Defendants jailed in Bristol over the last nine months for offences against children

The striking thing about offences against children is the immense breach of trust. As well as the great unfairness of abusing such vulnerable victims.

Sadly, such offences are all too prevalent day in, day out at Bristol Crown Court. Here are the defendants jailed at the court for offences against children between September last year and May. Read more about why we publish defendants’ names and addresses here.

READ MORE: Prison for man who molested girl when he was a teen

Leon Austin, 20 years

A man was jailed for 20 years after pleading guilty to raping a teenager and a young woman. Leon Austin, 31, raped the woman multiple times in South Gloucestershire last year and was arrested the next day. While on remand Austin was also charged for raping a second person in 2018 in Gloucestershire.

The court was told how in both cases Austin targeted his victims by plying them with alcohol or drugs. Read the full story here.

Matthew Williams, seven years

“Ashamed, disgusted and gutted” are the words a Lawrence Hill man expressed on his sexual abuse of a child. And after promptly admitting his wrongdoing he has been sent to prison.

Matthew Williams targeted the 14-year-old boy and forced him to perform sex acts. A court heard the distraught child threatened he would tell his family but Williams persisted – until the boy did tell and Williams was confronted and apologised.

The 36-year-old, of Cobden Street, pleaded guilty to rape, sexual activity with a child and two charges of causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity. Judge Edward Burgess KC jailed him for seven years. Read the full story here.

Steve Sutton, life with a minimum 13 years

A tearful mum told a court the “monster” who subjected her young daughter to a hideous campaign of rape, which he filmed, that her wish is that he stay behind bars for life. The mum gave her emotional impact statement at the sentencing of Steve Sutton, which moved everyone, including the judge.

Sutton, 60, an electrical engineer of Knowle of previous good character, came to the attention of police for downloading images of child sexual abuse. He ultimately pleaded guilty to 30 offences.

The Recorder of Bristol His Honour Judge Peter Blair KC jailed him for life with a minimum 13 years. Read the full story here.

Ashley McDowell, eight years

After being found guilty of numerous sex offences, a man was given an eight-year sentence. Following a trial last month, Ashley McDowell, of no fixed address, was found guilty by a jury at Bristol Crown Court of sexually abusing a girl in her late teens in 2013.

In 2019, the 39-year-old was also found guilty of sexual activity with a teen girl and attempting to encourage the exploitation of a second teen girl. He was sentenced at the same court. Read the full story here.

Lee Jones, two-and-a-half years

Lee Jones’ bid to have intimacy with children cost him a prison sentence. It turned out that, rather than chatting to actual young girls online, and sending one a photo of his private parts, he was actually conversing with paedophile hunters.

Jones, 42, of no fixed address pleaded guilty to attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child and attempting to meet a child following sexual grooming, relating to each decoy.

Judge Michael Longman jailed him or two-and-a-half years. Read the full story here.

Steven Cleverley, 21 years

A Portishead man convicted of raping and indecently assaulting two young girls has been jailed for 21 years. But Bristol Crown Court heard the multiple abuse caused his victims a lifetime of pain.

Steven Cleverley, 67, denied the historical abuse and underwent a trial. A jury found him guilty of two rapes and 11 indecent assaults and he appeared for sentence.

Judge Edward Burgess KC told him: “Your offending has understandably resulted in very serious psychological harm to both victims. I don’t need expert evidence to tell me that, it is perfectly obvious.” Read the full story here.

Michael Hole, 13 years

A Stoke Gifford man who sexually abused three youngsters decades ago has finally paid a price. And it means 77-year-old Michael Hole could be in prison for the rest of his days.

Bristol Crown Court heard Hole molested the boys and got them to touch him improperly. In all the abuse spanned some 15 years and has blighted the victims’ lives ever since.

Hole, of Long Down Avenue, pleaded guilty to 12 charges of indecent assault. He also admitted eight charges of gross indecency.

Judge William Hart imposed a 13-year sentence. Read the full story here.

Benjamin John Semple, six years and six months

A former girls’ rugby coach from Lawrence Weston who molested a youngster has been jailed. Father-of-three Benjamin John Semple was alone with the 15-year-old when he groped her and tried to get her to touch him improperly, Bristol Crown Court heard.

Semple, 46, an electrical engineer of Lawrence Weston Road, denied wrongdoing. But a jury convicted him of sexual assault and two charges of sexual activity with a child.

The recorder Mr James Bromige jailed Semple for six years and six months. Read the full story here.

Marcus Horn, 11-year extended sentence

A stalker who subjected a teenage girl to a “determined campaign of psychological abuse” has been jailed. Marcus Horn became obsessed with the youngster, messaged her asking for sex, sent her links to porn sites and also left her messages while appearing to be pleasuring himself.

Though he was reported to police Horn was released on police bail, only to plague his victim again. The 49-year-old, of Ivywell Road in Bristol, pleaded guilty to stalking, inciting a child to engage in sexual activity and two charges of having sexual communication with a child.

Judge Julian Lambert handed him an 11-year extended sentence. Read the full story here.

