Category Archives: Cornwall

Nigel Websdale – Callington

16 Sunday May 2021

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May 2021

Paedophile sent ‘disgusting’ messages to ‘young girl’

A paedophile who sent “disgusting” and “disturbing” images to someone he had been tricked into thinking was a teenage girl has avoided prison.

Nigel George Websdale, 60, was sentenced at Truro Crown Court today (May 14) for attempting sexual communication with a child.

The court heard how a decoy Facebook account was set up by internet child protection group Captis Malum in January last year.

The account used the alias of a 14-year-old girl with a profile that said she loved music, shopping and animals.

On the morning of February 18 last year, the account received a friend request from Websdale.

The defendant was told ‘Sophie’ was 14 and at first the conversation was quite general but soon turned sexual on the part of Websdale, of Amble Road, Callington.

The prosecution said his communication was “simply disgusting” and a “depraved” attempted grooming by an adult towards a young teenage girl.

Websdale encouraged the profile of Sophie to engage in masturbation and he sent her a picture of a vagina with the message “it would help you practice”.

The last contact the account received from Websdale was on February 27, 2020.

Two days later members of Captis Malum attended his family address in Callington and confronted him.

Police attended and he was arrested and taken into custody in Newquay.

He told police he thought the profile was “some sort of a scam” and a “false account” and he was “simply playing along” because he believed the person to be aged over 16.

Judge Simon Carr said Websdale experienced “a moment of insanity” and he was a man of previous impeccable character.

He said: “The access to the internet is now almost limitless and people go down dark tunnels they might not have otherwise gone down.”

Although he said the images were “an aggravating feature” he highlighted that there was no attempt from Websdale to meet the ‘young girl’.

The court heard how Websdale is working as a part time cleaner after losing his job in a management position.

Meanwhile, the defence said he will pay any costs because “that’s the sort of man he is”.

Judge Carr said: “You chose to contact a 14-year old girl or a person you believed to be a 14-year-old girl on the internet, then over a relatively short period of time – a matter of a couple of weeks – you communicated with her in a way that was highly sexual, including sending an indecent image to her.

“These conversations are disturbing, particularly disturbing, as you thought it was a 14-year-old girl. However it’s important to place each and every one of these cases in their correct category.”

Judge Carr said: “Most importantly you make no request to meet her which is an aggravating feature in many of these cases.”

He said Websdale has accepted responsibility for what he did but has brought shame upon himself.

He said he believed rehabilitation was possible and the risk he posed to the community could be managed.

He sentenced Websdale to eight months imprisonment suspended for two years. He was also given 30 days rehabilitation activity.

He was ordered to pay £750 for the cost of the prosecution.

And he will be subject to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) for five years and placed on the sex offenders register.

Darren Sheen – Falmouth

26 Monday Apr 2021

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April 2021

Falmouth paedophile admits lewd online sex chats with young ‘girl’ minutes before trial

A man is facing time behind bars after admitting sex chats with somebody he thought to be an underage girl.

Darren Sheen, 29, pleaded guilty on what was meant to be the morning of his trial at Truro Crown Court.

Sheen, from the Falmouth area, entered a guilty plea to a charge of attempted sexual communication with a child.

The offence took place between October 4 and 26 2019 and involved messages sent to someone going by the name of Lacey who Sheen believed to be a girl aged under 16.

The sexual messages were exchanged on Facebook Messenger and WhatsApp.

Sheen’s case was adjourned until June 4 to allow for the creation of a pre-sentence report.

He was bailed until then and will now need to sign the sex offenders’ register as a result of his conviction.

Nicholas Collings – Bodmin

23 Friday Apr 2021

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April 2021

Paedophile touched young girls

A paedophile who sexually touched two girls has avoided going to prison with the judge saying: “Society would be better served with him out of prison”

Nicholas Collings, 70, remained in denial of the offending despite entering guilty pleas.

Collings, of Berrycombe Road in Bodmin, appeared at Truro Crown Court for sentence after pleading guilty to four sexual assault charges.

Prosecuting the case, Peter Coombe told the court how Collings bought the girls alcohol to groom when they were aged under 16.

Mr Coombe went on to describe how the first victim was digitally penetrated by Collings before he moved his hand inside her bra and cupped her breast. Regarding the second victim, Collings slapped her bottom and squeezed her breast.

