UK database, Exeter (2026)

29/05/2026

A now three time convicted pa******le from York has been jailed for over two years for s*xually assaulting a very young child.

Thomas Sykes, 35, molested the girl on an intimate part of her body and told her to “keep quiet and keep it a secret”, York Crown Court heard.

The incident – which had had a profound and “long-lasting” effect on the victim – occurred in 2017 at a time when Sykes was downloading hundreds of indecent images of children on the internet.

The victim, who can’t be named for legal reasons, kept the incident a secret for several years until she was old enough to realise that what Sykes had done was a criminal offence and the matter was finally reported to police.

churchgoer Sykes, of Beech Grove, was charged with s*xually assaulting a child under 13 years of age but denied the allegation.

He was found guilty as charged following a trial at York Crown Court in April. He appeared for sentence yesterday (Wednesday).

Prosecutor Ayman Khokar said that Sykes had two previous convictions for 11 offences from 2020 and 2022, namely making indecent images of children and breaching the resultant s*xual-harm prevention order, under which he was supposed to notify and present police with any new internet-enabled devices in his possession.

Sykes, who was then living in Clifton, had downloaded 1,100 s*xual photos and videos of children over a period spanning two years. Some of the children depicted in the images were as young four years of age.

In July 2020, he was given a three-year community order, a five-year s*xual-harm prevention order and a s*x-offender treatment programme for those offences which cost him his marriage.

Two years later, he was back in court for breaches of the s*xual-harm prevention order and given another community order.

Defence barrister Lily Wildman said that Sykes still had the full support of his family, his new partner and the church of England

Judge Simon Hickey said that the effect on the young victim of the s*xual assault had been “significant and long-lasting”.

He told Sykes: “If a perpetrator like yourself says to a child, ‘keep quiet, it’s our little secret’, that’s exactly what the child does.

“(The victim) felt embarrassed and ashamed because of what happened. She has kept it secret for a number of years. She has lost trust in adult men.”

He said that by dint of his not guilty plea to the s*xual offence, Sykes had not shown remorse.

The judge told Sykes: “You are in employment and work well. That’s clear from all the references from the church and all those people who speak well of you.”

He added, however, that the seriousness of the offence against a very young girl outweighed all other considerations and Sykes must go to prison.

Sykes was jailed for two years and three months and placed on the s*x-offenders’ register for a further 10 years.

He was made subject to a new, 10-year s*xual-harm prevention order which includes curbs on his online activities and bars him from working with children or vulnerable adults.

28/05/2026

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28/05/2026

A disgraced former police officer who subjected a woman to a 'heinous' campaign of abuse has been jailed for 14 months.

Christopher Ferguson, 33, repeatedly targeted his victim after meeting her online.

He branded her a 'slut', 'pathetic' and called her a 'f*****g wee c**t' on a day out after Rangers had suffered a defeat.

Jealous Ferguson even created a fake Tinder profile of the woman which one of her friends discovered.

He would also demand to see her Instagram profile so he could see who had liked and commented on her photos.

During another incident he pinned her against a wall which left her 'sobbing' due to his aggressive conduct.

He later told her he had attended therapy and delivered a 19-page handwritten 'sorry letter' in which he apologised for being emotionally abusive towards her.

Ferguson, of Wishaw, Lanarkshire, appeared at Hamilton Sheriff Court and admitted breaching domestic abuse laws between May 2021 and February 2023.

Depute fiscal Kevin Morrow said: "He told her that he was detective in the child s*x abuse unit but that was discovered to be false and it was an ex-partner who was in that role and he also falsified what university he had attended."

Detailing an incident which took place at Ferguson's friends wedding, the prosecutor added: "The accused made negative comments about her looks which made her feel self-conscious and he accused her of making too much of an effort and wanted attention from other males."

Describing the moment Ferguson pinned the woman against a door, the court was told: "She told him she had been speaking to her friend and he pushed her with both hands against the front door and she was sobbing and begging him to let her go and she said she was in shock."

The court heard the woman stopped eating and sleeping due to the ordeal and he was later reported to the police.

Gregor Jarrott, defending, said: "There is no attempt to blame the complainer or attempt by him to mitigate his behaviour and he accepts full responsibility for that.

