young man of 24 he had an affair with a 16-year-old girl or something. They have no checks on parents volunteering in the school or anything. When I volunteered to help out at my childrens old school in Florida, I had to have a full background search. Victor Hugo Schools president, Bernard DeleSalle, said he was horrified to discover a devil at his institution, and accused Bertrand of having tricked them. He said: To discover a devil in the middle of angels is not easy, especially when he is well disguised. We are not infallible. Thank God, Bertrand is the only devil we have met. If he had gone into another school we would have found out and . . . ruined his plans, but because he created his own structure in direct competition to our establishment, we could not have publicly denigrated him without risking legal action. The school said it had been unaware he had spent time in England. References to Bertrand on Kingsworths Facebook site, which included details of his involvement in a skiing trip this year, have been removed. Frances education ministry acknowledged a problem with identifying paedophile teachers. A new law was put forward in 2016 to allow better communication between the justice and education departments, but it has not happened yet, it said. Bertrand could not be contacted at the address given as his home on the Kingsworth shareholder register, and the school refused to pass on a request for comment. He is free to teach elsewhere. The head of the Somerset school at which Bertrand abused a pupil said: As a citizen of this country as much as the head of a reasonably distinguished school, I find it extraordinary that the systems for safeguarding children do not appear to be joined up in a better way. It is very worrying indeed. On request, the Home Office can conduct criminal record checks for those who have lived in Britain and want to work with children overseas.

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A MAN has been convicted of further historic sex offences after more victims came forward after reading reports of his crimes.

Terry Haynes, 75, formerly of Matthews Way, Wootton, was sentenced to six years’ in prison at Reading Crown Court on Monday, following a five day trial.

A jury unanimously found Haynes, who was known as Rev Haynes, guilty of one count of gross indecency with/towards a child and eight counts of indecent assault of a boy.

Haynes carried out the offences against two boys in Tubney Woods near Frilford during the 1960s and 1970s.

In 2014 Haynes was sentenced to 15 years in prison after being found guilty of 12 counts of rape, 11 counts of indecent assault and one count of attempted rape at Oxford Crown Court.

Among his victims was his daughter Teresa Haynes, who waived her right to anonymity. After his conviction she told the Oxford Mail at the time that she had forgiven him and added: “No amount of time in prison is going to change what he did.”

His latest six year jail term will run consecutively. Investigating officer, Det Sgt Sarah Berry, said: “The victims showed tremendous courage after 50 years to come forward and report these heinous crimes to the police.

“I hope that Haynes’ sentence will give the victims some resolution. I know that they have been hugely affected by these terrible crimes.”

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A MAN carried out a 'horrendous' rape on a woman before running her over with his car at a Southampton railway station.

Dylan Collins, 20, picked up the woman in his car late at night near St Denys station and drove into the car park.

She became concerned and tried to leave the car but Collins punched her in the face before raping her and biting her neck.

A member of the public heard the incident and ran to help so Collins jumped into his car and reversed over the victim's legs before fleeing the scene.

Police launched a search to track Collins down and caught him after chasing him on foot.

Collins, of Leighton Avenue, Southampton, was convicted of rape, causing actual bodily harm, and dangerous driving, and was jailed for eight years. 

