March 2016

Pervert caught with child sexual abuse images

A MAN who had scores of illegal child sexual abuse images on his laptop has been spared an immediate prison sentence. 

Ian Chambers, 67, was caught out by police officers who raided his South Cumbria home and seized computer equipment.

Almost 200 illegal still images were found on a laptop, and 40 indecent movies were recovered from an external hard drive

Some of the pictures in Chambers’ possession were classed in category A – the most serious. A number of the children depicted were estimated to be aged as young as five.

Chambers admitted 10 counts of making an indecent photograph of a child. The offences were committed between 2005 and 2014.

He was sentenced at Carlisle Crown Court today.

Judge Barbara Forrester gave Chambers an eight-month jail sentence which was suspended for two years. He will undergo 24 months’ supervision and complete one-to-one group work.

In addition, Chambers, of Jack Hill, Allithwaite, Grange-over-Sands, must sign the sex offenders’ register and is subject to the terms of a sexual harm prevention order for the next 10 years.

March 2016

Child sex offender receives 25 year sentence

A MAN has been jailed for 25 years for child sex offences.

Paul Davies, 54, of no fixed abode and formerly of Ulverston, was sentenced on Wednesday at Preston Crown Court.

He received an indeterminate sentence of 20 years in prison and a further five years on an extended license. 

Davies had pleaded guilty to eight counts of sexual assault against a girl under the age of 13 and four counts of causing/inciting a girl under the age of 13 to engage in sexual activity. 

He also pleaded guilty to two counts of rape of a child under the age of 13.

The offences took place between February 2014 and April 2015. 

Davies was arrested in April 2015 when police were notified of him being caught attacking his victim.

He will be subject to an indefinite Sexual Offender Prevention Order and has been ordered to sign the Sex Offenders Register.

April 2016

Silloth pensioner admits child sex crimes

A pensioner is due to be sentenced next month after he admitted a host of child sex assaults.

Anthony Atkinson, 70, appeared at Carlisle Crown Court today (THURS).

He pleaded guilty to six separate sex assaults on the same victim. These were committed between 1st October and 31st December last year when the child was aged under 13.

Atkinson also admitted three counts of making an indecent photograph of a child between 2013 and 1st January this year.

There are said to be 25 illegal images, one of which is classed as category A – the most serious.

Judge Peter Hughes QC adjourned the case and asked for more information about Atkinson’s background.

Sentencing is due to take place at the crown court on 12th May.

In the meantime Atkinson, previously of Tanglewood Caravan Park, Silloth, was remanded in custody.

April 2016

Carlisle child rapist William Hope told prison ‘inevitable’

A man who admitted a string of child sex abuse offences over more than 20 years has been told to expect a jail sentence.

William Hope pleaded guilty to 14 charges including six counts of rape and four sexual assaults when he appeared at Carlisle Crown Court.

Three victims were targeted in the abuse, the court heard.

Hope, 56, of no fixed address, was remanded in custody and will be sentenced on 9 June.

He has also admitted four counts of indecent assault on a child.

Hope’s offences were committed during a period between the early 1990s and March this year, the hearing was told.

Judge Peter Davis told him a prison sentence was “inevitable”.

April 2016

Prison for ‘predatory’ paedophile whose actions were utterly perverse

A man who committed a host of sexual crimes against children has been given an eight-year prison term. 

Duncan James Waterhouse, 45, received the sentence at Carlisle Crown Court today.

He had previously pleaded guilty to 20 offences during a period of just over six years up to February, 2016. 

Waterhouse’s shocking abuse, on four different victims, was said to have had a “profound and significant” impact. 

One youngster’s future was described as having been “shattered”. In the case of another, the effect was such that Waterhouse had left behind merely a “shell” where the child once was. 

His offences involved four children and included sexual activity with a child and making a child watch sexual activity.

Handing down the jail term, Judge Peter Davies said of the defendant’s said: “It was corrupt, and the corruptness was yours.” 

A five-year extended licence period was attached to the sentence. In addition, Waterhouse, of Coleridge Court, Keswick, was made subject to the sex offender notification requirements indefinitely. 

He must also abide by the strict terms of an indefinite sexual harm prevention order, and will be barred from working with children and vulnerable adults.

April 2016

Pervert banned from owning a computer to protect the public

A man who admitted child sexual abuse images offences has been banned from owning a computer to protect the public.

Paul Alan Douglas, 26, pleaded guilty last month at Carlisle Magistrates’ Court to making indecent photos of children between January 1, 2015 and February 10, 2016.

Douglas, of Park Road, Scotby, returned to the court for sentence where he was given a sexual harm prevention order for five years which prohibits him from accessing the internet or owning a computer or other enabled device.