Sitting as judge, Recorder John Trevaskis was told that despite his guilty pleas, Collings denied the offending to The Probation Service saying any touching was accidental. He did later begin to admit what he’d done however.

In an impact statement, the first victim said the offences left her “in a bad place” and that she needed counselling. She added that it was going to take her many years to trust men again.

The second girl described everything changing and being left with feelings of isolation and loneliness. She said: “He knew I was vulnerable and preyed on that.”

Sentencing Collings, Recorder Trevaskis said: “The victims have been left significantly distressed and damaged as the consequence of your behaviour. There is clear evidence they were under the influence at the time and this shows an element of grooming with the supply of alcohol.

“You have showed a total absence of remorse but are the primary carer for your partner.

“You need to do something to repair the damage you’ve done to your partner and if you went to prison you’d receive no help for your sexual conduct. All that would achieve is an act of vengeance on behalf of the court.

“It’s preferable you should be engaged in sex offender treatment.”

Collings was given a two-year prison sentence, suspended for two years. He must also complete the sex offenders’ treatment programme and be subject of a five year sexual harm prevention order.

Justin Tidball – Camborne

15 Thursday Apr 2021

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April 2021

Paedophile not jailed despite filthy chats with ‘girl’

A paedophile has avoided jail despite telling who he thought was a 14-year-old girl about his penis and suggesting that they have sex.

Justin Tidball, 50, was actually talking to a member of the paedophile hunting group SKO (Safeguarding Kids Online).

Tidball, from Camborne, appeared at Truro Crown Court for sentence having pleaded guilty to engaging in sexual communication with a child.

Prosecuting the case, Ramsay Quaife, told the court how in October 2019 SKO was operating a decoy that began speaking to Tidball on an app.

The decoy told Tidball she was a 14-year-old girl, 15 in a weeks’ time and the conversation then moved to Facebook.

During the conversations over the course of two days, Tidball unleashed a tirade of filth, asking the girl if she’s touched a penis before, adding that she’d love his.

He also encouraged her to masturbate and say they should have sex among other things

Tidball, who has no previous convictions, was arrested at his place of work and remained mute during interview.

Sentencing Tidball, Judge Robert Linford said: “In 2019 you engaged in entirely inappropriate conversation with someone you believed to be 14.”

Judge Linford said that he read a variety of reports that suggested a community order and mental health treatment requirement was the best way of dealing with Tidball.

Tidball was given a two years community order and must complete a rehabilitation activity requirement and mental health treatment programme.

Samuel Brown – St Stephen

09 Friday Apr 2021

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April 2021

St Stephen paedophile not jailed despite ‘lifelong sexual interest in young boys’

A paedophile has avoided a prison sentence despite a judge conceding that he’ll have a lifelong attraction to young boys.

Samuel Brown, 55, was once jailed for a contact offence against a young boy but his most recent offending related to possession of hundreds of sick images of children.

Brown, of St Stephen near St Austell, appeared at Truro Crown Court, for sentence having pleaded guilty to three charges of possessing indecent images of children.

Opening the case, Michael Brown described how on September 10, 2019, police searched Brown’s address and seized a number of devices.

On the devices investigating officers found 60 Category A images, 330 Category B and 377 Category C, a haul which included videos.

A quantity of the images were inaccessible and there was also evidence of systematic searching of terms relating to child abuse image. Although the bulk of the images featured boys aged 10-14, there was also material depicting the abuse of babies and infants

Brown remained silent during his first two police interviews but in a third submitted a prepared statement in which he admitted having an attraction to boys aged between 11 and 14.

Sentencing Brown, Judge Simon Carr said: “The images were found during a search in February 2019 and I note this has taken over two years to come to court

“Searches revealed a number of indecent images in all three categories, some involving some children aged under 12 months. Your preference is for boys aged 11-14 but you also downloaded images of children much younger. I accept you have a lifetime sexual interest in children and previously courses have clearly not assisted with that.”

Judge Carr went on to say that Brown’s offending didn’t meet the dangerousness provisions for an extended sentence, so the question for him was whether society was best protected with a short prison sentence or a further attempt at treatment to manage Brown’s perversions.

Judge Carr said Brown’s acceptance of his offending made treatment more viable, before handing him a two year prison sentence, suspended for two years. Brown must complete the Horizons sex offenders’ programme.