"He is entirely realistic about the eventual outcome of this case and that is that a custodial sentence will be imposed. There is no excuse for his behaviour."

Sheriff Colin Dunipace blasted Ferguson and banned him from contacting his victim for 10 years.

The sheriff said: "You pled guilty to a serious and heinous campaign of abuse to someone who was entitled to look towards you for love, support and affection.

"But instead you chose to abuse her psychologically and physically to control, manipulate and frighten her.

"You sought to lower your victim's self-esteem and self-worth which caused anxiety and no doubt long-standing trauma to your former partner."

Ferguson, who is being held in HMP Dumfries, will be supervised for six months following his release from jail.

The shamed ex-constable was jailed for three-years-and-nine-months in August 2024 for abusing three former partners over a 14-year period.

He was convicted at Hamilton Sheriff Court of nine charges including assault, stalking, voyeurism, breach of the peace and acting in a controlling, threatening, manipulative and abusive manner which took place between 2007 and 2021.

Ferguson was placed on the s*x offenders' register for 10 years and banned from contacting these three victims for the same period.

28/05/2026

A woman has been found guilty of murdering her one-year-old son after feeding him a fatal cocktail of prescription medications before he could be taken into care.

Emma Barnett, of Chester Road, Debden, had denied murdering Oakley, but was convicted today (Thursday 28 May) at the end of an 18-day trial at Cambridge Crown Court.

A family court hearing on November 8 2024 which had determined that her 14-month-old son Oakley should be removed from the household.

The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) said that evidence presented at court showed Barnett had prepared a bottle containing a mixture of milk and medication, which she gave to Oakley, causing his death.

Emergency services were called to her home on Friday 8 November 2024 following concerns for the welfare of both the 36-year-old and Oakley.

They had initially been reported as missing, with suggestions that the defendant had taken Oakley to Epping Forest.

That same evening police forced entry into her home and she was found to be in the loft. She had Oakley with her and refused to come down.

Following conversations with Barnett, officers became increasingly concerned for Oakley’s welfare.

They forced entry into the loft and Oakley and Barnett were both taken to hospital for treatment.

Tragically, despite the best efforts of medical staff, Oakley died in December 2024. Barnett was treated in hospital before being arrested on suspicion of murder in January 2025.

As part of a detailed investigation, Barnett was interviewed in June 2025, she refused to answer any questions, but was charged with one count of murder.

The jury had heard that Barnett had been due to attend a legal hearing to decide what would happen with Oakley, who had been subject to an interim care order, on the day they went missing.

Barnett denied deliberately killing Oakley, but the jury did not believe her and she was found guilty following 6 hours of deliberation.

28/05/2026

A man from Hemel Hempstead has been jailed for more than six years after hitting, suffocating and then throwing bleach over a young girl

Dennis Dowton, aged 29, was found guilty of attempting to cause grievous bodily harm with intent after a trial at St Albans Crown Court earlier this month.

On Tuesday 14 October last year, Dowton hit and suffocated the young girl, causing her to fear for her life as well as throwing bleach over her skin, jurors heard.

Dowton, of Trevalga Way, was sentenced last Thursday (21 May) to six-and-a-half years in prison and handed an indefinite restraining order.

28/05/2026

This is Zahid Iqbal, and he is walking free from prison again despite the very people managing him warning he should stay behind bars.

Zahid Iqbal was jailed after plotting to blow up a Territorial Army centre using a bomb attached to a remote-controlled toy car.

His group was caught discussing an online al-Qaeda manual titled “How to make a bomb in the kitchen of your mom — by the al-Qaeda chef”.

He was given a life sentence with a minimum term of 11 years and three months.

Iqbal was let out on parole previously, only to be dragged back to prison after concerns over his possession of a self-defence weapon and books linked to the September 11 attacks.

Those allegations were eventually dropped due to insufficient evidence.

Now, he has been cleared to walk free for a second time.

Yet the experts managing his case completely disagree with the decision.

Both his prison offender manager and his community offender manager explicitly warned that he should remain locked up.

Even Justice Secretary David Lammy tried to block the move, calling the release "legally irrational".

Shadow ministers are also demanding a veto, stating: “We all know the threat posed by Islamist extremism in this country.”

But despite the direct warnings from his own probation team and the highest levels of government, parole board bosses have decided Iqbal's release will still go ahead.

