Latest Offenders

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Socially isolated Oliver Horwood of Sinclair Way, Darenth, jailed after threatening young girls in perverted chats.

A socially isolated teenager persuaded young girls to send him indecent images of themselves and threatened to post them on the internet, a court heard.

Overweight Oliver Horwood used a false identity while having perverted online chats with 10 victims, aged between 13 and 15.

Then aged 17, he talked about threesomes and encouraged the girls to take intimate photos. He asked one to send him an image of her performing a sex act.

Maidstone Crown Court was told Horwood, now 20, of Sinclair Way, Darenth, threatened to expose two of the girls on the web if they did not do as he asked.

He admitted two offences of inciting a child to engage in sexual activity and three of inciting child prostitution or pornography between February and May 2014.

He also admitted making indecent images of children between July 2012 and September 2014. Police found 19 still photographs and two movie clips on his computer after his arrest last year.

Andrew Hope, defending, said none of the images were ever published or distributed and five of the 10 girls refused his demands.

Horwood, who had since lost six stone, had stopped the chats before his arrest.

He went from being an overweight, socially-isolated young boy to someone who had started to turn his life around, said Mr Hope.

He clearly needs to be punished for what are deeply unpleasant offences, but in many senses his life has moved on quite dramatically since then.

He has matured as an individual and is now leading a very productive life.

Sentencing Horwood to 16 months youth custody, Judge Charles Macdonald QC said: The offences arose out of a particular period in your life when you had a poor self image and poor family support, he said.

Things have changed impressively. But Im dealing with an anxious case - a youth of 17 engaging in extremely unpleasant activity using a false identity to trick girls.

The law is there to protect people from this behaviour and it must be discouraged and deterred.

Horwood's and his name will appear on the sex offenders register a sexual harm prevention order was made, both for 10 years.

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A senior engineer who rigged up spy cameras in Bristol to film a teenage girl having sex has been jailed.

Michael Sheffe, a former British Aerospace employee, was found to have captured the lewd footage and stored it in files, labelling one "horny".

The 51-year-old was also found to have downloaded child abuse images from the internet as well as more than 2,000 "extreme pornography" photographs.

Sheffe, of The Worthys in Bradley Stoke, pleaded guilty to six charges of making indecent photos of children and a charge of possessing extreme pornography.

He also admitted four charges of taking indecent images and two counts of voyeurism.

Judge Martin Picton jailed him for three years and ten months.

He told Sheffe: "The creation of such images, and their knowledge you did that for your own sexual gratification is, frankly, a crime of breath-taking cruelty.

"The victim impact statements demonstrate the enormous harm that you have done and your actions beggar belief."

The judge ordered that Sheffe's computer equipment be destroyed and imposed an indefinite sexual harm prevention order restricting his access to children under 18 and to the internet.

Sheffe was barred from working with children and vulnerable adults and told to register as a sex offender indefinitely.

Julian Howells, prosecuting, said Sheffe rigged up spy cams to recorded private footage of a teenager, including sexual activity.

Police who had cause to search Sheffe's computer equipment also found voyeuristic material of the girl on his mobile phone and more such material on a video camera, the court heard.

Michael Sheffe

Sheffe initially told police what he had done was not sexually motivated.

It was then confirmed he had searched for child abuse photos on the internet, as well as bestiality images to "see what was out there".

His sordid child abuse collection included 2,263 child abuse stills and 2,441 extreme pornography stills, including some movies.

Mathew Comer, defending, said: "He was a supervising engineer for British Aerospace but was dismissed.

"He will not work in that industry again and he thinks he's unlikely to ever get a responsible job.

"He's lost everything. He is an intelligent man and he feels shame and regret.

"The pre-sentence report concludes he is highly unlikely to ever come before these courts again.

"There is no possibility other than an immediate custodial sentence."

