Andrew Gidley – Christchurch

19 Monday Jul 2021

Posted by Author in Dorset, Hunting Team

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July 2021

Christchurch man jailed after being caught in paedophile hunter sting

A man has been jailed for nearly five years after encouraging a fictional 12-year-old girl to abuse her seven-year-old sister.

Andrew Gidley (29), of Dairy Close, sent crude messages to what was, in reality, an adult member of a paedophile hunter group, Bournemouth Crown Court heard.

Sending him down, Judge Robert Pawson said Gidley had “taken leave of his senses” during the offending period between March and August 2019.

Prosecutor Peter Wright said the defendant initiated the chat over a social networking site before it transferred on to the Kik message app.

He engaged with what he thought was a 12-year-old girl called Mollie Spencer who was, in fact, a fake profile created to catch paedophiles.

Gidley’s conversation “quickly turned sexual”, Mr Wright said, and he sent her pictures of himself and his genitalia as well as a video of an adult woman performing a sex act on him.

The defendant went on to encourage the child to perform sex acts on herself.

By the end of their chat he moved on to telling the fictional girl to perform sex acts on her younger sister while she was asleep.

But on 16th August he was confronted on his doorstep by members of the paedophile hunter group.

He was arrested and confessed to his offending when interviewed by police.

He appeared at court having admitted three charges: two of attempting to incite a girl under the age of 13 to engage in sexual activity and another of engaging in sexual communication with a child.

Judge Pawson noted Gidley had told probation his motivations in committing the offence were not sexual – which the judge said was “nonsense”.

Gidley had been assessed as low risk and committed the offences at a time when his life was “drifting”, the judge said, but it involved the “corruption of a younger sibling”.

He sent Gidley down for four years and eight months, ordered he sign the sex offenders’ register for life, and gave him a 15-year sexual harm prevention order.

Michael Smith – Dereham

18 Sunday Jul 2021

Posted by Author in Norfolk

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September 2021

Child care officer sentenced to 21 years

A child care officer has been jailed for 21 years for sexually abusing two pupils at a complex needs school.

Michael Smith, 64, of High Street, Dereham, was convicted of 16 offences against two boys in their early teens at the school in Norfolk.

The crimes took place between 2014 and 2016, but Smith continued to abuse one victim until 2018, after the boy had left the school, police said.

Upon his release he will spend a further seven years on licence.

Smith worked as a child care officer at the school and was convicted at an earlier hearing at Norwich Crown Court.

He was also made the subject of a sexual harm prevention order and will be on the sex offenders register indefinitely.

May 2021

Man guilty of sex offences against vulnerable victim

A man has been found guilty of a string of sex offences involving a vulnerable victim, who was spared coming to court during the trial in a first for Norfolk courts.

Michael Smith, 64, of High Street, Dereham, was found guilty of one count of engaging in sexual activity in the presence of a child, causing and inciting a child to engage in sexual activity and causing or inciting a person with a mental disorder impeding choice to engage in sexual activity.

The jury at Norwich Crown Court took less than three hours to convict Smith of all charges.

During the trial the vulnerable victim gave his evidence and was cross examined on a pre-recorded video, which was a first for Norfolk.

The measures deployed meant the victim did not have to directly attend court while the trial took place, but was able to give his evidence in advance.

It is usual for victims in sex cases to give their evidence-in-chief on tape in advance and then be cross-examined over a live link during the actual trial. However in this case the victim also allowed to be cross-examined on pre-recorded tape.

Judge Andrew Shaw told the jury in his summing up that it was the first Norfolk trial where pre-recorded cross-examination had been deployed in this way.

Judge Shaw said this meant the vulnerable witness did not have to wait until the trial to be cross -examined about his evidence.

He said Smith was present when his barrister Ian James cross-examined the complainant and stressed the cross-examination was carried out in exactly the same way as if it had happened during the trial.

“The use of special measures does not give added support for the prosecution case. The evidence was given as if he was called into the witness box.”

