CPS News Brief

Man sentenced for threatening to blow up G4S vans

A 20-year-old has today (29 September) been sent to a young offenders’ institution for two years for blackmailing his employer by threatening to blow up their vans. 

Daniel Garland, from County Durham, admitted to sending an anonymous letter to G4S’s Teesside depot on 11 January this year.

In the letter, Garland threatened to detonate a number of remote-controlled ‘mini-bombs’, which he said were attached to G4S vans and staff vehicles, if a demand for £1 million in cash was not met. He also threatened to cause harm to the partner and new-born baby of a fellow employee. 

Garland was working for G4S at the time. Suspicions were aroused during a police interview while a major hunt for the explosives was under way. His home was searched and a copy of the anonymous letter was found behind a poster. He admitted sending the bomb hoax, but denied it was in an attempt to blackmail G4S. 

Helen Cox from the CPS said: 

“Daniel Garland knowingly caused a huge amount of disruption for his employer, along with untold terror and anxiety for those he threatened. 

“He intended to frighten and distress his employer and colleagues but his actions had far-reaching consequences. They resulted in the deployment of a significant amount of police resources at the public expense, the near shut down of the G4S Teesside depot and subsequent losses of around £15,000 to the company.

“The CPS presented a case to court that made his actions, and the very serious impact they had, abundantly clear and he must now face the consequences of his behaviour.”

Man sentenced after importing childlike sex doll

A man has been sentenced to 12 months’ imprisonment, suspended for two years after importing a childlike sex doll he bought online. 

Simon Glerum, 33, admitted to arranging the import of a prohibited indecent or obscene article after purchasing the doll from Hong Kong and attempting to have it delivered to his Essex home. 

The doll was intercepted by Border Force officers at Stansted Airport in January this year and Glerum was arrested by Essex Police officers.   

Glerum also admitted three offences of making, or downloading, indecent images of children between 1 July 2014 and 19 January 2017, and the possession of eight prohibited images of children.

The CPS provided early advice to investigators, as well as specific guidance on how officers could establish - by tracking Glerum’s website use - that he intended to purchase a childlike doll, rather than a smaller adult doll as he originally insisted.  

Sarah Freeman, from the CPS, said: 

“Following the interception of the childlike sex doll, further serious offending was uncovered which was subsequently admitted by Simon Glerum. 

“The close ongoing work between the CPS, the police and other law enforcement agencies is proving crucial to identifying and investigating this type of offending and bringing it before the courts.”

Disability benefits cheat who spent holidays quad biking and scuba diving sentenced

A woman who claimed £65,000 in disability benefit over 21 years but spent holidays scuba diving and riding quad bikes has been sentenced to 18 months in prison, suspended for two years today (25 September).

Linda Hoey, 58, claimed £65,224 in Disability Living Allowance (DLA) from 1995 to 2016 declaring arthritis and back problems meant she could only walk four metres, could not walk unaided, was unable to bend, and would be housebound without the help of her husband.

However an investigation found Hoey had been in full time employment since 1997, performing physical tasks at odds with a person who had a severe disability. 

No walking aids were found at her home and family photos showed her playing pool and sitting on the back of a quad bike. A personalised calendar had images of her scuba diving and Hoey had regularly been playing badminton since 2011.

Hoey also avoided £15,690 in fees from the M6 Toll as she was using a Disability Living Allowance Mobility Exemption Pass Scheme to use the road to travel to and from work.

Ana Coomansingh, from the CPS, said: “Over an extensive period, Linda Hoey lied about her care needs to claim more than £65,000 in disability benefits whilst taking part in activities that people suffering in the way she claimed to be would not be able to do.

“These benefits were for people who were genuinely disabled. The evidence put forward by the CPS showed Hoey was leading a life of physical activity both at work and on holiday.”

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Notes to editors:

• Linda Hoey denied two counts of cheating the public revenue and evasion of liability by deception but was convicted by a jury on 28 July after a trial at Stafford Crown Court.

• Ana Coomansingh is a Specialist Prosecutor in the Specialist Fraud Division

• Linda Hoey will now face a confiscation hearing under the Proceeds of Crime Act.

Men jailed for operation to sell illegal guns and ammunition to criminals

Two men have been jailed today (18 September) after running an operation to sell illegal guns and ammunition to criminals.