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A YOUNG man is today a convicted rapist starting five years in jail because he didnt listen to a woman saying no. Max Liam Gregory, 21, showed no emotion as the victim told York Crown Court how his actions had left her in a bottomless pit, made her suicidal and given her more than a year of panic attacks, anxiety, depression and other problems. She had told the jury how she had tried to push him off her and repeatedly said no as he raped her. He had responded by saying just two minutes, its fine and just 30 seconds, come on. Gregory had claimed to a jury that he had cared for her by visiting her regularly in the week after the rape in his home in Escrick Court, Escrick, in July 2015. But Recorder David Dixon said his visits were also to try and stop her reporting him to the police. York Crown Court heard she eventually spoke out after he went on holiday with his girlfriend. The judge told Gregory: It was abundantly clear to you she was not consenting. You continued on regardless. You have heard the impact that you caused on her simply by not listening to the word no. In simple words, if you had listened, you wouldnt be here, she wouldnt have had the horrible time she has had, all down to you not listening. He jailed Gregory for five years, put him on the sex offenders register for life and made a restraining order, banning him from having any contact at all with the victim for the rest of his life. Gregory had denied rape but was convicted by a jury unanimously after two hours and 40 minutes in retirement. Reading aloud a victim impact statement in a voice at times choked with tears, she said that after the rape: I then started to go into a bottomless pit. I started to get anxiety attacks. I still do. She was diagnosed with post traumatic stress disorder, suffering flashbacks, nightmares and waking up in sweats. Her work was affected and her condition progressed until she wanted to isolate myself from the world. She said: It got too much. On December 8, I arranged everything for my suicide. She decided to put her affairs in order, but then saw her doctor who referred her to a home treatment team who helped her and continue to visit her daily. I think about it (the rape) every day. I dont want to think about it any more, she concluded. At the end of the hearing, the judge said she had been very brave to read her statement in court. Gregorys barrister Geraldine Kelly said the womans mental problems may not have been entirely due to Gregory. His girlfriend and family were standing by him and had attended his trial. He had never been in trouble with the police before and had committed no offences since.

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Kevin Duncan sexually assaulted a sleeping woman after climbing into bed with her, and was last year sentenced to 225 hours of unpaid work.

But yesterday the 22-year-old returned to Elgin Sheriff Court, after contacting the two women on Facebook and subjecting them to lewd advances.

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A paedophile was given a taste of life inside jail by a judge in an effort to get him to stay out of trouble. Lee Smith, 50, had first been caught with indecent child images in 2016 and given a suspended sentence, along with a sexual harm prevention order banning him from doing various online activities and and controlling his use of electronic devices.

However, in February last year he was caught with more indecent images on his phone, which he had attempted to delete, along with internet searches for 'cute schoolgirls' and 'Asian girls'. He pleaded guilty to breaching his order and appeared at Leicester Crown Court for sentencing on Friday, (January 20)

Michelle Harding, representing Smith, of Rutland Avenue, Aylestone, Leicester said he was "clearly in denial" about his offending and that "a lot of work needs to be done with Mr Smith over a length of time" to stop him offending again. She said any jail sentence would prevent him getting that help. 

Smith wept in the dock while Ms Harding described how Smith's father had recently suffered a broken bone in his neck and Smith was applying to be his carer. The court heard Smith had, with the consent of social services, recently been living with a woman who had two children.

But Judge Timothy Spencer agreed to a new, tougher sexual harm prevention order banning him from contact with any under-16s and from going within 50 metres of a school between now and July 2026. Those changes to his order were opposed by Ms Harding on the grounds of Smith's human rights but Judge Spencer told her: "It's deeply worrying what was found on his phone - he's not in the position of an ordinary citizen."

Noting the state of Smith as he cried in the dock, Judge Spencer told him: "I've been watching you and I think a realisation has come to you how serious a position you've put yourself in." Having agreed to the tougher restrictions, the judge sent Smith - who had been out on bail - to spend more than two hours in the cells while he considered the sentence.

After Smith was brought back to court, Judge Spencer gave Smith an eight-month sentence, suspended for two years. The judge told him: "On October 17, 2016, you were before this court for serious offences related to indecent images of children.

"You were fortunate you were given a suspended sentence and you should have taken that as a very clear warning. You've been in the cell a few hours and if I see you again you will go to the cells for months if not years."