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A STRONGLY religious church-goer who committed dozens of sexual assaults against a child including multiple rapes - has been jailed for 15 years. Bully Nigel Smith repeatedly molested and raped his victim over several years, starting when the child was around five. Described by probation officers as a control freak, the now 63-year-old, a former member of Romsey Christian Centre, would often subdue his victim through violence. The court was even told how Smith would sit his victim on his lap during church services for his own sexual gratification. However, Smith, of Bitterne Road East, refused to accept his wrongdoings. Instead, he insisted he had not meant to harm the child who the court heard was now suffering from suicidal thoughts. He denied all charges against him, but was found guilty during a six day trial at Southampton Crown Court. Sentencing him, Judge Nicholas Rowland, said Smith had shown a lack of remorse. He said: What is apparent to me is the impact this has had on your victim. Youve no appreciation for what you did nor any remorse. Judge Rowland also condemned Mr Smiths use of violence, describing him as a bully. Prosecuting, Rufus Taylor told the court that the first incident had occurred when the child was between five and six-years-old. The court heard how the assaults had caused serious psychological harm to Smiths victim. Defending, Sarah Jones said Smith had come from a violent background and accepted her client faced a lengthy prison sentence. Judge Rowland sentenced Smith to a total of 15 years in prison. His sentence was for four multiple counts of rape, as well as concurrent sentences for sexual assault and cruelty to a child. Smith was also given a further concurrent sentence for attempting to pervert the course of justice. Regarding the case, a statement from Romsey Christian Centre read: "Romsey Christian Centre adheres to a strict safeguarding policy, and our safeguarding officer ensures that all our workers, paid and voluntary working with children and vulnerable adults, are included in DBS criminal record disclosure checks. "While Nigel Smith attended the church as a member of the congregation, he has never been in a leadership position in the church and was not a member of our staff team. However, we take our responsibility very seriously to report any concerns regarding any member of our congregation to the appropriate statutory authorities including police, childrens social care or adult services. "As soon as we became aware of an allegation of physical abuse involving Nigel Smith, we took immediate action to inform Romsey Police Station and Nigel Smith was subsequently arrested. We also informed Nigel Smith that he would no longer be able to attend the church to ensure the safety of our other church members."

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A CONVICTED sex offender who tricked women into emailing him intimate pictures before threatening to post them online has been jailed for two and a half years. Former archaeologist William Neil Summerson used social media and popular online dating services such as Tinder and Plenty of Fish to approach five women, before enticing them to send him topless and naked images. Two of the women were even duped into performing sex acts on themselves during live Skype calls with the pervert. The court also heard how Summerson, of West Moors Road, Ferndown, had been convicted of similar offences - when he posed as a top model agent - just three years previously. One of his latest victims, who was tricked into sending intimate pictures of herself on Christmas Day, later considered suicide when she realised shed been conned. Summerson posed online as a potential suitor, a female modelling scout and even an American businessman to snare his victims. After he built up trust and they emailed him images, he threatened to create a website with the material and send it to their personal contacts - which included close family, friends and work colleagues - unless they failed to comply with his demands. One of these demands was for a victim to engage with him on a private Skype call, another victim was told to secretly record herself having sex with a stranger for his gratification. However, both of these women refused his demands. After one of the women went to the police, they traced Summersons IP address, questioned him and seized his computer. Months afterwards other women, from across the UK, also reported being tricked and he was arrested. The 31-year-old, who was already on the sex offenders register at the time of these latest offences, appeared at Bournemouth Crown Court on Thursday, October 19. He admitted a string of charges, including causing women to take their clothes off, causing them to take pictures of themselves in various states of undress and causing them to perform sex acts on themselves. Judge Peter Crabtree, who described the crimes as carefully planned deceptions told Summerson You acted out of a compulsion to get sexual gratification. The judge also said he believed Summerson, who targeted the five women between August 14, 2015, and December 25, 2016, posed a high risk of reoffending.