28/05/2026

A mother who murdered her baby daughter has been jailed for a minimum of 19 years after being given a life sentence.

Nicole Blain was found guilty last month of killing her 19-day-old child Thea Wilson, after she died from injuries that suggested blunt force trauma or being shaken, similar to those suffered by a car crash victim.

Blain, 30, said she found her daughter lying on the floor of her Greenock flat on 14 July 2023, and claimed the newborn had been dropped by another child.

At the High Court in Glasgow, Judge Lord Scott dismissed that as a "patently absurd" version of events, and said Blain had carried out "catastrophic deadly violence" on Thea.

The judge added that Blain's claims were "a feeble attempt to evade responsibility" from her crimes.

Dozens of members of the public gathered in court, and cries of "monster" rang out in the public gallery as Blain was led away to begin her sentence.

Her lawyer Thomas Ross said an appeal against the conviction and sentence had already been lodged.

Earlier this year a trial heard how Thea had suffered injuries including three skull fractures, brain damage and bleeding behind the eyes.

A pathologist said these were consistent with the baby being violently shaken and repeatedly hit off a hard floor, wall or furniture.

Blain insisted she woke up from a nap to find her daughter injured on the floor and that another child also in the flat had caused whatever happened to Thea.

However she was found guilty by a jury in April.

Lord Scott told her: "Despite what you have continued to say, what happened was no accident.

"It could not have been caused by a fall or being dropped. Despite persistent attempts to suggest it, what was done was not by another child, but by you, the main person responsible for the care of baby Thea.

"Rather than love, protect and nurture her, what Thea received from you was catastrophic deadly violence. What the jury decided beyond reasonable doubt was that, in an act that was intentional or wickedly reckless, you murdered a tiny defenceless baby."

In a statement read in court, Thea's father Ross Wilson said losing Thea had broken his heart and shattered his life.

He said: "The emptiness I felt walking away from her… since that moment I cannot sleep, eat or take part in any form of physical exercise.

"The pain is constant - it does not ease, it does not fade."

Lord Scott told the court the impact statement by Thea's father also said he suffered feelings of guilt wondering if he could have done more to prevent the death, and that he only had 45 minutes with Thea in hospital before she died.

On the day of Thea's death, she was visited in the morning by a social worker who said the baby was in her crib, and that the mother had complained of feeling tired.

Blain was due to take her daughter to visit her paternal grandmother Laura Wilson in Ayrshire later that day.

Early in the afternoon, Blain called Wilson's mobile phone. The call was answered by her husband Alan, who told the court he had heard a child screaming in the background.

He told the court: "I had never heard anything like it. It was piercing and extremely loud.

"I thought it was an older child doing it, but then I realised it was the baby who was screaming."

Alan Wilson said Blain told him that she did not know what to do, and "did not sound right". He suggested she call an ambulance.

When Blain met Laura Wilson at the hospital later, Blain told her another child who was in the flat "had done it".

Blain had also spoken on the phone earlier to a support worker, telling her that another child had taken Thea out of the cot and dropped her.

When the support worker arrived at the flat she dialled 999 after seeing Thea was cold, not making any sounds and looked an "awful colour".

The baby died later that day in hospital.

Pathologist Leighanne Deboys told the jury a combination of Thea being shaken and impact with a hard surface would account for her injuries, described by another medic as similar to those suffered by a car crash victim.

Prosecutor Alan Cameron KC said any suggestion another child could have caused the injuries was "just nonsense".

Blain's lawyer Thomas Ross told the court she has effectively been in solitary confinement for most of her time in HMP Stirling after being remanded.

The KC added: "Since 18 May, she has been allowed to leave for meals for 10 minutes and also for a short period of exercise.

"Whatever the sentence, the experience of prison will be extremely difficult for her."

After the hearing, the women in court held a balloon release in tribute to the baby while crying out "Justice for Thea".

28/05/2026

Today's summary in the baby s*xual abuse/murder trial

A teacher accused of s*xually abusing and murdering his adopted son has told a court the infant had "a brilliant life" with him and his partner, and his love for the child could "never be taken away".

Jamie Varley, 37, who is accused of routinely s*xually, physically and emotionally abusing Preston Davey before his death in July 2023, told Preston Crown Court the 13-month-old was "very much loved".

