Net paedophile jailed for crimes

A paedophile who molested a 13-year-old girl he met via the internet has been jailed for four-and-a-half years.
Guy Evans, 35, of Cupar, Fife, picked up the teenager in Musselburgh, East Lothian, in his work's van after contacting her via an online chatroom.

Evans drove her to a lay-by and forced her to perform sex acts on him.

At the High Court in Glasgow, the father-of-two received three years for his sexual crimes and a further 18 months for possessing child porn.


Sentencing Evans, temporary judge Rita Rae QC, said: "You engaged with this child on an internet chat room and thereafter arranged to meet her.

"The Crown inform me it was clear from her user information that she was 13-years-old.

"It is clear she was under 16."

'Troubled child'

Evans had spoken of his contact with the 13-year-old, who cannot be named for legal reasons, after the offence took place.

She added: "It seems a reasonable inference that you knew or had a good idea that this was a child.

"She has been described as naive and vulnerable. She was a troubled child and for that reason needs protection.

"You are in your 30s and she was a child."

Evans was sentenced to three years to run consecutively with a combined sentence of 18 months for possessing 171 sexually explicit photographs of children on his computer.

The court heard that the material on Evans' computer had been compiled over a year-long period.

Teenage chatroom

Evans was originally charged with abducting the schoolgirl and indecently assaulting her but the Crown accepted his not guilty pleas to these offences.

At the High Court in Edinburgh last month he admitted using lewd, indecent and libidinous practices and behaviour towards the girl and was placed on the Sex Offenders' Register.

Evans also admitted possessing and making indecent photographs of children at his former home in Bannockburn, Stirling between July 2002 and June 2003.

The court heard he arranged to meet the schoolgirl after he logged onto a teenage chatroom in January 2003.

He called himself "Guy1" and said he was 34, from the Stirling area.

Handed over number

The girl, who was using her home computer, gave the man her mobile number and arranged to meet up.

Evans picked her up and drove her to a lay-by between Wallyford and Tranent, off the A1 Edinburgh to Newcastle road.

He sexually molested her and later dropped her off at a supermarket back in Musselburgh.

The crime only emerged when the teenager's behaviour gave staff at her school cause for concern.

Police seized Evans' computer last June and discovered the child porn images.

Freed sex offender 'likely to kill'

A serious sex offender is to be freed, despite psychiatrists warning he is likely to assault women and kill, a police chief has warned.
North Wales chief constable Richard Brunstrom said nothing could be done to prevent the man's release because he is not mentally ill.

An MP will urge the Home Office to tighten rules on prisoner release.

A police spokesman said the man will be "monitored actively and closely" when he is released from prison.

Mr Brunstrom said there were "four or five" sex offenders in north Wales considered "extremely dangerous".


North Wales Police will do their utmost to protect the public within the parameters of the law
Police spokesman

"In this case we are waiting for him to kill someone so that we can arrest him," Mr Brunstrom told The Independent newspaper.

"It is a ludicrous situation".

He added: "In my view, we are failing to protect our citizens from dangerous offenders. We should rethink whether these people are allowed out into society."

Meirionnydd Nant Conwy MP Elfyn Llwyd said he would ask Home Secretary David Blunkett if prison service tribunals which approve releases could take into account any potential danger.

He said: "It seems to be it would be better to evaluate whether that person has reformed, whether that person remains a danger to society and to take appropriate action before release.

"I think that's the way to deal with it and not by tagging and surveillance afterwards."

'legislation gap'

A spokesman for the force's public protection department said: "It is not a situation which is exclusive to north Wales but causes grave concern to police forces the length and breadth of Britain.

"There is obviously a gap in the legislation and this needs to be addressed."

The force will give no more details about the case.

The spokesman added: "The public of north Wales can be reassured that this individual will be monitored actively and closely.

"North Wales Police will do their utmost to protect the public within the parameters of the law."

The Home Office has announced plans to introduce a new scheme of sentences for sexual and violent offenders who have been assessed by the courts as dangerous.

The new sentences for dangerous offenders will be geared towards public protection and will ensure that dangerous sexual and violent offenders are not released until their level of risk is assessed by the Parole Board as manageable in the community.

The Home Office said the extended terms would apply to offences carrying a maximum sentence of less than 10 years' imprisonment, and offenders who are assessed as presenting a risk of re-offending.

A spokeswoman said: "The court may include extended supervision periods of up to eight years in this sentence.

"Release during the second half of the custodial part of the sentence will not be automatic, but will be upon the direction of the Parole Board following an assessment of risk."

"The sentence of imprisonment for public protection will provide for the indeterminate detention of those dangerous offenders who continue to pose a serious risk of harm to the public."

Man jailed for child sex assaults

A Sussex businessman has been jailed for a string of sexual offences against young boys.
Over 26 years, Robert Blackmore, of Gatehouse Lane, Burgess Hill, committed sexual assaults on boys aged between 11 and 16, Lewes Crown Court heard.

He was eventually arrested after one of his victims told his parents what had happened, the court was told.

The 53-year-old was ordered to serve seven years in prison after admitting 17 counts of indecent assault.

'Dangerous offender'

Jailing him, Judge Richard Brown said the offences were evil and would blight the lives of his victims for many years.

Prior to his arrest, the Sussex businessman had run his own battery company.

After the verdict, chief inspector Robin Smith said: "The length of the sentence is testimony of the toughness and determination of what was a nine-month investigation.

"It makes me proud that the hard work and professionalism of my team has led to this decisive result and taken a dangerous offender out of our community."

Jail for extradited sex offender

A karate instructor who fled to Spain during his trial on sex abuse charges against teenagers in his care has been jailed for six years and eight months.
Graham Phillips, 53, from Hill Ridware, near Rugeley, Staffs, went on the run 10 days into his trial last December.

Phillips was then convicted of nine indecent assaults and given a six-year prison sentence in his absence.

He was extradited to Britain from Majorca on Monday and has been given an eight-month term for breaching bail.


This has brought a sense of closure to the victims who Phillips preyed upon
Insp Nick Lakin

Phillips, formerly of Uttoxeter Road, Hill Ridware, was arrested last month and appeared at Stafford Crown Court on Tuesday after being held in custody overnight.

He had denied 10 counts of indecent assault against girls aged between 13 and 16 at his trial in December but was convicted of seven offences.

He also denied two further counts of rape, although the jury instead returned guilty verdicts of indecent assault on those charges.

Phillips was also banned from working with children and ordered to register as a sex offender for life.

'Rebuild' lives

Insp Nick Lakin, who led the initial investigation, said: "Phillips is a dangerous, manipulative paedophile who was determined to escape justice at any cost.

"It has taken several months to trace him and bring him back to Britain and we would like to thank the public for their co-operation in the investigation.

"This has brought a sense of closure to the victims who Phillips preyed upon.

"Hopefully now they and their families can begin to rebuild their lives."