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EX-POLICE officer Michael Inskip has been jailed after being found guilty of indecently assaulting a young girl two decades ago. The 63-year-old, formerly of Boundary Close, Stratton St Margaret, was convicted on October 13 of two counts of indecent assault on a girl under 16 in the 1980s and 1990s. He was cleared of three similar allegations and the jury failed to return verdicts on two further counts of indecent assault. Today at Portsmouth Crown Court, he was sentenced to three years and 9 months in prison. Det Cons Melissa Carr said: "We are very pleased with today's result which hopefully goes some way of getting justice for the victim and help give her and her family some closure. "By reporting this, it allowed us to thoroughly investigate this incident to successful prosecute this man. I would like to take this opportunity to encourage anyone who may have been a victim of sex abuse, regardless of how much time has passed, to report it to police. "We will investigate, provide you with the full support you need, and do all that we can to bring to justice offenders like Inskip. Victims contact police on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111. They also seek support and counselling from the Sexual Assault Referral Centre based at the New Swindon Sanctuary - they can be contacted on the 24-hour helpline 0808 168 0024. An NSPCC spokesman for South West England said: Regardless of the time that has passed, these offences are shocking and represent an extremely serious case of child sexual abuse. Inksips victim must be praised for her bravery in speaking out. It is absolutely right that people who suffered child sexual abuse, such as the woman in this case, can seek justice and support no matter how much time has passed since their ordeal." Any adult wishing to discuss a childs welfare can contact the NSPCC Helpline at any time for free on 0808 800 5000.

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Hilary was convicted of 14 counts of indecent assault against five girls between 1978 and 1984 A former Farnborough PE teacher and athletics coach was today sentenced to 15 years in prison after sexually assaulting five girls under the age of 16 when he was a teacher. Richard Hilary, now 67, would "test the boundaries" of girls in his care by touching their breasts while dancing or, in one case, pushing snow down their bra, before encouraging them to engage in sexual activity with him on later occasions. Winchester Crown Court heard Hilary incited several girls to perform oral sex on him during trips out in his car and asked one of them to "sit" on his penis. He targeted five victims, aged from 11 to 15, who were groomed by Hilary and urged to engage in sexual activity with him. On another occasion, Hilary photographed one of the victims naked in his bath. Hilary was convicted of 14 counts of indecent assault against five girls between 1978 and 1984 when when he was a teacher at The Wavell School in Farnborough and a coach at Winchester Athletics Club. He also spent 12 years as headteacher of Chamberlayne Park School in Southampton, Hants, after the alleged offences took place. The court heard Hilary "cultivated completely inappropriate relationships with a number of young girls". He 'abused his position' as a teacher and coach 'in order to indecently assault highly impressionable underage girls'. The court heard some of the victims kept diaries which detailed the extent of Hilary's abuse, most of which took place on the school grounds. A number of victims came forward after Hillary, of Northend Way, Droxford, was cleared of three counts of indecent assault against a child after a trial in May 2014. Hilary, who retired from teaching in 2006, had denied all 14 charges of indecent assault. Rob Welling, from the CPS, said: "Richard Hilary abused his position of trust as a teacher to indecently assault young girls he had responsibility for. "Hilary was described by many of his victims as a popular and dynamic teacher, a fact he exploited as he groomed the girls into performing sexual acts for him. "The CPS was able to use the teenage diaries of his victims which made clear Hilary's crimes at the time they happened and provided compelling evidence to put before the jury. "I commend the victims who reported Hilary and supported this prosecution."

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A teenager who blackmailed children into making sexually explicit videos has been sentenced to three-and-a-half years detention. Glen Wilson, 19, persuaded girls as young as 12 to send him images and films, which he offered to share with fellow paedophiles. Perth Sheriff Court was told one of the children had been left suicidal. Wilson, of Longforgan, Perthshire, admitted 23 charges of extortion and possessing child abuse material. The offences took place between between September 2015 and June last year. Wilson was also placed on the sex offenders register for life and will be subject to an 18-month supervised release period. Sheriff Gillian Wade described Wilson's actions as "despicable." Wilson targeted victims from as far afield as London, Wales, Sheffield, Derby, Edinburgh and Glasgow. The court heard previously that he chatted to the girls on social media sites before persuading them to send him photographs in various stages of undress. Wilson then sent them back a screenshot with their contacts and told them he would send the picture of them to their friends and family if they did not comply with his requests. 'Significantly distressed' The girls were scared of being exposed to their families and complied with Wilson's demands. Wilson told one victim: "You have two options. You either do what I ask or I send. "Block me, delete me, report me, tell your parents - do any of these things and I press the send button." He told another child: "I don't want to ruin your life, but I will if you make me." Defence solicitor George Donnelly said: "He came from a happy, settled background. "His remorse is absolute and unconditional. His university career is over. "These are quite frankly dreadful offences with serious consequences for the complainers." Sheriff Wade told Wilson: "It is most regrettable that someone with your potential will now spend a significant amount of time in jail. "These children were significantly distressed by your threats and one indicated she was feeling suicidal. "However, you continued to pressurise her to send further images despite that knowledge. "The nature of the messages you sent was despicable."

