Damian Lasota – Bath

19 Saturday Jun 2021

Posted by Author in Avon and Somerset & Bristol

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June 2021

Sexual predator who targeted elderly women jailed for 20 years

A twisted pervert who searched the internet for ‘granny porn’ went on to try and rape one elderly woman in her home and sexually targeted another has been jailed for 20 years.

Damian Lasota was described by a judge as the “stuff of nightmares” after preying on the two lone females in the Twerton area of Bath.

His campaign of terror was halted after police installed CCTV at the women’s homes and he was caught red handed and arrested.

Lasota, 27, of Parry Close in Southdown, Bath, pleaded guilty to attempted rape, two charges of trespass with intent to commit a sex offence and two charges of exposure.

He appeared in the dock at Bristol Crown Court with a grey jumper draped over his head.

Judge Julian Lambert handed him a 20-year sentence, comprising of a 13-and-a-half year jail term and six-and-a-half years extended licence.

Lasota will have to serve at least two-thirds of the custodial term before the parole board considers him eligible for release.

The judge told him: “You are a predatory sex offender who is the stuff of nightmares.

“You were a masked prowler, stalking women at dead of night.

“You are proved to have attacked an older lady who was highly vulnerable.

“You then continued looking for opportunities to offend further.

“Your intention was to subdue and then rape women in their own homes at night.

“To say you have a deeply disturbed sexual psychology is an understatement.”

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

James Haskell, prosecuting, told the court that last year police received some 40 reports of a man exposing himself to women in the Twerton area.

He said that, after Lasota’s arrest, there have been no further reports.

Mr Haskell told the court in May last year Lasota entered the home of a vulnerable 73-year-old woman and followed her to her bedroom.

Having pulled down his trousers and pants, he said he was not going to hurt her before trying to engage her in a sex act – which she declined.

The intruder told her “I like older women” as he exposed himself to her before leaving, the court heard.

After the incident was reported the woman’s home had a security upgrade complete with surveillance cameras.

Lasota was captured on camera as he returned to the woman’s home around 1am on several occasions and prowled in the back garden.

The court heard Lasota targeted a second woman, aged 65, by visiting her home in the early hours and exposing himself – which was also captured on CCTV.

Mr Haskell said: “Plain clothed police officers were in the area, near the address.

“They saw a male who appeared to be acting suspiciously.

“The defendant appeared to be shining a light towards her property.

“The defendant realised he had been disturbed and ran off.

“He was pursued by police and he was arrested.”

Lasota was found with small stones in his jeans pocket as well as face masks and a torch.

Analysis of his mobile phone confirmed internet searches for “granny pom”.

Stewart Geen – Bath

04 Friday Jun 2021

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June 2021

‘Monster’ paedophile from Bath jailed for 21 years for molesting children as young as five

A Bath man has been jailed for 21 years after admitting recent and non-recent child sex offences.

Stewart Geen, 53, of Bath, was sentenced at Bristol Crown Court on Friday May 28 after admitting seven counts of serious offences involving girls aged between five and 14.

They included multiple counts of rape, sexual assault and sexual activity.

As well as the 21-year jail term and five year licence extension, Geen was placed on the sex offenders’ register indefinitely.

The court also issued him with a sexual harm prevention order.

During sentencing, Judge Julian Lambert said: “There is no question but that you knew what you were doing was wrong and wicked in the extreme.

“You chose your own corrupt sexual pleasure and thought nothing of the ruination of young lives.

“You are truly a monster steeped in corruption.”

Richard Groome – Taunton

14 Friday May 2021

Posted by Author in Avon and Somerset & Bristol, Shropshire

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May 2021

Paedophile sentenced to nine years

An 80-year-old paedophile who abused boys he was supposed to care for has been jailed for sex offences dating to the 1980s.

Richard Groome, now of Taunton, Somerset, sexually assaulted a vulnerable boy while he was working in a senior role at a boarding school in south Shropshire more than 30 years ago.

The boy had been sent to the school in Shropshire having had a difficult relationship with his family and being put into care.

He had enjoyed his time there and began developing socially before being victimised by Groome, Shrewsbury Crown Court heard.