He was told by District Judge Gerald Chalk: “This is to protect the public at large.”

Judge Chalk was told that indecent photos were found on his mobile telephone.

John Moran, prosecuting, told the court there were 22 category two indecent images of girls aged around 10 to 13 years old.

The judge was told Douglas accessed a chat site where indecent images could be posted.

Geoff Lockerbie, defending, told the court his client was “naive and a little immature.”

He was under suspension from work and expected to lose his job as a result of the court case.

Douglas was placed on a community order for one-year and has to complete 180-hours of unpaid work in the community.

He was also put on the Sex Offenders’ register for five years and has to pay prosecution costs of £85 and a victim surcharge of £60.

April 2016

Barrow pensioner sentenced for inappropriate kiss on teen girl

May 2016

Walney pensioner admits possessing indecent images of children

A PENSIONER has pleaded guilty to possessing indecent images of children.

At Furness Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday, David Attwood pleaded guilty to three charges of making indecent photos and one of possessing indecent images of children.

The 76-year-old, of Irwell Road, Walney, was found to have 26 indecent images, spanning across categories A, B and C – with A being the most serious.

The offences all date between September 7, 2011 and February 25, 2014.

Due to the severity of the crime, magistrates did not believe they had sufficient sentencing powers so committed the case for sentence at Preston Crown Court.

Mr Lee Dacre, prosecuting, said: “These are some of the most serious categories so, in view of that, this case should be dealt with at the crown court for sentence.”

Attwood was represented by Mr Trystan Roberts, who made no submissions in relation to the case.

Attwood is due for sentencing at Preston Crown Court in the morning of Friday June 3.

In the meantime, he must attend Barrow Police Station and be subject to an interim sex offender registration order.

The guilty charges include possessing 13 indecent photographs of categories A, B and C, making five category B images, making five category A images and making three category C images.

Mr Gary Ormondroyd, chairman of magistrates, told Attwood at his first appearance: “This matter will be adjourned until June 3.

“You will be required to attend Preston Crown Court for sentencing.

“To help the sentencing judge, we want to prepare a pre-sentence report by the probation service.”

Attwood was granted unconditional bail until June 3.

May 2016

Prison warning for west Cumbrian child sex offender

A judge has warned a man who committed two child sex crimes that he could be given a prison sentence.

Michael Reid, 26, entered guilty pleas to two charges when he appeared at Carlisle Crown Court.

He admitted causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity, and meeting a child following sexual grooming.

Reid’s offences were both committed during August last year.

His defence barrister, Kim Whittlestone, asked for the case to be adjourned for the preparation of a pre-sentence report.

“Having met the defendant today I am of the opinion that medical assistance may be required in this case,” Miss Whittlestone said in her address to Judge Peter Davies.

The court heard that a psychological report would also be commissioned ahead of Reid’s sentencing hearing.

Judge Davies agreed that the comprehensive background information should be gathered.

Reid, of Croadalla Avenue, Egremont, is due to be sentenced on June 17. In the meantime he was released on bail.

But Judge Davies gave him a warning.

The judge told him: “You have pleaded guilty to two serious offences.

“I am going to give you bail.

“But you can’t read into that that there is going to be a non-custodial sentence.

“All options are open.”

Reid was told that before he left the court building he must sign the sex offenders’ register and abide by the notification requirements.

May 2016

Sex offender back before Carlisle court for disruptive behaviour 

A sex offender who made jokes and was disruptive during rehabilitation treatment has been re-sentenced.

Leonard Pears was originally given a community order and told to complete the treatment programme after being sentenced at Carlisle Crown Court in December, 2014. It followed his conviction for three counts of sexual activity with a child.

Pears, 21, was back before the crown court following his lack of co-operation during the course. He admitted failing to provide written evidence to explain his “unacceptable” conduct.

Prosecutor David Birrell told Judge Tony Lancaster: “The course facilitator describes the defendant’s persistent poor engagement and disruptive behaviour.”

Pears made comments such as “We shouldn’t be doing this” and told other participants “You shouldn’t do that”.

After meetings were held to address these incidents, his attitude improved for almost three months. 

But Mr Birrell said Pears then “went back to his old ways”. 

The lawyer told the court: “He was heard to say ‘I would rather be in prison’; ‘Can’t I do community service instead of this?’.”

That prompted the probation service to conclude the order was “unworkable”.

Kim Whittlestone, defending, called Pears “a young man who is naive” and spoke of his “immaturity”. 

“He accepts responsibility for not engaging,” Miss Whittlestone told the court. “He found the course difficult. He did seek to pull his socks up. His behaviour did improve.”