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A 25-year-old man has been sentenced to 20 months in prison for a string of disturbing sexual assaults, which included touching womens buttocks in public. Desislav Branimov Ivanov, whose address was given as Grampian Prison, appeared at Lerwick Sheriff Court on Wednesday. At an earlier hearing his address was given simply as Shetlands North Mainland. Ivanov had previously pleaded guilty to eight charges of intentionally or recklessly sexually touching a number of women and a child between May and August this year. Sentencing was deferred at the time for background reports. This week the court heard a narration of the charges from procurator fiscal Duncan MacKenzie, who said that Ivanov had engaged in a course of conduct redolent of a most unusual form of sexual fetishism. Mr MacKenzie said that Ivanov appeared to achieve sexual gratification from surreptitiously touching unsuspecting females on the buttocks and from visually recording the contact on mobile phones. Police examining material on two mobile phones and a laptop belonging to Ivanov found over 7,000 videos of concern over a period of three years, the fiscal said, adding that only a handful were taken in Shetland. The majority were taken abroad and fell outside of the jurisdiction of the court, Mr MacKenzie said. Police first became involved after a woman was sexually assaulted on two separate occasions at the Brae Co-op supermarket. On 7th August Ivanov rubbed his hand across her buttocks, the charge states. There was a distinct sense of disbelief, Mr MacKenzie said, and when the woman later reported the incident to her husband she was visually distressed. At the same supermarket later that month Ivanov dropped his hat next to the same womans feet. As he crouched to retrieve his hat he then pressed his face against her buttocks while filming himself. A member of staff and another shopper were alerted by her screams, Mr MacKenzie said, and police were informed. Officers seized CCTV footage of both incidents. The fiscal added that there was no suggestion that the accused was following the complainer and that her twice ending up in the supermarket at the same time as him seems to have just been a coincidence. After being identified in CCTV footage Ivanov was detained and interviewed by police, though he answered no comment to most questions. Police seized two mobile phones and a laptop and an initial search turned up 209 videos of concern. Three of those videos were identified as having taken place in Shetland leading to a further three charges being brought against Ivanov, who was by then taken into custody where he remained after being refused bail. This gave police more time to begin an onerous investigation which would eventually turn up over 7,000 videos of concern, Mr MacKenzie said. Disturbing Eight charges were eventually brought against Ivanov, including one involving touching a child aged between 13 and 16 on the buttocks. In another incident Ivanov was said to have placed his hand on the buttocks of a woman on a bus. Mr MacKenzie said that the charges amounted to a disturbing course of conduct which was achieved with no concern for the distress that its caused the complainers. In mitigation defence agent Tommy Allan said that Ivanovs behaviour was clearly very bizarre. I dont have an explanation for it, he added. In some of the cases its extremely fleeting, Mr Allan said, adding that the incidents did not progress towards groping or fondling and that some of the victims arent even aware of it. Nonetheless, his client had to accept that it caused distress to the complainers who were conscious of what had happened. Ivanov appears to have some kind of compulsion, the defence agent added, noting that he had previously received psychological attention for an amphetamine addiction. By way of punishment his client, whose parents live in Bulgaria, actually favoured the option of deportation Mr Allan said, also noting that Ivanov had already spent the equivalent of a six-month jail term in custody. Sheriff Philip Mann said that if taken in isolation Ivanovs offences probably did not merit a custodial sentence for a first-time offender, but the total number of offences led him to favour a custodial sentence. He said: When one considers that there are eight charges in total it paints a very disturbing picture of a course of offending which it is clear causes great distress and anxiety to those who are aware that they have been targeted in this way. He sentenced Ivanov to two months in custody for each of the seven charges involving adult females and a further six months for the offence involving a child, running to a total of 20 months. The time in prison will be backdated to when Ivanov first entered custody in August. The sheriff also granted a Crown motion for forfeiture of the two mobile phones and the laptop seized as part of the police investigation. As for Ivanovs desire to be deported, that was a matter for the Home Office, Sheriff Mann said.