His crimes went undiscovered, but in the year 2000 at Chester Crown Court he was convicted of unrelated but similar indecent assaults against three teenage boys, those offences also dating to the 1980s but before the Shropshire offence.

He was jailed for eight years in 2000 but it wasn’t until 2017 that he would be interviewed by police in connection with the assaults on the boy in Shropshire.

He denied any wrongdoing and the matter finally came to trial earlier this year. Groome was convicted by a jury of two charges of indecent assault and another serious sexual offence against the boy.

Judge Anthony Lowe told him: “One struggles to imagine a worse type of abuse of trust, where somebody is in your de facto care because they are troubled and have problems, and they are then taken advantage of.

“At the time he was somebody who was struggling to come to terms with his various problems. [At the school] he seemed to have the potential for making some considerable improvements in the way he was developing.”

But Groome’s abuse “effectively destroyed any positive work being done” and was “perverse in every sense of that word”, the judge said.

Prosecutor Mr Graham Russell told the court that the victim attributes his drug abuse problems, paranoia and stress to the abuse he suffered. He constantly worries for the welfare of his own children, the court heard.

The judge handed down a nine-year prison sentence, of which Groome will serve two thirds before being released on licence.

Viktor Burton-Barri – Taunton

13 Thursday May 2021

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May 2021

Vile paedophile pensioner, 86, jailed over child sex abuse images

An 86-year-old convicted paedophile from Taunton has been jailed again after being caught with hundreds of child sexual abuse images.

Viktor Burton-Barri, of Sycamore Walk, has a long history of abusing boys and girls and was described by a judge at Taunton Crown Crown as “an entrenched paedophile”.

His latest offence involved the downloading of more than 400 indecent images of children.

They included 246 showing the most serious and depraved kinds of child sexual abuse.

Burton-Barri pleaded guilty to three offences of possessing indecent images of children and one of breaching the terms of his Sexual Harm Prevention Order imposed previously by the courts to stop him offending.

The judge said despite his age he had no choice but to send him to jail. Burton-Barri was jailed for two years and eight months.

The court was told the images were discovered on five devices belonging to the defendant.

Recorder Ignatius Hughes QC told him: “The truth is you are an entrenched paedophile. You have convictions dating back over many years for sexual assault on underage girls and boys and also possession of indecent images of children.”

He said Burton-Barr showed no inclination to stop offending and had told probation he was bored at the time of the latest offending with not much else to do.

A report by the probation service said Burton-Barr was not suitable for a sex offender programme.

Recorder Hughes said: “The sentence must be immediate.”

The defendant will be expected to serve half of the sentence in jail before being released on licence.

July 1998

Evil babysitter paedophile gets 14 years in prison

An evil paedophile has been jailed for more than 14 years after police traced him from an obscene child-sex video.

Victor Burton-Barri (63) carried out a string of sex attacks on children as young as eight over a period of 21 years, Bristol Crown Court was told.

He videoed himself performing sex acts with two of his victims and was arrested after a copy of the film was found at the home of another paedophile.

Unemployed lorry driver Burton-Barri, of Chalcombe Park, Down Road, Portishead, near Bristol, yesterday admitted 12 counts of taking indecent photographs of children, 24 offences of indecent assault on children and three charges of indecency with children.

He was jailed for 14 years after admitting dozens of sex charges.

The court heard how police launched Operation Rite after a copy of a paedophile video was seized in a raid on a house in Bristol.

Police then raided Burton-Barri’s caravan home and seized paedophile pictures and videos as well as a shop’s mannequin doll of a young child.

Thomas Rawlings – Bristol

06 Thursday May 2021

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May 2021

Bristol paedophile jailed for sexually abusing nine children

A “dangerous already convicted paedophile” from Bristol has been sentenced to 12 years in prison for 33 sexual offences against children between 2017 and 2020.

Thomas Rawlings, aged 35, from Lockleaze in Bristol, pleaded guilty to a total of 33 charges after grooming and exploiting nine children.

Among them, he incited a girl aged 13-14 to engage sexual activity, took and possessed indecent images of children, paid for sexual services from a child aged 16 – 17 and engaged in sexual communication with a child.