Michael Childs, four years and four months

When a teenager confided with a man that she had been sexually abused she thought he was her friend. But Michael Childs went on to sexually abuse her himself, a court heard.

Childs, of Milton Keynes, had sexualised contact with the 14-year-old online and also visited her at a location near Bristol. But for her, feelings of romance cooled when she realised how he had manipulated her and she told her family what was happening.

Childs, 38, pleaded guilty to having sexual activity with a child. He also admitted causing or enciting a child to engage in sexual activity and engaging in sexual activity in the presence of a child.

Judge Michael Cullum jailed him for four years and four months. Read the full story here.

Robin Corser-Langford, ten months

A convicted sex offender who persisted in contacting young boys was given a last chance to be spared immediate prison. But after signing a judge’s contract to behave himself he failed to do so and has been jailed.

Pensioner Robin Corser-Langford, 73, of Taverner Close, Inns Court, Bristol, pleaded guilty to breaching a Sexual Harm Prevention Order designed to stop him reoffending. He appeared before Bristol Crown Court for sentence in August last year.

Back then Judge Mark Horton deferred sentence on him. He told Corser-Langford: “If you comply the order of this court will be a non-custodial sentence.”

Prosecutor Matthew Jackson told the court Corser-Langford failed to abide by court orders by: failing to disclose an intimate adult relationship; uninstalling monitoring software on his phone; not declaring electronic devices. The recorder Miss Kate Brunner KC jailed him for ten months.

Read the full story here.

Martin Arnold, 12 years

A 65-year-old man was jailed for more than 10 years for assaulting children over a 26-year period.

Martin Arnold, of Bristol Road Lower, Weston-super-Mare, appeared at Bristol Crown Court after pleading guilty to 23 counts of sexual offences against six victims and one count of possessing pornographic images of children.

Arnold was handed a 12-year prison sentence as well as a being ordered to register on the sexual offenders register for life. He was also handed a life-long Sexual Harm Prevention Order. Read the full story here.

Wayne Leigh, seven years and six months

“You selected your victim like a spider to the fly.” These were the words a judge used to describe a Bedminster man convicted of raping a 15-year-old and trying to cover his tracks.

Wayne Leigh denied wrongdoing. But a jury at Bristol Crown Court convicted the 35-year-old, of Somerset Terrace, of rape and perverting the course of justice.

Judge James Patrick jailed him for seven years and six months. Read the full story here.

Timothy Schofield, 12 years

The brother of TV presenter Phillip Schofield was jailed after being found guilty of sexually abusing a teenage boy. Timothy Schofield was convicted of 11 sexual offences involving a child between October 2016 and October 2019, including two of sexual activity with a child, following a trial at Exeter Crown Court.

On April 3 the jury found him guilty on all counts with a majority of 10-2 after more than five-and-a-half hours’ deliberation. The 54-year-old, a civilian Avon and Somerset Police worker from Bath, told the jury while giving evidence that he had watched pornography with the boy, whom he insisted was over the age of 16 at that time, and they had masturbated while sitting apart, but he denied performing sexual acts on the teenager.

Sitting at Bristol Crown Court, The Honourable Mrs Justice Cutts jailed Schofield for 12 years. Read the full story here.

Christopher Savage, four years

When Christopher Savage was found with child abuse photos he was spared immediate jail. But he’s now in prison after a court heard he sexually abused a child.

Savage, 58, of New House Farm in Highridge, Somerset, pleaded guilty to causing or inciting a girl aged under 13 to engage in sexual activity. Judge Julian Lambert jailed him for four years.

The judge handed Savage an indefinite Sexual Harm Prevention Order banning him from unsupervised contact with children aged under-16. He also ordered him to notify his whereabouts to police indefinitely. Read the full story here.

Marcus Carter, seven years and eight months

A mum looked into the face of the man who shook her baby to death at their Easton home. And she told him exactly how she felt about it.

Amber Collins made her victim personal statement, at times directly to Marcus Carter. He admitted killing their 10-week-old son Remari – but has never revealed how, despite experts agreeing the tot was shaken with such force he suffered rib fractures, respiratory failure and a catastrophic brain injury.

Miss Collins told Bristol Crown Court: “He’s responsible for my son’s death. He was supposed to be my son’s dad. He shook him to death and he denied it for two-and-a-half years. Why don’t you care what Remari went through?”

Carter, 43, whose address was given as Burns Road in Moxley, Walsall, originally faced a murder charge after Remari’s death in August 2020. He was due to face trial but in January this year he pleaded guilty to manslaughter, which was accepted.

The Honourable Mrs Justice Henrietta Hill jailed him for seven years and eight months. Read the full story here.

Bunja Godlad, five years

A man found guilty of physical and sexual assaults on two youngsters was jailed. Bunja Godlad denied wrongdong after the abuse was alleged in Bristol.

The 30-year-old, whose address was given as Woodborough Road in Nottingham, denied wrongdoing. But a jury at Bristol Crown Court convicted him of four sexual activity charges and two charges of child cruelty.

The recorder Mr Adam Vaitilingam KC jailed him for five years. Read the full story here.

David Brody, two years and three months

A lorry driver fuelled his “very deeply entrenched sexually perveted fascination with children” by downloading child abuse photos. And as a result he was jailed.