Umair Khan, from Birmingham, bought firearms which were deemed obsolete because of their age and the fact that ammunition is no longer widely available for them. 

However he was able to use the dark web to obtain such ammunition to make them fully functioning illegal weapons. Khan also expanded his criminal enterprise by purchasing stun guns, attempting to purchase a grenade and making enquiries about purchasing assault rifles.

Khan was jailed for 22 years when he appeared at Birmingham Crown Court today.

Nazim Hussain, from West Bromwich, facilitated the importation of the ammunition and guns into the UK and arranged safe houses for the delivery of the items. He was jailed for nine years. 

Khan’s activities were exposed when he tried to purchase a grenade from an undercover agent, posing as a dark web seller.

Jonathan Ramsay, of the CPS, said: “Khan and Hussain were responsible for arming a substantial number of serious criminals, obtaining lethal weapons originally designed for law enforcement or the military. 

“The CPS worked to build a picture of the scale of Khan and Hussain’s offending and how they were planning to bring the obsolete firearms they were buying back into full use.

“When presented with the cases against them, both men pleaded guilty.”

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Notes to editors

• Umair Khan pleaded guilty to transferring a prohibited firearm, importation of ammunition, transferring ammunition, importation of prohibited weapons, possession of prohibited weapons for sale or transfer and the attempted importation of agrenade.

• Nazim Hussain pleaded guilty to importation of ammunition and prohibited weapons and the attempted importation of a grenade.  

• Jonathan Ramsay is a Unit Head in the International Justice and Organised Crime Division within CPS.

Hacker who targeted US military systems sentenced

A computer hacker from the West Midlands who gained unauthorised access to data from US military communication systems has been handed a suspended prison sentence today (Sep 14).

 

Sean Caffrey, 25, admitted an offence under the Computer Misuse Act at Birmingham Crown Court in June and today was sentenced to 18 months in prison, suspended for 18 months.

 

The court heard how Caffrey, of Sutton Coldfield, stole usernames and email addresses belonging to more than 800 users of a satellite communication system and around 30,000 satellite phones.

 

The American Department of Defense said the 2014 attack took 50 hours to repair at a cost of more than $600,000 (c. £450,000 at current exchange rate).

 

Rose-Marie Franton, from the CPS, said:

 

“By infiltrating the computer systems of the American military, Sean Caffrey caused an international security breach which cost hundreds of thousands to fix.

 

“Despite his efforts to mask his online identity, the prosecution was able to build a compelling case against him. Faced with the evidence, Caffrey admitted his guilt.”

 

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Notes to Editors

·         Rose-Marie Franton is Head of the CPS Organised Crime Division

 

Football fan fined for homophobic chanting

A football fan who shouted homophobic abuse at opposition fans during a Premier League match has been fined after he admitted indecent chanting.

A police officer heard Jason Holmes, 44, from Leicester, chanting a homophobic term at away supporters at the Leicester City v Brighton and Hove Albion fixture on Saturday 19 August.

Holmes was subsequently arrested and the CPS authorised a charge of indecent chanting, contrary to section 3 of Football (Offences) Act 1991.

He appeared at Leicester Magistrates’ Court today (14 Sep), pleaded guilty to the offence and was fined £300. This fine was increased from £250 due to the homophobic nature of the offending. He was also required to pay £85 costs and a victim surcharge of £30.

Prior to today's hearing, Holmes voluntarily attended an educational session provided by Kick it Out, the campaign against discrimination in football.

Janine Smith, from the CPS, said:

“The CPS takes all forms of discrimination seriously and has an important part to play in eliminating it from football. This offence was treated as a homophobic hate crime and Jason Holmes received an uplifted fine from the court.

“The role of the Criminal Justice System is to rehabilitate and prevent further offending as well as to punish. The CPS contacted Kick it Out about the educational sessions they provide and Jason Holmes was offered such a session to help him understand the full impact of his behaviour, which he attended.

“The contribution of Kick it Out to this case has ensured that, as well as facing the consequences of his actions, this defendant will understand why his actions were so unacceptable.”

Roisin Wood, Chief Executive Officer at Kick It Out, said:

“Through our work with the CPS and Leicester City Football Club, we were able to recommend a course of action which ensured that Jason would understand the full impact of his homophobic behaviour.