Rawlings lied to his victims about his age, making out he was up to 20 years younger than he really was and leading them to believe that they were in genuine relationships with him.

Sentencing, Judge Patrick said that Rawlings was a dangerous, obsessed and persistent paedophile who targets young people for sexual gratification and a feeling of power.

“You scared your child victims and caused them emotional torment. You ripped families apart. You have worsened the lives of the vulnerable. You have ruined trust. You have caused some to feel suicidal,” said the judge.

Rawlings, a Registered Sex Offender, was first convicted in 2012 on 15 counts of making indecent images of children between 2009 and 2011.

In November 2020 Rawlings was arrested on suspicion of causing or inciting the sexual exploitation of girls in connection with his relationship with four girls aged 14 – 16.

Following Rawlings’ arrest, a 17-year-old victim made contact with the police concerned for the welfare or her ‘boyfriend’ who she believed to be 20 years old at that time.

Her contact with him started when she was just 13 years old and Rawlings led her to believe that he was 14 years old at that time.

At first the contact was online, but this later progressed to physical meetings, with Rawlings travelling to various parts of the country and booking hotels for them to meet in, where Rawlings groomed and exploited her into a sexual relationship with him.

Unknown to the victim, Rawlings was also in a ‘relationship’ with another child who was 14 when he first made contact with her and who believed him to be 18 years old.

Rawlings was sentenced to 12 years in prison with an additional 10 years on licence.

June 2021

Sexual predator who targeted elderly women jailed for 20 years

A twisted pervert who searched the internet for ‘granny porn’ went on to try and rape one elderly woman in her home and sexually targeted another has been jailed for 20 years.

Damian Lasota was described by a judge as the “stuff of nightmares” after preying on the two lone females in the Twerton area of Bath.

His campaign of terror was halted after police installed CCTV at the women’s homes and he was caught red handed and arrested.

Lasota, 27, of Parry Close in Southdown, Bath, pleaded guilty to attempted rape, two charges of trespass with intent to commit a sex offence and two charges of exposure.

He appeared in the dock at Bristol Crown Court with a grey jumper draped over his head.

Judge Julian Lambert handed him a 20-year sentence, comprising of a 13-and-a-half year jail term and six-and-a-half years extended licence.

Lasota will have to serve at least two-thirds of the custodial term before the parole board considers him eligible for release.

The judge told him: “You are a predatory sex offender who is the stuff of nightmares.

“You were a masked prowler, stalking women at dead of night.

“You are proved to have attacked an older lady who was highly vulnerable.

“You then continued looking for opportunities to offend further.

“Your intention was to subdue and then rape women in their own homes at night.

“To say you have a deeply disturbed sexual psychology is an understatement.”

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

James Haskell, prosecuting, told the court that last year police received some 40 reports of a man exposing himself to women in the Twerton area.

He said that, after Lasota’s arrest, there have been no further reports.

Mr Haskell told the court in May last year Lasota entered the home of a vulnerable 73-year-old woman and followed her to her bedroom.

Having pulled down his trousers and pants, he said he was not going to hurt her before trying to engage her in a sex act – which she declined.

The intruder told her “I like older women” as he exposed himself to her before leaving, the court heard.

After the incident was reported the woman’s home had a security upgrade complete with surveillance cameras.

Lasota was captured on camera as he returned to the woman’s home around 1am on several occasions and prowled in the back garden.

The court heard Lasota targeted a second woman, aged 65, by visiting her home in the early hours and exposing himself – which was also captured on CCTV.

Mr Haskell said: “Plain clothed police officers were in the area, near the address.

“They saw a male who appeared to be acting suspiciously.

“The defendant appeared to be shining a light towards her property.

“The defendant realised he had been disturbed and ran off.

“He was pursued by police and he was arrested.”

Lasota was found with small stones in his jeans pocket as well as face masks and a torch.

Analysis of his mobile phone confirmed internet searches for “granny pom”.

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June 2021

‘Monster’ paedophile from Bath jailed for 21 years for molesting children as young as five

A Bath man has been jailed for 21 years after admitting recent and non-recent child sex offences.