David Brody, formerly Fitzmaurice, has a plethora of previous offences for downloading such material, Bristol Crown Court heard. The court was told he also had previous convictions for indecent assaults on girls aged under 16.

Brody, 61, of Upper Church Road in Weston-super-Mare, pleaded guilty to three charges of making an indecent indecent image of a child on May 14, 2020. He also admitted breaching a sexual offences prevention order on April 4, 2020, by failing to surrender all his internet-enabled computer devices for inspection.

Judge Edward Burgess KC jailed him for two years and three months. Read the full story here.

Matthew Nicholas, 16 years

A 50-year-old man who sexually assaulted two children was jailed for 16 years.

Matthew Nicholas, of no fixed address, was sentenced at Bristol Crown Court on Friday, January 20, after being found guilty of 10 counts of sexual assault of a child under 13.

The court heard how Nicholas, formally of Yate, had sexually assaulted two young children on multiple occasions between 2015 and 2020. Read the full story here.

Leroy Hall, six-and-a-half years

A rapist has been jailed after being convicted of crimes he committed in the 1980s and 1990s. Leroy Hall was sentenced at Bristol Crown Court on Friday 20 January after being found guilty of non-recent sexual offences.

In the late-1980s, a then 17-year-old girl got into a car being driven by Hall. The jury during a five-day trial this month were told how he drove her to the Eastville area of the city and raped her.

She reported what happened to police in 2017 after seeing a newspaper article with a picture of Hall and recognising him as the man who raped her. Read the full story here.

Daniel Harris, 21 months

When he was a teenager Willsbridge man Daniel Harris was warned about possessing indecent photos of a child. And as an adult he took the opportunity to molest a youngster on several occasions, a court heard.

Harris, 28, of Caldicot Close, pleaded guilty to five charges of sexual assault of a child aged under-13. He appeared at Bristol Crown Court for sentence on January 25, 2023.

Judge Martin Picton jailed him for 21 months. Read the full story here.

Harry Barton, 21 years extended sentence

A “manipulative sexual predator” used a domineering fictional character to coerce teenage girls to have sex with him. The victims were so taken in by a computer hacker called A9 they acceded to his demands to have sexual activity with Harry Barton, Bristol Crown Court heard.

When A9 threatened repercussions unless they have sex on camera and be whipped by Harry Barton they did so. But it transpired A9 was none other than Barton himself, who at the time was aged in his late teens.

Barton, now 20, of no fixed address, pleaded guilty to: meeting a child following sexual grooming; two rapes of a second complainant; three rapes of a third complainant.

Judge Euan Ambrose handed him an extended sentence of 21 years, comprising of 16 years’ custody and five years’ extended licence. Read the full story here.

Giuseppe Geraci, four-and-a-half years

A man who sexually abused a vulnerable teenage girl in a park was jailed. Giuseppe Geraci chatted to the 15-year-old girl in Bath city centre.

Bristol Crown Court heard that after telling her she was “pretty” he kissed her before they went to Royal Victoria Park. After groping her on a bench he took her to a bush and molested her, the court heard.

Geraci, 29, of East Street in Warminster pleaded guilty to three charges of having sexual activity with a child. Judge James Patrick jailed him for four-and-a-half years. Read the full story here.

Brian David, 20 years

A Totterdown pensioner convicted of historical rapes of a child is likely to die in jail. Brian David, 78, of Wells Road, described allegations that he sexually abused a girl as “a load of bloody nonsense”, Bristol Crown Court heard.

But a jury convicted the former RAF man of a plethora of sexual assaults on the girl when she was aged eight to 17. David was convicted of eight counts of indecent assault, three counts of rape and two counts of buggery.

The Recorder Mr James Bromige, sitting via video link, jailed him for 20 years. He told David: “You are not in good health, you have a diminished life expectancy and the prospect is you will die in prison.” Read the full story here.

Jonathan McConn, two years and ten months

A KIngswood father-of-two who had sex with a vulnerable 15-year-old girl was jailed. Jonathan McConn met the child via social media a court heard.

Text messages between them showed they were having intimacy and police acting on intelligence tracked the girl to McConn’s home. The 32-year-old, of Russell Avenue, pleaded guilty to child abduction.

Judge Mark Horton handed him a two years and ten months prison sentence, telling McConn: “She was vulnerable and there is breach of a formal warning to keep away from her. There was sexual activity and the reality is it was not affection but the abuse of a young girl.” Read the full story here.

Konner Derrick, two years and six months

A man who sexually abused a girl aged under 16 when he was aged 20 was jailed. And after a delay in dealing with the case he received a big discount on what he would otherwise had to serve.

Konner Derrick, 24, whose address was given as Dunmail Road in Southmead but in court said to be homeless, pleaded guilty to seven charges of having sexual activity with a child. He also admitted one charge of causing or inciting a girl to engage in sexual activity.

Judge Michael Cullum said the offences should have attracted a four-year prison sentence. But after a delay he handed Derrick a term of two years and six months.

The judge told him: “Delay in the case is utterly unacceptable to the court.” Read the full story here.

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