Preston died nearly four months after he went to live with Varley, and co-defendant John McGowan-Fazakerley, in Blackpool.

Varley denies murdering Preston, and McGowan-Fazakerley, 32, denies allowing his death. Both men also deny s*xually assaulting him.

Continuing his cross-examination of Varley on Thursday, prosecutor Peter Wright KC reminded Varley of videos he recorded on his phone of Preston being spun fast on a park playground, his eyes rolling back, eight days before his death.

Wright said: "This little lad was resigned to his fate and it was obvious on his face."

Varley said: "No, this little boy, our little boy, had a brilliant life with us."

The prosecution claim that on 23 July 2023 both defendants s*xually assaulted Preston at their home.

Wright said: "He was your plaything, wasn't he?"

Varley replied: "No, he was not. He was our beautiful boy that was very much loved.

"In hindsight, I got some things wrong but he was very much loved and that's something you will never be able to take away."

Wright said: "What really happened that afternoon, Mr Varley?"

The defendant said: "No s*xual allegations, as you would imply."

The trial has heard Preston went to live with the defendants on 1 April, but he died in hospital on 27 July after he suffered a collapse and cardiac arrest, allegedly after a s*xual assault by Varley.

Wright asked whether Varley's recollection of events on that day had "improved with age".

Varley said: "I do believe I have a clearer understanding of events that took place."

The prosecutor said: "Or is it you becoming aware of physical findings and you have now sought to give a different account?"

Varley said: "No, that day we lost that boy. You forget about that when you put these allegations. I couldn't think clearly or straight."

Wright went on: "I am going to suggest what you have done from start to end, Mr Varley, is you have deliberately sought to mislead everyone in authority about what happened to Preston."

Varley said: "Your suggestion is completely and entirely wrong."

He denied that he and his partner had jointly s*xually abused Preston or ill-treated and neglected him.

Jurors have been told that a post-mortem examination of Preston found multiple non-accidental, internal and external injuries.

The cause of Preston's death was found to be acute upper airways obstruction by either smothering or an object or objects inserted into his mouth.

Parts of his anatomy were described as "abnormal", showing clinical signs of s*xual abuse.

The 13-month-old had more than 40 separate injuries to his face, throat, body, leg and pelvic organs when he died at Blackpool Victoria Hospital on July 27, 2023

A post-mortem examination concluded Preston - who went by the name of Elijah while in the care of the couple - died from acute upper airways obstruction, the court has heard. It is alleged he was s*xually assaulted by Mr Varley in the hours before he died.

Wright told Varley: "The reality is you killed that boy."

Varley said: "The reality is very much wrong."

Wright said: "And you did so in circumstances where you are guilty of his murder?"

Varley replied: "No I am not. I am not.

"Our boy was not s*xually abused, or murdered, or hit."

Varley denies murder, manslaughter, two counts of assault by pe*******on, five counts of cruelty to a child, grievous bodily harm, s*xual assault of a child, 13 counts of taking indecent photos or videos of a child, one of distributing an indecent photo of a child, to his co-accused, and one of making an indecent photo.

McGowan-Fazakerley, 32, denies allowing the death of a child, three counts of child cruelty and one count of the s*xual assault of a child.

The trial continues........

28/05/2026

A vile pa******le from Redruth addicted to watching indecent images of children being abused gloated about paedophilia, in**st and r**e of children on social media.

Matthew Taylor-Gray was not only caught with dozens of images of child abuse on his laptop and smartphones but he took part in online conversations with other pa******les on the Telegram social media app and openly discussed child abuse.

The 28-year-old from Treruffe Terrace in Redruth came to the attention of Devon and Cornwall Police when, in January two years ago, category A indecent images of children were uploaded online.

The IP address was tracked and matched electronic devices held by Taylor-Gray and his physical address in Redruth

His phones and laptop were seized and examined and 15 category A indecent images of children, 28 category B images and six category C images were found along with 16 extreme pornographic images portraying a man having s*x with a dog.

Further forensic search of his phone found that Taylor-Gray openly discussed child abuse of the worst kind with fellow pa******les on the Telegram app.

The topics of discussion were "obscene in nature" including the r**e of children as young as five, in**st and child abuse.

His internet history search also revealed how he had tried to contact at least 50 children.