“At Kick It Out, we encourage rehabilitation through education for individuals or groups that act in a discriminatory manner, where appropriate. We believe this is the best way to ensure our messages of equality and inclusion are received and understood by anyone who discriminates.

“Over the past few years we have worked with supporters at numerous clubs to educate them on unacceptable behaviour and to understand what impact discriminatory actions could have on fellow fans.

“The sentence handed to Jason is a timely reminder that all acts of discrimination in football are against the law and can end up in banning orders or further prosecution.”

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Notes to Editors

·         Janine Smith is Chief Crown Prosecutor of CPS East Midlands

Dealer who unlawfully sold Princess Diana portrait jailed

 

A Cotswold art dealer who stole or unlawfully sold paintings depicting many famous names, including Princess Diana, has been jailed today (Sep 12).

Jonathan Poole, 69, was sentenced to four years in prison at Gloucester Crown Court having admitted multiple theft offences at an earlier hearing.

Over three decades it is estimated Poole, of Poulton near Cirencester, made over £500,000 by either selling artwork he was not entitled to or by taking percentages of the profits from legitimate sales. The stolen artworks had various owners, including the estates of music legends Miles Davis and John Lennon.

Among the paintings he unlawfully sold were portraits of music stars Mick Jagger, Bob Dylan and Ringo Starr as well as model Kate Moss and Marilyn Monroe. Much of the artwork had been painted by Jagger’s Rolling Stones band mate Ronnie Wood.

The court heard how Poole ran into financial difficulties and closed his galleries in Compton Cassey and Fossebridge, both in Gloucestershire. After the closure, efforts were made to trace the stolen artworks and return them to their rightful owners but some have never been located.

James Ward, from the CPS, said:

“Jonathan Poole was a reputable art dealer who abused his position of trust in the most discreditable way. All of the pieces of art are extremely valuable and there is no doubt Poole was well aware of this.

“Through careful analysis of financial transactions spanning several decades, the CPS built a strong case and faced with the evidence against him, Poole pleaded guilty.

“While some of the stolen artwork may never be recovered, I hope today’s sentence provides some sense of justice to the victims whose trust was breached by Poole.”

The CPS will now instigate proceedings under the Proceeds of Crime Act in order to recover the stolen funds.

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Notes to Editors

·         James Ward is a Crown Advocate with CPS South West

Paedophile jailed for encouraging rape of a child on internet chatroom

A paedophile from Staffordshire who encouraged the rape of a six-year-old boy via an internet chat room has been jailed.

Philip Crabtree, 35, pleaded guilty to multiple offences, including encouraging the rape, at an earlier hearing in June and was sentenced to eight years and eight months in prison at Stoke Crown Court today (5 Sep).

Transcripts from the chat room during the sexual abuse of the six-year-old in the United States showed how Crabtree encouraged the abuse.

On other occasions Crabtree, from Newcastle-under-Lyme, viewed videos shared by paedophiles of children as young as two being raped or abused.

Laura Tams, from the CPS, said:

“Along with others, Philip Crabtree participated in a chat room discussion and watched on with clear enjoyment while a young boy was raped.

“The CPS was involved from an early stage and built a compelling case against Crabtree, who pleaded guilty.

“Thanks to the co-operation between authorities in this country and around the world, Crabtree has been brought to justice for his actions.”

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Notes to Editors

• Laura Tams is a Specialist Prosecutor with the CPS International Justice and Organised Crime Division
• Another man present in the chat room at the time of the rape, Darren Williams, was jailed for 11 years in July 2017: http://www.cps.gov.uk/news/latest_news/paedophile-who-encouraged-abuse-of-/index.html
• Philip Crabtree pleaded guilty 12 charges at Stoke Crown Court on 26 June 2017 as follows:

-          encouraging rape

-          encouraging the distribution of indecent images of children x8

-          making indecent images of children x3

Jail for Facebook child sex offender

A man who used multiple fake Facebook profiles to blackmail children into sending him recordings of them committing sexual offences has been jailed for 16 years.

Paul George Leighton, 32, of Malvern Crescent, Seaham, was sentenced at Newcastle Crown Court today (4 September 2017) after pleading guilty at earlier hearings to numerous charges; the majority of which related to the coercion of children through social media. 