Judge Shaw explained to the jury the measures were to help the complainant give the best evidence he could.

Following the guilty verdicts Judge Andrew Shaw adjourned sentence for reports.

Smith is due to be sentenced on June 25.

William Anderson – Hendredenny

18 Sunday Jul 2021

Posted by Author in Caerphilly, Hunting Team

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July 2021

Pensioner who thought he was sexting 12-year-old girl caught in police sting

A pensioner was arrested by police after he arranged to meet up with who he thought was a 12-year-old girl at the Bandstand in Caerphilly town centre.

William Anderson, 81, of Pembroke Court, Hendredenny, exchanged sexual text messages with a decoy called “Layla” who acted on behalf of a paedophile hunting team

Anderson told Layla she didn’t need to “worry about becoming pregnant” because he was infertile, and told her to keep their conversations secret.

He also asked her to send him topless pictures of herself on more than one occasion.

However, Layla was in fact a police decoy – not a 12-year-old girl. When Anderson arrived at the Bandstand to meet her, he was arrested by police.

William Anderson was arrested at the Bandstand after arranging to meet a police decoy who he thought was a 12-year-old

Anderson appeared at Cardiff Crown Court on Friday, July 9 and was handed a nine-month prison sentence, suspended for two years.

The court heard how Anderson, using the username “BillCricket”, first spoke to the decoy on online chatroom Lycos, then later WhatsApp.

The conversation began on April 20. When Anderson was told by the decoy that she was just 12-years-old, he responded: “It’s a pity you’re so young.”

He also asked her if she had started having periods, and if he could touch her breasts and private parts.

He also suggested they could “sneak into the bushes and be alone together” and asked if she would be naked.

While he admitted the offences, he claimed he was not aroused by the coversations, and only wanted to meet with her to tell her they could no longer speak to each other.

He pleaded guilty to attempting to meet a child following sexual grooming and attempting to engage in sexual communications with a child.

Sentencing, Judge Christopher Vosper QC said: “There are a number of mitigating features in this case. You are 81, you have no previous convictions, I accept you are remorseful and before this you lived an exemplary life.”

Anderson was ordered to carry out 25 days rehabilitation activity requirement and was given a sexual harm prevention order for ten years.

Ashley Powell – Cinderford/Tutshill

18 Sunday Jul 2021

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July 2021

Forest of Dean man avoids jail for downloading indecent images of babies and young children

A Cinderford man who downloaded 198 indecent images of children – some of them babies – has avoided jail at Gloucester Crown Court.

Ashley Powell, 29, now of Wyebank Road, Tutshill, to a three year community order

After forensic analysis on Powells internet devices, police found indecent images on them – 153 on the hard drive and 44 on a mobile phone.

Most images were predominately of girls between the ages of four and 12. There was one image of a child being gagged and blindfolded and others of female babies only a few months old.

The court was told that Powell received a caution in 2015 for an offence in trying to engage with a 14-year-old girl on Facebook for sexual activity.

Judge Cullum sentenced Powell to a 36-month community order that includes 40 programme sessions and 30 rehabilitation activity requirement days.

The judge placed Powell on a five year sexual harm prevention order and ordered that he sign the sex offenders’ register for the same time period. He also ordered the forfeiture and destruction of the relevant devices, pay court costs of £375 and a victim surcharge.

William Blight – Falmouth

18 Sunday Jul 2021

Posted by Author in Cornwall

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July 2021

Pervert abused two girls

A paedophile from Cornwall abused two girls and then threatened to shoot them or their family members if they told anyone.

It took 40 years, but perverted William Blight, 80, has finally been brought to justice.

Blight, of Melvill Road in Falmouth, appeared at Truro Crown Court to learn his fate after being previously convicted by a jury of nine indecent assaults and two indecency with a child charges.

Prosecuting barrister Nigel Wraith described to the court how the abuse was carried out against two underage girls in the 1970s and 1980s.