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A PORT man convicted of raping two women he was friends with has been jailed for six years. David McCready, 21, raped one woman in his home in 2012 and the other on the waterfront in Greenock in 2014. He was accused of raping another woman at his flat in 2014, but that charge was found not proven. Judge Kenneth McIver ordered McCready to be monitored for a year after his release and placed on the Sex Offenders Register. At the High Court in Glasgow, the judge told McCready: "You raped two young women, both of them friends of yours before the offences. "You used that to take sexual advantage. In the case of your second victim you had already been accused of the rape by two young women by that point. "Friendship transformed into sexual violence. You simply decided sex was going to take place and carried that out with no regard to the feelings or wishes of your two victims." The judge added: "You have expressed no remorse for your actions and say you are the victim of false allegations by your victims.' McCready was convicted of raping his first victim in October 2012 and the second on November 16 in 2014.

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A pervert was snared by paedophile hunters after thinking he was meeting a 15-year-old for sexual activity.

William Orr was caught on camera by Dark Justice attempting to meet who he thought was a 15-year-old boy after midnight.

The 55-year-old believed he was talking to a teenager called Tom in a gay online chat room, but the fake profile had been set up by the group.

Newcastle Crown Court heard how Orr contacted Tom and told him he was 43, from South Shields, and called Liam.

Dark Justice, acting as Tom, told Orr he was a 15-year-old male and despite this the defendant continued the conversation.

Patrizia Doherty told the court how the conversation lasted for 15 minutes before Orr started to communicate with him using the chat application KIK.

She said he sent across photographs of himself in boxer shorts and performing a sex act.

"He asked to meet up with Tom despite being reminded several times that Tom was only 15-years-old," she said.

"The defendant suggested that him and Tom met up in a car park near Newcastle College in Elswick.

"The defendant arrived driving a grey saloon, he approached Dark Justice and said 'nice trackie bottoms'.

"He introduced himself as being part of Dark Justice to which the defendant said 'are you f**k'.

"The defendant walked to his car and sped off."

Dark Justice took Orr's registration number following the meeting on June 28 this year and informed the police.

Orr was arrested by Essex police, on behalf of Northumbria Police, while driving to Stanstead Airport.

Ms Doherty said: "He was trying to get away.

"The defendant said to Tom 'do you have a big c**k and I can make you very happy'.

"There was some grooming behaviour used against the victim and significant disparity in age.

"He said he was 43 knowing full well Tom was 15. He was 54 at the time."

Orr, of South Shields, admitted attempting to incite a child to engage in sexual activity.

The court heard how Orr has a previous conviction for outraging public decency in 2013 after he was caught carrying out a sex act on Seaburn Beach by a group of teenage boys.

David Callan, defending, told the court how Orr lost both his wife and his son.

He said: "The defendant married a wife called Linda when he was very young and had three children.

"She died when she was 25 in his arms of lung cancer.

"He had a normal sexual relationship with her. Since then he's found it very difficult to be in an intimate relationship with a woman.

"He has been confused about his sexuality. He thinks he's not bisexual but rather homosexual at this stage. He's found therapy extremely helpful.

"He lost his wife leaving him with three children to bring up on his own while working.

"His child Damien was killed in Afghanistan in 2009 while fighting for his country. He's still not got over that death."

Judge Penny Moreland told Orr: "Tom told you he was 15. You continued to talk with him and then on the KIK application.

"By 11 o'clock you had suggested to him the two of you meet and by 20 past midnight you had travelled to the car park near Newcastle College where you found there was no such person as Tom."

Judge Moreland sentenced Orr to six months in prison suspended for two years.

She also ordered Orr to sign the sex offenders register for seven years, undergo a 40 day rehabilitation activity requirement and attend a sex offenders programme.