These included three rape charges, which the Crown Prosecution Service was able to prosecute even though the offending, which Leighton instigated online, took place in another country.  

In December 2016, Northumbria Police arrested Leighton after receiving information he had been exchanging indecent images via Facebook. During interview he admitted to officers that he had created 30 to 40 fake profiles on the social media site, through which he had incited children to send nude images of themselves. 

An examination of his phone revealed the further appalling abuse of as many as 100 children in the USA and Canada. Leighton’s coercive activity had succeeded in persuading young people to perform sexual assaults and rapes on younger relatives, including the rape of a two-year-old girl by one victim. 

Leighton then threatened to expose those children to friends and family if they did not send him videos of themselves committing these offences.   

He also admitted two sexual assaults of a child under 13, offences which he committed in the UK. 

Gary Buckley of the Crown Prosecution Service said:

“The offences unearthed during the investigation of this case will be chilling reading for any parent. By using fake Facebook profiles Paul Leighton preyed on the vulnerabilities and insecurities of young children, coaxing them into increasingly extreme forms of sexual activity.

“Leighton’s actions were motivated by his pursuit of sexual gratification and, by the very nature of his offences, he has caused significant and lasting damage to the many children he came into contact with.

“The CPS has worked closely with Northumbria Police throughout this complex international investigation, building a robust case that left Leighton no option but to admit to the numerous charges against him. 

“The CPS was also able to successfully prosecute Leighton for the serious offence of rape, proving that he was as guilty in instigating the overseas offending as he would have been committing the crime itself.”  

“This case perfectly illustrates the very real risks to children of sharing images of themselves online and I would encourage anyone who believes they are being targeted in this way to report it to police at the earliest opportunity. Taking swift action may well prevent others from falling victim to similar crimes. 

“It is difficult to overstate the damage caused by Paul Leighton, but it is our sincere hope that the sentences passed today bring a measure of comfort to all of his victims.”

(Ends)

Notes to editors

1. Gary Buckley is the Senior Crown Prosecutor for CPS North East 
2. Paul George Leighton (dob 02/05/85) pled guilty to:

• four counts of causing a child to engage in sexual activity 
• four counts of blackmail 
• three counts of rape of a child under 13 
• three counts of making indecent photographs of a child 
• two counts of sexual assault of a child under 13 
• causing a child under the age of 16 to engage in sexual activity 
• assaulting a child under 13 by penetration
• possessing an extreme pornographic image
• possession of a Class B substance
• distributing indecent images of a child
• possession of an indecent video

Internet predator who targeted young girls online jailed

A man from Harrow has been sentenced to 10 years in prison today (1 September) after using social media to target young girls and get them to engage in sexual activity online. 

Derek Hutton used social media platform MovieStarPlanet, aimed at children aged eight to 15, to contact girls and engage in sexualised conversations with them before moving them to platforms with a video function.

Hutton then filmed himself and encouraged his victims to engage in sexual activity themselves or to send him pictures. 

The social media platform continually alerted police to Hutton’s conduct but he avoided detection using fake IP addresses. Hutton had created 407 usernames and approached 3,715 individual users over two years. 

It is estimated that Hutton attempted to engage girls in sexual activity on the platform 500 times, doing so successfully on 250 occasions and inciting sexual activity by a child under 13 on 50 occasions.

Tom Guest, from the CPS, said: “Derek Hutton spent more than two years approaching hundreds of young children on the internet.

“Hutton went to great lengths to hide his identity and avoid being caught, using false IP addresses and routinely wiping his computer history so he could continue his offending.

“The CPS put a case before the court that reflected the scale of his offending, including evidence from social media platforms based abroad, resulting in Hutton’s guilty plea.”

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Notes to editors:

• Tom Guest is a Specialist Prosecutor in the International Justice and Organised Crime Division.
• Derek Hutton appeared at Blackfriars Crown Court and pleaded guilty to:

            o   causing a child under 13 to engage in sexual activity;

            o   six counts of engaging in sexual activity in the presence of a child;

            o   two counts of procuring the making of indecent photographs of a child;

            o   four counts of inciting a child to engage in sexual activity;

            o   attempting to engage in sexual activity in the presence of a child.

• Hutton received a 10 year prison sentence and will be on an extended licence period of five years. He will be on the Sex Offenders Register and subject to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order for life.