Category Archives: Cheshire

Joshua Hughes – Chester

06 Tuesday Jul 2021

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July 2021

Sex beast jailed for the kidnap and rape of schoolgirl in Chester

A sex beast has been jailed for the kidnap and rape of a schoolgirl in Chester.

Joshua Hughes, of no fixed address, grabbed the 15-year-old near to Grosvenor Park and dragged her to a nearby secluded location where he raped her.

The 27-year-old appeared at Chester Crown Court today to receive his sentence after he was found guilty of kidnap and rape on Thursday, June 10 after a four-day trial.

Hughes was sentenced to 18 years in prison with a further seven years on licence.

He will also be on the sex offenders register and have a sexual harm prevention order when released from jail.

On sentencing Hughes, Judge Berkson said: “On that night it is clear from the evidence that your intention was to kidnap a girl to have sex with.

“You are indeed the predatory rapist the jury found you to be and have shown no remorse for your behaviour.”

The incident took place at around 8.20pm on Saturday, October 31 last year.

The victim and her two friends were walking up the steps near to the suspension bridge towards the city centre when they were approached by Hughes.

Hughes put his arm around the victim’s neck and pulled her away to a nearby location, where he committed the rape and then climbed over a wall and fled the scene.

The victim’s friends ran for help, one of them called 999 and alerted other members of the public.

Police quickly arrived at the scene and located the victim, ensuring that she received the support and care needed.

Detectives launched a complex investigation including forensics, extensive CCTV and numerous witness enquiries.

From these enquiries Hughes was identified as a suspect and arrested on Wednesday 4 November 2020.

Robert Louw – Malpas

23 Wednesday Jun 2021

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June 2021

Malpas dance teacher jailed for child sex offences – as police urge other victims to come forward

Young girls are being urged to come forward to the police if they have been sexually abused by a recently jailed Cheshire dance teacher.

Robert Louw, 27, of Rookery Road, Tilston, Malpas, was jailed for 42 months on Friday, June 18, after pleading guilty to four counts of sexual activity with a child.

Louw must register as a sex offender indefinitely and he has been banned from working with children or vulnerable adults for life.

The 27-year-old, who taught private dance lessons in the Wrexham area, was also made the subject of an indefinite sexual harm prevention order during his sentencing at Mold Crown Court.

Police believe there could be more victims of Louw’s out there.

Roy Bibby – Whitecross

23 Wednesday Jun 2021

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June 2021

Paedophile who sexually abused five-year-old girl jailed

A sexual predator who raped and sexually assaulted a girl when she was aged as young as five has been jailed for 12 years.

Roy Bibby, from Whitecross, subjected his victim to a catalogue sickening abuse over a six-year period in the 2000s.

This included raping her when she was only around eight or nine years old.

Other offences included inappropriate sexual touching.

The 37-year-old, of Lovely Lane, was last week found guilty of seven counts of sexual assault and one charge of rape by a majority jury at Liverpool Crown Court.

He was handed the lengthy term of imprisonment on Friday, June 11.

Cheshire Police have refused to release a custody picture of Bibby

Callam Watling – Saughall

23 Wednesday Jun 2021

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Chester teen said he had indecent images of children as he wanted to be paedophile hunter

A teenager from Chester found with dozens of indecent images of children said he downloaded them as he wanted to hunt paedophiles.

Callam Watling, 19, of Hermitage Road, Saughall, pleaded guilty to three charges of possessing indecent photos of children.

Chester Magistrates Court heard on Friday, June 18 that Watling pleaded guilty on the basis he was a paedophile hunter and wanted to use the images to catch out other people online.

The court heard it was on that basis for which he would be sentenced, and magistrates handed him a three-year community order.

The indecent images were obtained between March and October 2020.

They included four video files and four still images deemed as the most serious category – category A – which the court heard included a child aged two to three years old in “significant distress”.

There were also six still images assessed as category B and 33 images of children at category C.

Defending, Andy Holliday said Watling had watched videos of paedophile hunters and “wanted to do something positive during lockdown”.

He had not downloaded the images, but had been sent them by paedophiles online.

Watling was handed a 36-month community order, to include 30 days of a rehabilitation activity requirement and an accredited sex offender treatment programme.

He must also carry out 300 hours unpaid work and pay a £95 victim surcharge and £85 court costs.

He must also sign the sex offenders register.

Thomas Powell – Ellesmere Port

19 Saturday Jun 2021

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July 2021

Sex offender who exposed himself to teenage girls in Ellesmere Port sentenced

A sex offender who exposed himself to three teenage girls in Ellesmere Port has been handed a suspended sentence.

Previously, a jury at Chester Crown Court unanimously found Thomas James Powell, 30, of Wilkinson Street, had intentionally exposed himself on two separate occasions in 2019 to vulnerable girls aged 16 or under, following a three-day trial.

Prosecuting, Ryan Rothwell had told the jury the victims in the case were a 16-year-old girl and two 14-year-old girls at the time of the offences. None of the victims can be named for legal reasons.

The court heard the 16-year-old girl did not know the 14-year-old girls, and vice versa.

One of the offences happened in May 2019, in broad daylight, as the 16-year-old girl was pushing a relative’s baby in a pram in St Andrews Road.

Powell rode towards the girl on his bike, went behind her and said: “I think you might want to see this.”

The girl turned around and saw Powell had exposed himself, and had a “weird smirk” on his face.

Giving evidence in court, the girl said she had replied with a dirty look, told him “no”, and moved away from him before contacting the police.