Stewart Geen, 53, of Bath, was sentenced at Bristol Crown Court on Friday May 28 after admitting seven counts of serious offences involving girls aged between five and 14.

They included multiple counts of rape, sexual assault and sexual activity.

As well as the 21-year jail term and five year licence extension, Geen was placed on the sex offenders’ register indefinitely.

The court also issued him with a sexual harm prevention order.

During sentencing, Judge Julian Lambert said: “There is no question but that you knew what you were doing was wrong and wicked in the extreme.

“You chose your own corrupt sexual pleasure and thought nothing of the ruination of young lives.

“You are truly a monster steeped in corruption.”

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May 2021

Paedophile sentenced to nine years

An 80-year-old paedophile who abused boys he was supposed to care for has been jailed for sex offences dating to the 1980s.

Richard Groome, now of Taunton, Somerset, sexually assaulted a vulnerable boy while he was working in a senior role at a boarding school in south Shropshire more than 30 years ago.

The boy had been sent to the school in Shropshire having had a difficult relationship with his family and being put into care.

He had enjoyed his time there and began developing socially before being victimised by Groome, Shrewsbury Crown Court heard.

His crimes went undiscovered, but in the year 2000 at Chester Crown Court he was convicted of unrelated but similar indecent assaults against three teenage boys, those offences also dating to the 1980s but before the Shropshire offence.

He was jailed for eight years in 2000 but it wasn’t until 2017 that he would be interviewed by police in connection with the assaults on the boy in Shropshire.

He denied any wrongdoing and the matter finally came to trial earlier this year. Groome was convicted by a jury of two charges of indecent assault and another serious sexual offence against the boy.

Judge Anthony Lowe told him: “One struggles to imagine a worse type of abuse of trust, where somebody is in your de facto care because they are troubled and have problems, and they are then taken advantage of.

“At the time he was somebody who was struggling to come to terms with his various problems. [At the school] he seemed to have the potential for making some considerable improvements in the way he was developing.”

But Groome’s abuse “effectively destroyed any positive work being done” and was “perverse in every sense of that word”, the judge said.

Prosecutor Mr Graham Russell told the court that the victim attributes his drug abuse problems, paranoia and stress to the abuse he suffered. He constantly worries for the welfare of his own children, the court heard.

The judge handed down a nine-year prison sentence, of which Groome will serve two thirds before being released on licence.

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May 2021

Vile paedophile pensioner, 86, jailed over child sex abuse images

An 86-year-old convicted paedophile from Taunton has been jailed again after being caught with hundreds of child sexual abuse images.

Viktor Burton-Barri, of Sycamore Walk, has a long history of abusing boys and girls and was described by a judge at Taunton Crown Crown as “an entrenched paedophile”.

His latest offence involved the downloading of more than 400 indecent images of children.

They included 246 showing the most serious and depraved kinds of child sexual abuse.

Burton-Barri pleaded guilty to three offences of possessing indecent images of children and one of breaching the terms of his Sexual Harm Prevention Order imposed previously by the courts to stop him offending.

The judge said despite his age he had no choice but to send him to jail. Burton-Barri was jailed for two years and eight months.

The court was told the images were discovered on five devices belonging to the defendant.

Recorder Ignatius Hughes QC told him: “The truth is you are an entrenched paedophile. You have convictions dating back over many years for sexual assault on underage girls and boys and also possession of indecent images of children.”

He said Burton-Barr showed no inclination to stop offending and had told probation he was bored at the time of the latest offending with not much else to do.

A report by the probation service said Burton-Barr was not suitable for a sex offender programme.

Recorder Hughes said: “The sentence must be immediate.”

The defendant will be expected to serve half of the sentence in jail before being released on licence.

July 1998

Evil babysitter paedophile gets 14 years in prison

An evil paedophile has been jailed for more than 14 years after police traced him from an obscene child-sex video.

Victor Burton-Barri (63) carried out a string of sex attacks on children as young as eight over a period of 21 years, Bristol Crown Court was told.

He videoed himself performing sex acts with two of his victims and was arrested after a copy of the film was found at the home of another paedophile.