The offences included Blight placing his fingers on and inside the victims’ vaginas, placing one of this hands on his penis, rubbing himself on top of them causing pain and trying to put his tongue in one of their mouths telling her “it was how adults kiss”.

Blight also masturbated towards one of the victims.

Sentencing Blight to nine years in custody and a further year on licence, Judge Robert Linford described him as “an offender of particular concern”.

He said: “You denied what happened and as a consequence these two women were forced to relive what you did. The victim impact statements set out in harrowing detail the effect the abuse had on their lives.

July 2021

Christchurch man jailed after being caught in paedophile hunter sting

A man has been jailed for nearly five years after encouraging a fictional 12-year-old girl to abuse her seven-year-old sister.

Andrew Gidley (29), of Dairy Close, sent crude messages to what was, in reality, an adult member of a paedophile hunter group, Bournemouth Crown Court heard.

Sending him down, Judge Robert Pawson said Gidley had “taken leave of his senses” during the offending period between March and August 2019.

Prosecutor Peter Wright said the defendant initiated the chat over a social networking site before it transferred on to the Kik message app.

He engaged with what he thought was a 12-year-old girl called Mollie Spencer who was, in fact, a fake profile created to catch paedophiles.

Gidley’s conversation “quickly turned sexual”, Mr Wright said, and he sent her pictures of himself and his genitalia as well as a video of an adult woman performing a sex act on him.

The defendant went on to encourage the child to perform sex acts on herself.

By the end of their chat he moved on to telling the fictional girl to perform sex acts on her younger sister while she was asleep.

But on 16th August he was confronted on his doorstep by members of the paedophile hunter group.

He was arrested and confessed to his offending when interviewed by police.

He appeared at court having admitted three charges: two of attempting to incite a girl under the age of 13 to engage in sexual activity and another of engaging in sexual communication with a child.

Judge Pawson noted Gidley had told probation his motivations in committing the offence were not sexual – which the judge said was “nonsense”.

Gidley had been assessed as low risk and committed the offences at a time when his life was “drifting”, the judge said, but it involved the “corruption of a younger sibling”.

He sent Gidley down for four years and eight months, ordered he sign the sex offenders’ register for life, and gave him a 15-year sexual harm prevention order.

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September 2021

Child care officer sentenced to 21 years

A child care officer has been jailed for 21 years for sexually abusing two pupils at a complex needs school.

May 2021

Man guilty of sex offences against vulnerable victim

A man has been found guilty of a string of sex offences involving a vulnerable victim, who was spared coming to court during the trial in a first for Norfolk courts.

Michael Smith, 64, of High Street, Dereham, was found guilty of one count of engaging in sexual activity in the presence of a child, causing and inciting a child to engage in sexual activity and causing or inciting a person with a mental disorder impeding choice to engage in sexual activity.

The jury at Norwich Crown Court took less than three hours to convict Smith of all charges.

During the trial the vulnerable victim gave his evidence and was cross examined on a pre-recorded video, which was a first for Norfolk.

The measures deployed meant the victim did not have to directly attend court while the trial took place, but was able to give his evidence in advance.

It is usual for victims in sex cases to give their evidence-in-chief on tape in advance and then be cross-examined over a live link during the actual trial. However in this case the victim also allowed to be cross-examined on pre-recorded tape.

Judge Andrew Shaw told the jury in his summing up that it was the first Norfolk trial where pre-recorded cross-examination had been deployed in this way.

Judge Shaw said this meant the vulnerable witness did not have to wait until the trial to be cross -examined about his evidence.

He said Smith was present when his barrister Ian James cross-examined the complainant and stressed the cross-examination was carried out in exactly the same way as if it had happened during the trial.

“The use of special measures does not give added support for the prosecution case. The evidence was given as if he was called into the witness box.”

Judge Shaw explained to the jury the measures were to help the complainant give the best evidence he could.

Following the guilty verdicts Judge Andrew Shaw adjourned sentence for reports.

Smith is due to be sentenced on June 25.