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A MAN who had sex with a 14-year-old babysitter against her will has been jailed for three years. Christopher Gouldsbrough forced himself on the teenager after he and his partner came home drunk from a night out, a court heard. Tessa Hingston, prosecuting, told Swindon Crown Court how the incident took place at the 25-year-old's Trowbridge home in August last year. She said the girl was staying the night after she had looked after the woman's child. After Gouldsbrough and his girlfriend went upstairs to bed she settled down to sleep on the sofa. But about 15 minutes later he came back down, saying he was getting a drink of water, and came through to sit next to her. "He started putting his hands up her shorts. She said 'stop'. He said 'Are you sure?' She said 'Yes'. He said 'Are you certain?' She said 'Yes'," Miss Hingston said. "There may have been a misunderstanding. The prosecution case is that she did not, in fact, consent. He may have mistakenly thought she did." The court was told that as he started to have sex with her she said 'This isn't right, just stop', and he replied 'I'm sorry, I can't'. When he was questioned the defendant refused to answer questions about the allegations. As a result of the incident the court was told that the teenager, who feared at first she may be pregnant, had resorted to self harming. Gouldsbrough, formerly of Melksham but now living in Freeview Road, Bath, was charged with rape and sexual assault of the child. He was due to stand trial but before a jury could be sworn in on Monday he pleaded guilty to a charge of sexual activity with a child. Robin Shellard, defending, said that his client 'bitterly regretted' what happened and he took responsibility for actions that drunken night. As a result of the incident he said he had been shunned by friends lost his partner, though he is now in a new relationship, and also lost his job as a bar manager in Bath, He said: "The man who appears before you today is a chastened and changed man from the drunken idiot who had sex with this 14-year-old girl that night." Jailing him Judge Tim Mousley QC said: "You were drunk. It began with drunken flirting. "By the early hours of the morning your behaviour became much more sinister than that and so far as your intentions were concerned, what you had in mind was obvious to all except, perhaps, the girl. "I have read or listened to what she says in her statement about the effects of this upon her and she has been affected in very serious ways. "How she has been affected in the future as a matter of speculation but one knows the effect of this type of behaviour is long lasting. "She was a virgin at the time and for some time afterwards she had to deal with the fear of being pregnant." As well as jailing him he also imposed a sexual harm prevention order and restraining order keeping him away from the girl for 10 years. An NSPCC spokesman for South West England said: "Gouldsbrough has rightly been punished for an appalling attack on a vulnerable young girl, who will now need help to recover from his predatory actions. "Gouldsbrough took advantage of his victim, despite her repeated pleas for him to stop. Abuse can ruin childhoods without the right support, and continue to have an impact well into adulthood.

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The father-of-one William Cook was only caught because his WhatsApp messenger programme in his new phone kept a record of all of the videos he sent using his old smartphone, Aylesbury Crown Court was told.

The 29-year-old was convicted of distributing the video of a 12-year-old girl being forced to have sex with a five-year-old in an African village and of possession of videos of people having sex with animals.

He was also convicted of a string of drug dealing offences and of 55,000 worth of money laundering, after police raided his home.

A judge heard detectives found Cook sent the vile video to apparently make fun of the child sex victims, telling friends in a message this is you after officers carried out a drugs raid at his home.

Graham King, defending, said Cook proudly included a joke caption when he sent the video to a number of friends.

The lawyer described how Cook was unaware the WhatsApp application on his new phone re-downloaded the message.

This was thought to be helpful but in this case was not, said Mr King, who claimed his client had no sexual interest in children.

He shares your Honours obvious abhorrence of offences of this kind and child abuse, he told Judge Francis Sheridan.

However, the judge said: Here the case was utterly overwhelming. The defendant said in an interview he received this probably via Facebook and forwarded it to friends as a joke.

It was child abuse of the worst sort and by having this for distribution it breathes life into the horrible industry of sex child abuse.

The court heard that Cook had played the court system to reduce his jail time by strategically admitting less serious versions of offences he was charged with after the police raid at his home in May 2015.

Sarah Porter, prosecuting, said a total of 8.59g of cocaine with a street value of about 400 was found in different rooms, wardrobes, the garden and a cutting agent and weighing scales with traces of cocaine were also found at his address.

The pornographic images were found on a mobile phone police seized and he admitted possession with intent to supply cocaine and possession of an extendable baton, which officers found in his Audi car.

Cook later admitted being in breach of court bail and possession with intent to supply cocaine at the Electric Daisy Carnival on July 9.

Ms Porter said he was also charged with possession with intent to supply a physchoactive substance after he was caught red-handed with 94 canisters of nitrogen dioxide, known as laughing gas, and more than 100 balloons at the event.

Judge Sheridan sentenced him to a total of 87 months jail for all the crimes and said: It is very unusual to find someone who throws himself so wholeheartedly into a life of crime. The reality is that he was out for an easy life.

The Electric Daisy Carnival is a haven for drug dealers as this court knows and Im afraid the deterrent is to expect no mercy on this. He must expect a criminal lifestyle sentence. Drugs are the scourge of this country.