Taylor-Gray was arrested and in police interview he admitted "not being to control of his addiction" to child abuse images and said he feels "dirty" about it.

He was charged with three counts of possessing indecent images of children, two counts of publishing an obscene article, one of possessing extreme pornographic images between February 2013 and April 2024.

Police subjected Taylor-Gray to a s*xual harm prevention order restricting his use of the internet and social media.

He breached the order - twice - when he accessed sites such as Bluesky and OnlyFans to watch po*******hy which he was prohibited from doing.

He was further charged with breaching such an order in July 2025. Taylor-Gray pleaded guilty to all charges against him when he appeared before Truro Magistrates' Court earlier this year.

During a sentencing hearing at Truro Crown Court today (Thursday May 28), His Honour Judge Simon Carr that what police found on Taylor-Gray's computer had been "disturbing", adding: "Most disturbing were the articles you published in chatroom discussing the r**e and in**st of children."

Judge Carr said police were so worried that they restricted Taylor-Gray's access to the internet. There were two breaches and during the second breach he accessed social media sites without telling the police.

Judge Carr added: "You made a candid acceptance of your s*xual interest in children. It is worrying."

However he decided the best way to deal with Taylor-Gray was not to send him to prison where he would only be staying for a short time, but to impose a suspended sentence with restrictions and a package of help so Taylor-Gray can control his addiction and stop reoffending.

He sentenced him to 20 months in prison suspended for two years, a s*x offenders' programme for 20 days, 15 days of rehabilitation and 240 hours of unpaid work.

Taylor-Gray will also be on the S*x Offenders' Register for 10 years and a s*xual harm prevention order is also in place for 10 years too.

28/05/2026

A dangerous pa******le that filmed himself s*xually abusing a 2 year old girl and images and video of himself performing s*x acts on a dog is homeless and currently living on the high street in Exeter.

In 2021, former delivery driver Adam Goulden was sentenced to four years and four months with a six year extended licence

The pervert had gained access to the two-year-old girl through her innocent mother, then offered to take the toddler out on trips but instead s*xually abused her in his delivery van.

Goulden recorded the abuse, and police found videos of the abuse on his phone and computer and conversations with another pa******le where he bragged about abusing the little girl.

Police also found film which he had taken of himself taking part in s*x acts with a dog

The court heard that he had a bag containing cable ties and electrical tape in his vehicle, which police believe may of been a 'kidnap kit'

In total police discovered four videos and 75 still images of him abusing the two-year-old girl

They showed the child naked from the waist down and being s*xually assaulted as he tried to reassure her by talking about her mother. The abuse lasted 20 minutes.

Goulden, formerly of Dartmouth, Devon, also had other indecent images of children on his phone and computer that he had downloaded from the internet.

There were also 207 images of be******ty including some showing him taking part in s*x acts with a dog.

28/05/2026

A former supply teacher has admitted taking more than 100 up***rt photos of schoolgirls at his school

Abusali Rahman from Salford, Manchester started by sharing s*xualised deepfake images online, before escalating to up***rting and voyeurism.

The 36-year-old appeared at Bolton Crown Court via video link from HMP Altcourse on Tuesday to admit a total of 21 offences.

He pleaded guilty to 12 counts of taking indecent photographs of children by up***rting, four counts of publishing an obscene article, three counts of making indecent pictures of children, one count of voyeurism and one count of distributing an indecent image of a child.

Rahman's crimes took place over nearly two years between December 2023 and June 2025 against 13 girls at several secondary schools across the North West of England.

The defendant was arrested in June 2025 after a parent found an image of their child in school uniform being circulated on social media, according to Greater Manchester Police (GMP).

Rahman, a British national of Bangladeshi ethnicity, has been remanded in custody and will be sentenced on 1 September.

He eentered the following formal guilty pleas at Bolton Crown Court today (28/5/26):

- 12 counts of taking an indecent photograph/pseudo-photograph of a child (images obtained by up***rting)

- 4 counts of publishing an obscene article (AI-generated s*xualised images)

- 3 counts of making indecent photograph / pseudo-photograph of a child (making AI-generated images)

- 1 count of distribute an indecent photograph/pseudo-photograph of a child (sharing an up***rting image with another user)

- 1 count of operating equipment beneath clothing of another without consent (the act of up***rting)

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