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July 2021

Pensioner who thought he was sexting 12-year-old girl caught in police sting

A pensioner was arrested by police after he arranged to meet up with who he thought was a 12-year-old girl at the Bandstand in Caerphilly town centre.

William Anderson, 81, of Pembroke Court, Hendredenny, exchanged sexual text messages with a decoy called “Layla” who acted on behalf of a paedophile hunting team

Anderson told Layla she didn’t need to “worry about becoming pregnant” because he was infertile, and told her to keep their conversations secret.

He also asked her to send him topless pictures of herself on more than one occasion.

However, Layla was in fact a police decoy – not a 12-year-old girl. When Anderson arrived at the Bandstand to meet her, he was arrested by police.

William Anderson was arrested at the Bandstand after arranging to meet a police decoy who he thought was a 12-year-old

Anderson appeared at Cardiff Crown Court on Friday, July 9 and was handed a nine-month prison sentence, suspended for two years.

The court heard how Anderson, using the username “BillCricket”, first spoke to the decoy on online chatroom Lycos, then later WhatsApp.

The conversation began on April 20. When Anderson was told by the decoy that she was just 12-years-old, he responded: “It’s a pity you’re so young.”

He also asked her if she had started having periods, and if he could touch her breasts and private parts.

He also suggested they could “sneak into the bushes and be alone together” and asked if she would be naked.

While he admitted the offences, he claimed he was not aroused by the coversations, and only wanted to meet with her to tell her they could no longer speak to each other.

He pleaded guilty to attempting to meet a child following sexual grooming and attempting to engage in sexual communications with a child.

Sentencing, Judge Christopher Vosper QC said: “There are a number of mitigating features in this case. You are 81, you have no previous convictions, I accept you are remorseful and before this you lived an exemplary life.”

Anderson was ordered to carry out 25 days rehabilitation activity requirement and was given a sexual harm prevention order for ten years.

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July 2021

Forest of Dean man avoids jail for downloading indecent images of babies and young children

A Cinderford man who downloaded 198 indecent images of children – some of them babies – has avoided jail at Gloucester Crown Court.

Ashley Powell, 29, now of Wyebank Road, Tutshill, to a three year community order

After forensic analysis on Powells internet devices, police found indecent images on them – 153 on the hard drive and 44 on a mobile phone.

Most images were predominately of girls between the ages of four and 12. There was one image of a child being gagged and blindfolded and others of female babies only a few months old.

The court was told that Powell received a caution in 2015 for an offence in trying to engage with a 14-year-old girl on Facebook for sexual activity.

Judge Cullum sentenced Powell to a 36-month community order that includes 40 programme sessions and 30 rehabilitation activity requirement days.

The judge placed Powell on a five year sexual harm prevention order and ordered that he sign the sex offenders’ register for the same time period. He also ordered the forfeiture and destruction of the relevant devices, pay court costs of £375 and a victim surcharge.

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July 2021

Pervert abused two girls

A paedophile from Cornwall abused two girls and then threatened to shoot them or their family members if they told anyone.

It took 40 years, but perverted William Blight, 80, has finally been brought to justice.

Blight, of Melvill Road in Falmouth, appeared at Truro Crown Court to learn his fate after being previously convicted by a jury of nine indecent assaults and two indecency with a child charges.

Prosecuting barrister Nigel Wraith described to the court how the abuse was carried out against two underage girls in the 1970s and 1980s.

The offences included Blight placing his fingers on and inside the victims’ vaginas, placing one of this hands on his penis, rubbing himself on top of them causing pain and trying to put his tongue in one of their mouths telling her “it was how adults kiss”.

Blight also masturbated towards one of the victims.

Sentencing Blight to nine years in custody and a further year on licence, Judge Robert Linford described him as “an offender of particular concern”.

He said: “You denied what happened and as a consequence these two women were forced to relive what you did. The victim impact statements set out in harrowing detail the effect the abuse had on their lives.

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