Pears was said to be a registered carer for his father. 

Aware that prison was potentially an alternative punishment, Miss Whittlestone added: “If he is remanded into custody it will cause real difficulties in the family home.”

After hearing the barrister’s mitigation Judge Lancaster ordered Pears, of Ennerdale Terrace, Whitehaven, to complete 100 hours’ unpaid work.

But as he stood in the dock, Pears was told by the judge: “If you don’t do it, I can tell you now the chances are you are going to go through that door (into custody).”

May 2016

Man had scores of child abuse images on computer

A MAN has been sentenced after child sexual abuse photos and movies were found on his laptop.

Police who raided the home of 24-year-old Samuel Whetton in June last year found he had downloaded scores of illegal still and moving images.

Carlisle Crown Court heard that some of the photos recovered by officers featured children as young as five.

Whetton, of Park Terrace, Workington, pleaded guilty to four charges of making indecent category A, B and C images of children during a 20-month period. He also admitted one count of possessing a prohibited image.

Whetton was sentenced at the crown court today by Judge Barbara Forrester, who heard he was “ashamed and disgusted” by his crimes.

A three-year community order was imposed, comprising 200 hours’ unpaid work, a rehabilitation requirement and attendance on a sex offenders’ course.

In addition, Whetton was made subject to a five-year sexual harm prevention order, and was placed on the sex offenders’ register.

May 2016

Man sentenced for making indecent images of children

A man from Kendal has been sentenced at Carlisle Crown Court for making and possessing indecent images of children.

Brian Beagan, 46, of Langdale Crescent, received an eight month sentence suspended for two years for three counts of making indecent images and one count of possession of indecent images.

Even Beagan’s own barrister described his criminal conduct as “disgraceful” and “reprehensible” 

He has also been placed on the sexual offender register for ten years, received a Sexual Offences Prevention Order (SOPO) for ten years and been issued with a two-year supervision order.

May 2016

Brothers jailed for ‘depraved’ sex attacks on children in Flintshire

The perverted past of two brothers finally caught up with them today when they were jailed for sexual offences.

Mathew Parkes, 28, and his brother Samuel Parkes, 31, were both teenagers living in the Talacre and Mostyn areas when the offences were committed.

Mathew Parkes, now of Lon y Ffrith in Llandudno , was jailed for seven and a half years after he admitted serious sexual offences against four separate children.

Samuel Parkes, who has carved a new life from himself in the performing arts and who now lives at Edward Street in Carlisle, received 45 months for offences against a young girl.

Both were also ordered to register with the police as sex offenders for life.

Mold Crown Court heard today that Samuel Parkes had admitted the indecent assault and rape of a very young girl when he himself was aged 15.

Mathew Parkes had admitted indecency and rape on one girl, indecent assault and rape of another girl, indecent assault on a third girl and indecent assault and the rape of a young boy.

He himself was aged between 13 and 16 at the time.

Judge Rhys Rowlands said that both cases involved “quite depraved behaviour”.

There could be no excuse for such behaviour, he added.

Judge Rowlands said that he took into account the delays in the case coming to court and the defendants ages when the offences were committed.

However, he said the victims had to live with what they had done to them while the brothers had been allowed to get on with their lives.

It was clear their behaviour had a profound effect on the victims.

One of the brothers’ victims wished to read her own impact statement to the court.

She told how she had suffered nightmares and flash backs, had trust issues, suffered depression and anxiety and has isolated herself.

Another victim revealed in her victim impact statement how she had tried to commit suicide at a young age because of what was happening to her.

She felt very vulnerable and scared and had self-harmed.

Defending barrister Andrew Scott, for Samuel Parkes, said that his client had a toxic childhood, went to college to do a performing arts degree, and had then done a three year music and drama degree course in Carlisle.

He and his partner had been due to get married but they had delayed that until the proceedings were over.

It was a case of his own childhood coming back to haunt him, he said.

Simon Killeen, for Mathew Parkes, said that his client was 16 or 17 at the time of the offences.

He had made admissions to the police which went beyond the allegations which had been made against him and which had directly led to some of the charges.

November 2007

Man jailed for child sex grooming

A 41-year-old man from south Cumbria who sent obscene pictures to a 15-year-old girl’s mobile telephone has been sent to prison for a year.

David Taylor of Thornfield Place, Grange-over-Sands, was also put on the sex offenders’ register for 10 years.

Appearing at Carlisle Crown Court he pleaded guilty to grooming the girl for sexual purposes.

The court heard that he bombarded her with explicit messages and sent “utterly revolting” pictures.