The second incident happened in the evening, two months later, when two girls were on their way to a fast food restaurant.

They had previously seen Powell on his bike, wearing a long coat with a fur-rimmed hood, pass by a few minutes earlier.

Powell then approached the two girls from behind, again on his bike, and exposed himself to both of them.

One of the girls later said in interview she could not understand why someone would do that to girls of their age, and felt “disgusted”.

One hour later, one of the two girls went into the Ohri Convenience Store on Bunbury Green, only to find Powell was there with his bicycle.

She told the other girl, who had been telling a woman in a takeaway shop about what had happened earlier, and all three went into the store.

CCTV footage showed the woman speaking to Powell, who rode off on his bike.

Giving evidence, Powell had claimed to defence barrister Simon Parry he was being threatened at the time, accused of “being a paedophile”, and a group of “lads” were present and threatening to steal his bicycle.

Mr Rothwell, cross-examining, said the CCTV showed no evidence of ‘lads’ being present in or outside the store.

He asked why, if threats and accusations of that sort had been made against him, Powell had not contacted the police or told anyone about it.

Powell replied there was “no point” in speaking about something he said he had not done.

All three girls subsequently positively identified the 5ft 1in Powell during an identification parade.

On Friday, July 9, Powell appeared at Chester Crown Court for sentencing.

Mr Rothwell read out victim impact statements for the three girls, each of them detailing the effect the offences had on them.

One said they had seen someone like Powell in the street since and “froze in panic”, and the incident had “exacerbated their existing anxiety”, and felt “vulnerable” and “on edge”.

Another said they no longer wanted to go out on their own and was “on high alert”.

She had seen Powell twice more in public, and felt like she was the one being punished.

The third girl said: “What he did made me feel sick,” adding she did not feel safe going out and avoided the area where he had been.

Judge Berkson, sentencing, said: “These type of offences are short-lived but have lasting effects on the victims. One hopes that they may be able to move on following the conclusion of this trial.

“They all identified you, they all gave evidence. You showed no remorse at the time of the trial.”

Judge Berkson added Powell did not have any previous convictions for sexual offences and accepted the defendant had difficulties in childhood and developmental problems, but it was “far from clear” why he chose to offend in the way he did.

He said there was a “realistic prospect of rehabilitation”.

Powell was handed a six-month prison sentence, suspended for two years.

He must carry out a two-year community order, to include 20 days of a rehabilitation activity requirement and 200 hours unpaid work.

He was placed on the sex offenders register for seven years and must not contact any of his victims in any way as part of a seven-year restraining order.

Ellesmere Port man found guilty of exposing himself to three teenage girls

AN Ellesmere Port man has been found guilty of exposing himself to three teenage girls in the town.

A jury at Chester Crown Court unanimously found Thomas James Powell, 30, of Wilkinson Street, had intentionally exposed himself on two separate occasions in 2019 to vulnerable girls aged 16 or under.

The verdict was delivered after 90 minutes deliberation at the end of a case on Wednesday, June 16, which had lasted three days before Judge Simon Berkson.

Powell will be sentenced next month, with the judge saying all options including custody remained open.

Prosecuting, Ryan Rothwell had told the jury the victims in the case were a 16-year-old girl and two 14-year-old girls at the time of the offences. None of the victims can be named for legal reasons. The court heard the 16-year-old girl did not know the 14-year-old girls, and vice versa.

One of the offences happened in May 2019, in broad daylight, as the 16-year-old girl was pushing a relative’s baby in a pram in St Andrews Road.

Powell rode towards the girl on his bike, went behind her and said: “I think you might want to see this.”

The girl turned around and saw Powell had exposed himself, and had a “weird smirk” on his face.

Giving evidence in court, the girl said she had replied with a dirty look, told him “no”, and moved away from him before contacting the police.

The second incident happened in the evening, two months later, when two girls were on their way to a fast food restaurant.

They had previously seen Powell on his bike, wearing a long coat with a fur-rimmed hood, pass by a few minutes earlier.

Powell then approached the two girls from behind, again on his bike, and exposed himself to both of them.

One of the girls later said in interview she could not understand why someone would do that to girls of their age, and felt “disgusted”.

One hour later, one of the two girls went into the Ohri Convenience Store on Bunbury Green, only to find Powell was there with his bicycle.

She told the other girl, who had been telling a woman in a takeaway shop about what had happened earlier, and all three went into the store.

CCTV footage showed the woman speaking to Powell, who rode off on his bike.

Giving evidence, Powell had claimed to defence barrister Simon Parry he was being threatened at the time, accused of “being a paedophile”, and a group of “lads” were present and threatening to steal his bicycle.

Mr Rothwell, cross-examining, said the CCTV showed no evidence of ‘lads’ being present in or outside the store.

He asked why, if threats and accusations of that sort had been made against him, Powell had not contacted the police or told anyone about it.

Powell replied there was “no point” in speaking about something he said he had not done.

All three girls subsequently positively identified the 5ft 1in Powell during an identification parade.

In interview, the girls had pointed out he was a small man with small stature, had short hair and was riding a bike. In the July incident, the girls noted he was wearing a long coat with a hood with a fur trim, despite it being a summer evening.

Following the verdict, Judge Berkson told Powell he had been convicted “on overwhelming evidence” and it was “worrying” that he appeared to be deliberately targeting vulnerable young girls.

A pre-sentence report is to be obtained and Powell is due to be sentenced at Chester Crown Court on July 9. He was bailed in the meantime but will now have to sign on the sex offenders register.