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Jordan Saunders has been locked up for three years after admitting sexual activity with three underage girls

A predatory man has been locked up for three years after admitting sexual activity with three other teenagers when he was aged 17.

Jordan Saunders, now 18, groomed his three victims, who were aged 15, 14, and 13, prosecutors at Portsmouth Crown Court said.

The court heard he targeted all three girls, urged them to send him naked photos of themselves and sent them explicit messages and pictures as well.

Saunders, who then lived in Gosport, Hampshire, persuaded the 13 year old to meet him at Eastleigh train station, Hants, where he was caught on CCTV engaged in sexual activity.

As a result he was sentenced to an 18 month suspended term in a Young Offenders Institution, after admitting three offences of sexual activity with a child including digital penetration.

Just eight days after being given that sentence he contacted another girl, 15, who said she pressured to send him photos of her breasts.

Saunders sent messages to a third girl, aged 14, talking about sex toys and later met her at the same train station, where he groped her.

This time he admitted a charge of failing to report for unpaid work, failing to comply with sex offender notification requirements and four breaches of a sexual harm prevention order after deleting apps on his phone and staying at an address for more than seven days.

He also admitted a charge of communication with a child for the purpose of gaining sexual gratification, two charges of causing a child to engage in sexual activity, and a charge of sexual activity with a child.

He will serve his sentence in a young offenders institution and was placed on the sex offenders register for 10 years. His phones were forfeited and destroyed.

Sentencing him, Recorder Rufus Taylor said: You are and do pose a serious risk.

After the case, Acting Detective Inspector Howard Broadribb said: Saunders is a predatory offender who deliberately targeted vulnerable young girls.

During a routine enquiry at his address, officers became suspicious of activity on his internet browsing history and social media channels.

Computer devices were seized and forensically examined which identified a number of children Saunders had been communicating with.

When we visited those children it was clear that Saunders had been exchanging sexual messaging with them, and had been grooming them.

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A PAEDOPHILE who made a fake social media account to groom a 12-year-old girl has been jailed for four years.

Phillip Jackson, pictured, made a Facebook profile pretending to be a band member from Bars and Melody, who rose to fame through television show Britain’s Got Talent.

The 38-year-old landscape gardener, from Wisborough Green, began messaging the girl in 2014 and sent her indecent images of himself, later persuading her to send nude pictures to him.

The girl’s mother found out and notified police immediately.

When officers arrested Jackson they seized his laptop, on which they uncovered more than 500 indecent images of children.

Jackson was found guilty of inciting a child to engage in sexual activity and possession of indecent images of children earlier this month, and was given four years in jail.

He will also be a registered sex offender for life.

He was also issued a sexual harm prevention order, severely restricting his access to children and computers.

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Terence Patrick Corcoran, 48, scoured the web for depraved shots of children as young as six.

Corcoran, a former director of a financial-services company in Scarborough, downloaded 11,236 images, York Crown Court heard.

The businessman was arrested after police raided his home in Scarborough and seized two laptops and an iPad for forensic analysis.

They found thousands of “live” images and others which had been deleted by the disgraced financial expert.