Cook was jailed for a total of seven years and three months in total and placed on the Sex Offenders Register for 10 years.

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A WARPED paedophile who downloaded footage of a woman having sex with a horse and begged a 13-year-old girl to drink her own urine has been jailed. Ian Cant, 28, persuaded the young girl to take part in "sick experiments" during an online chat in which he told her to strip, spread her legs and show herself. The sick software engineer, from Basingstoke, Hants., admitted 16 counts of possessing indecent images of children, intending to incite or engage a child in sexual activity and owning extreme porn. A court heard Cant had hundreds of "foul" videos on his computer, including some showing kids as young as two being sexually abused by twisted sex offenders. Judge Peter Lodder QC jailed vile Cant for two years on Friday (Aug 12) at Kingston Crown Court. He said: "In one of the images a three to five-year-old girl is bound at her wrists and ankles. "She has a plastic bag over her head and sex toys around her. "It doesn't bare thinking about the distress that girl must have been going through. "If there was not a market for it children of this age would be far less likely to go through this revolting abuse." Hamish Reid, prosecuting, told the court how perverted Cant demanded his victim to strip naked during the creepy web chat in July 2015. Martin Ingle, defending, said Cant had recently got engaged and his mum was an "alcoholic who died in a house fire" and was "incapable of looking after Cant and herself". The paedophile was also told to sign the sex offenders' register for 10 years.

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A MAN has been jailed for seven years for raping two girls.

Michael Manion, 22, unemployed, of Nutley Place, Hove, was sentenced at Hove Crown Court on Monday.

He had been convicted the previous month, following a re-trial, of three counts of raping a nine-year old girl between July 2009 and August 2010.

He had already been convicted, in September last year, of the rape of a 16-year old girl in November 2010, while she was asleep.

Manion received 54 months for each count of the offences against the nine-year old, to run concurrently with a separate sentence of 30 months for the offence against the adult.

He was also made the subject of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order to last indefinitely, severely restricting his access to girls and young women, and will be a registered sex offender for life.

Detective Constable Stewart Cameron from the Brighton Safeguarding Investigations Unit said: "Both victims showed courage in standing up in court and giving their evidence of what Manion did to them.

"The offences weren't reported at once, with both victims coming forward independently at different times in 2013 and 2015. Despite this two separate juries have found him guilty of raping vulnerable females.

"Regardless of how long ago an assault was, anyone who reports incidents of this type to us will be supported and we will investigate."

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A PAEDOPHILE from Basingstoke who watched "grotesque" live footage of children being sexually abused and tortured in the Philippines has been jailed for 11 years. Thomas Sloman was found guilty by a jury of 19 counts at Winchester Crown Court relating to making thousands of indecent images of children, and attempting to commission sexual offences against children. The court heard that the 43-year-old, of Cairngorm Close, Buckskin, asked the people running the commercial operation to "punish" and "torture" the children for his own sexual gratification. Chat logs showed he actively solicited for images online and arranged to view abuse over the internet. He asked what ages the children were and requested to see girls as young as four or five, and also tried to arrange contact with the young victims. Sloman, whose wife is Filipino, had visited the Philippines on a number of occasions, and chat room records showed he referred to repeatedly raping a young girl. Defending Sloman, Nick Tucker said: "He does claim to have had young girls before in the Philippines and says he has had sex with them." He added: "One way which he's seeking gratification is to boast about what he may or may not have already done in the past." Mr Tucker described the offences as "monstrous" adding: "I don't shy away from that." Referring to Sloman's two young sons, he said: "There's no suggestion that he's been anything but a good and loving father to them. It's mystifying how someone can compartmentalise their life in such a way to be a devoted father and then commit these offences to other people's children." Officers from the National Crime Agency (NCA) raided Sloman's home in January 2015, seizing a number of computers and electronic devices. Forensic analysis showed they contained around 12,000 indecent images, including more than 2,000 classed as category A, indicating the worst forms of abuse. Many of the images were screen-grabs taken from live webcam streams. There were also records or more than 110,000 online chats, many of which were encrypted. Sloman was charged with 10 counts of making indecent images of children and nine counts of commissioning or attempting to commission sexual offences against children, between 2008 and 2014. In court he denied the charges, claiming that his computer had been hacked, but on May 26 at Winchester Crown Count a jury found him guilty of all charges following a four day trial. He was sentenced on Friday, September 9 to 11 years in prison, with a further two-and-a-half years supervision order. He will also stay on the sex offenders' register for life. Judge Nigel Lickley QC said: "The exploitation of children for sexual gratification is not only rightly regarded by all right thinking people as extremely serious in terms of criminal offending it's also repellent." He added: "I have been reminded today that I described your criminal activity as grotesque and that's an apt word to use." The judge said the offences were "evil" and reflected the "depths the poor members of the worldwide society will go to make a few dollars". He said the victims were probably being subjected to abuse by their own relatives. Referring to the victims, he said: "Their young lives and bodies are irreparably damaged. They have done nothing wrong but live in a world where people like you have access to the internet and you can prey on their vulnerability for a few minutes of sexual gratification." He added: "You have no regard or care for the children, their lives and how they are affected. You have a callous disregard for their welfare and wellbeing." Judge Lickley said Sloman posed a "significant risk to members of the public", adding: "In my view, young female children worldwide are at risk of you from serious harm in relation to your devious interest in children for sexual gratification. You are in denial which in itself is a concerning matter. My conclusion is that you are a dangerous offender." Referring to Sloman's own children, he said: "They will have to grow up with the realisation of the other life their father lived under the same roof." Following the sentencing, Jason Booth, from NCA, said: Thomas Sloman is a dangerous child sex offender who arranged the abuse of vulnerable children. The fact he was thousands of miles away makes no difference to his guilt it was all done for his personal gratification. The NCA is actively targeting offenders who pay for live streaming of abuse, because our priority is protecting children, whether they are in the UK or abroad.