In response the girl sent him texts which the judge said were “of a very explicit sexual nature”, the hearing heard.

Taylor admitted the offence on the basis that his behaviour would have resulted in the “inappropriate touching” of the girl, but would have stopped short of full sex, the court heard.

June 2016

Penrith man admits child sex crimes

June 2016

Eight years jail for man who drugged and raped boy, 13

A pervert who raped a 13-year-old boy has been sent to prison for eight years.

Vincent Joseph Hudson, 55, had denied the sex attack on the schoolboy

But after a trial at Carlisle Crown Court in April he was convicted of the crime on the majority verdict of a jury.

June 2016

Carlisle man had child sex abuse images on his phone

A Carlisle man has been sentenced by a judge after indecent photos of children were found on his mobile phone.

Some of the 52 illegal downloaded images in Gary Foley’s possession were said to feature girls as young as six, the city’s crown court was told.

Ten out of that total were classed as category A, the most serious.

Foley pleaded guilty to four charges – three counts of making indecent photographs of children and one possession offence.

His crimes were committed between July 1, 2013 and January 4, 2015.

At his sentencing hearing today, Foley was told by Judge Davies that the illegal acts were “disgusting”.

An 18-month jail term was suspended for two years and a 24-month supervision order was imposed after the judge decided help was required instead of immediate custody.

Foley, of Bassenthwaite Street, Carlisle, was made subject to the terms of an indefinite sexual harm prevention order. He must also comply with sex offender notification requirements for 10 years.

June 2016

Allithwaite man downloaded child abuse images

A 42-year-old has admitted downloading images of child abuse.

Russell Nicholas Van Der Beeck, of Flookburgh Road, Allithwaite

Grange, appeared before Kendal Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday. (23)

He admitted one count of making 42 images of category A, 58 of category B, 329 of category C and possession of 429 images of child abuse of category A, B and C.

Images of category A are the worst level and involving penetrative sexual activity and/or images involving sexual activity with an animal or sadism.

Magistrates decided their power of sentence were insufficient and the case was sent to Carlisle Crown Court.

Van Der Beeck will be sentenced on July 22.

June 2016

Pervert admits having 18,000 indecent child images

A man from Cumbria has admitted downloading thousands of child abuse pictures over a seven-year period.

David Russell, 36, made more than 18,000 indecent photographs of children and distributed some of them, Carlisle Crown Court heard.

He pleaded guilty to five offences including possessing illegal images.

Russell, of Nateby, was bailed until 29 July for sentencing. The court heard 57 of the pictures were category A – the most serious.

The offences were committed between July 2008, and July 2015, the court heard.

Russell, of Nateby near Kirby Stephen, ordered to sign the sex offenders’ register immediately.

June 2016

Kendal teen given suspended sentence after sex crimes

A YOUNG Kendal man who committed sex crimes against three different females has been spared immediate custody.

Callum John Barrett, 19, was sentenced at Carlisle Crown Court having admitted four offences. These were carried out during a nine-month period

He admitted one sexual assault, one other sexual offence and two counts of engaging in sexual activity with a child.

The court heard of the “distress and trauma” Barrett’s illegal acts had caused his victims – all of whom were in their teens.

One said she later endured nightmares. Another stated that a medical condition from which she previously suffered had been made worse by her ordeal, and added: “I just wanted to kill myself – I had had enough of it all.”

Barrett committed the last of his crimes while on police bail in respect of other matters, the court heard.

At the time he committed the offences, Barrett was said to have been “embroiled” in a lifestyle that included drug-taking and heavy drinking.

Janet Ironfield, defending, gave mitigation for Barrett, who had no previous criminal convictions. A raft of character references and testimonials were also submitted on his behalf.

Miss Ironfield said there had been a “deterioration” in Barrett’s behaviour prior to him committing the crimes.

“It appears to be the case that he was or may have been then experiencing a period of mental illness or mental health issues,” she told the court.

“At the time of these offences he was not presenting as the young man that everyone knew him to be.

“Since then he has made a recovery – in part due to his own efforts.”

Passing sentence, Judge Peter Hughes QC said he had found Barrett’s case to be a “difficult and troubling one”.

Judge Hughes admitted he had “anxiously considered” whether or not a custodial sentence should be served immediately.

But in view of the mitigation, the judge concluded that a 20-month term in a young offenders’ institution should be suspended for two years.

Barrett, of Silver Howe Close, must undergo two years’ supervision and complete a sex offender treatment programme.

In addition he has to sign the sex offenders’ register for 10 years.

Judge Hughes said: “I do particularly bear in mind for somebody still a young man the passage of time, and the hope that maturity will have taught you a lesson in the period since you were arrested.”