He admitted three counts of making indecent images of children and appeared for sentence on Friday.

Dressed in a smart suit, Corcoran, of Heron Lane, Crossgates, sat with his head bowed in the dock for much of the hearing.

Prosecutor Rob Galley said the vast majority of indecent images were rated Category C - the least serious - but police also found 235 Category A images, featuring the worst kind of child porn.

There were a further 140 images rated Category B. The offensive material was downloaded between May 2011 and December 2012.

Police swooped on Corcoran’s home in May 2014 after suspicious internet activity had been traced to his computers. Corcoran was hauled in for questioning and admitted downloading a “vast amount” of child pornography but claimed it wasn’t deliberate and that he hadn’t actively searched for vile material.

He told officers he had been on morphine at the time following a series of serious health scares.

Mr Galley said Corcoran may have stored other “inappropriate” images on an external drive which had never been recovered.

He said Corcoran had deliberately searched for child porn and installed “easy-hide” software to browse the web anonymously.

The businessman used extremely graphic searched terms and those for specific ages of young children.

The barrister said the age children featured in the photos and video clips ranged from six to 14.

Corcoran’s barrister Silis Reid said the businessman had serious, genetic heart problems at the time and underwent 11 operations, including open-heart surgery, between 2010 and 2014.

He said Corcoran was convinced he was going to die during this period but managed to run a “very-successful” financial-services business which he had been forced to abandon since his arrest.

He added that Corcoran, who has no previous convictions, was “everything one would want a member of society to be” before his offending and had done charity work.

He said Corcoran had been receiving counselling and taken steps “to ensure this (type of offending) doesn’t happen again in the home”.

Judge Andrew Stubbs QC said there were “plain indications” that Corcoran had deliberately sought out sexual images of children in "visible pain”.

He said the “large volume” of material found on his computers had been aggravated by the fact that Corcoran had used “wiping” software to delete some of the images.

The judge added, however, that “substantial mitigation” - including Corcoran’s serious health issues and his “fatalistic attitude” at the time of the offences - meant that he could step back from a term of immediate imprisonment.

Mr Stubbs told Corcoran: “I am satisfied that there is a realistic prospect of rehabilitation, although it is plain that there is still some work to be done with you and your attitude.”

Corcoran was given a four-month prison sentence, suspended for two years, and ordered to sign on the sex-offenders’ register for seven years.

Mr Stubbs also made a sexual-harm prevention order which includes internet strictures designed to prevent Corcoran reoffending or deleting images.

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A paedophile dwarf who incited two teenage girls to carry out sex acts online has avoided prison because he would have a 'very hard time'.

Bryan Anthony Bowen, of Welshpool, Powys, contacted the children, aged 13 and 15, on their Facebook pages, where he asked them for sex and to send naked photos.

In one message to the older girl, Bowen, 26, wrote: 'I will f*** you for your birthday present', Mold Crown Court heard.

He was handed a 48-week prison sentence, suspended for two years.

During his sentencing, Bowen was described by Judge Rhys Rowland as 'small in stature and emotionally inadequate' - and that he would have a 'very hard time' in prison, according to The Sun.

Anna Price, prosecuting, told the court. that the 15-year-old girl had attempted to block Bowen after he had sent her a message saying 'Do you want to f***?'.

It was after this that he sent the girl the obscene 'birthday present' message.

Police found another message on his laptop to the 13-year-old, whom he described as 'fit as f***' and inquired whether she had a boyfriend.

When Bowen was arrested, he said that he thought the girls were over 16.

He later admitted the two incitement charges, which occurred between July and October 2015. A further harassment charge was dropped.

Defending, Dafydd Roberts urged the judge not to jail Bowen, who has learning difficulties.

Bowen was given a rehabilitation order, which includes a three-month curfew between 9pm and 7am.

He was also given a 10-year sexual harm prevention order and placed on the Sex Offenders' Register.