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A man who sexually abused and shared indecent images of children has been sentenced to 18 years in prison. 43-year-old Duncan Hogben, of Cranfield, was convicted of 11 counts relating to the sexual abuse of children and charges associated with taking, distributing and making indecent photographs of children. After being convicted on 29 June, Hogben was sentenced at Luton Crown Court to a total of 18 years behind bars. Hogbens dark secret transcended the cyber world into reality, involving the direct abuse of children. His online offending contributed to the worldwide cycle of child abuse, which is the scourge of our society. I would like to pay tribute to the brave testimony of the victims and witnesses in this case, as without their support we would not have achieved the result we have today. I am pleased that the courts recognised the severity of his sickening activities and passed a long sentence though in my eyes no jail term will be long enough for Hogben to accept what hes done and truly pay for the lives he has ruined. Detective Constable Paul Fitzharris from the Cyber Hubs Internet Child Abuse Investigation Team (ICAIT)

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A Chinese medicine practitioner who raped one of his patients at a shop in Camden and sexually assaulted two others has been jailed for seven years.

Dr Hongbin Liu, 53 of the Peabody Estate, Vauxhall Bridge Road in London pleaded guilty at Wood Green Crown Court on 8 January to one count of rape, one count of assault by penetration and two counts of sexual assault.

In February 2015, an unnamed woman in her forties attended the Chinese Traditional Medicine Centre on Haverstock Hill in Camden and as her usual therapist was not at the premises, she agreed to see Liu instead. During the acupuncture and massage consultation, Liu raped and assaulted the victim. On leaving the premises, the victim went straight to a police station to report the offences.

Liu was subsequently arrested, interviewed and provided a prepared statement denying the offences. He was bailed pending further enquiries. In March 2015, two more women reported two further offences to police. Both took place at the Shu Jun Healthcare Centre on Wells Street, Westminster. In each case, the defendant sexually assaulted his victims.

Jane Tunnicliff, detective constable at the Metropolitan Police sexual offences, exploitation and child abuse command, said: "Dr Liu prayed on the vulnerabilities of his patients. It is important that each and every one of us feel safe to seek treatment when we are ill or in pain. As police officers we strive to make our community safer for everyone – even behind closed doors."

One of the victims thought that while giving her a massage, Liu took a picture of her with his phone. However, officers were unable to recover the photographs.

Detective inspector Lee Davison added: "People who abuse their position of trust damage the fabric of our society and the impact of their actions on their victims can be great. We will pursue all such offenders to bring them to justice."