Child molester jailed after girl relives horror

By
July 18, 2013
EDL, English Defence League, paedophile, sex abuse

A teenage sex-abuse victim endured years of “inner torture” after she was persuaded to drop her allegations against her attacker, a Court heard.

Self-confessed child molester Michael Coates got sympathy for himself by falsely claiming that he too had been a victim of sexual abuse and the girl was pressured into not proceeding with her allegations against him.

It was only three years later when Coates was finally charged with a series of sex offences, including two attempted rapes, that he admitted his own sex-abuse story was a pack of lies.

Today the 23-year-old Bradford man was beginning a six-year jail sentence for the repeated abuse which he accepted had developed from “experimenting” as a ten-year-old boy into a habit.

Coates, now of no fixed abode, pleaded guilty to a total of eight charges of indecent assault and two of attempted rape in relation to the first girl and a further four offences of indecent assault in relation to a second.

During yesterday’s hearing at Bradford Crown Court Coates’ barrister Jonathan Rose handed Judge Roger Scott a copy of a suicide note his client had written.

In it he described himself as a child molester and offered his apologies to the two girls for what he had done.

Jailing Coates, Judge Scott told him that he regarded him as a danger to children and highlighted the fact he had told a series of dramatic lies for his own purposes.

“That poor girl must have had a very, very long period of inner torture…she attempted to kill herself as I understand it,” he said.

He said it was a further aggravating feature of the case that Coates had used bribery through sweets, money and cigarettes in exchange for sexual favours.

In addition to the jail sentence, Coates will also have to register with the police as a sex offender for the rest of his life.

Prosecutor John Hitchen told the court that the first girl had suffered flashbacks and nightmares after deciding to drop the proceedings in 1998, but she eventually challenged Coates about what he had done in the autumn of last year.

Coates was arrested in October and made admissions in relation to the allegations made by the two girls.

Mr Rose conceded that Coates’ offending had turned into a habit and he was unable to stop himself until he reached the age of 19 in 1997.

He pointed out that since then Coates had not committed any further offences of a sexual nature.

“This is a very young man about to start a sentence for offences against children and through the duration of that sentence he will have no one….it’s going to be a very lonely and a very difficult time,” said Mr Rose.

Telegraph & Argus

Three sentenced for their parts in EDL protest disorder in Leicester

By
July 18, 2013
Suspended sentence

Three men were sentenced yesterday for their part in the public disorder which accompanied the English Defence League protest in Leicester.

Two of the men, who denied having any official political affiliation with the EDL, were among a group hurling missiles at the Independent Arts Centre Fabrika, in Humberstone Gate.

Christopher Chapman (22), of Armdale Drive, Netherhall, Leicester, was handed a 12-week suspended prison sentence, by city magistrates.

Unemployed Chapman pleaded guilty to causing £1,000 worth of damage to doors and windows at the venue and using threatening words and behaviour which caused people to fear for their safety

At a previous hearing, Chapman’s solicitor said he was “politically naive” and was still “suffering the effects” of the previous night’s drinking.

Andrew Millard (27), of Bradmore Grove, Birmingham, was ordered to do 100 hours unpaid community work.

Millard, who has a five-year banning order from football grounds for hooliganism, admitted a charge of attempting to damage the arts centre with a large wooden pole.

Ian Johnson, prosecuting Millard, said the group attacked the building after spotting members of the media covering last October’s protest from first floor windows. CCTV cameras filmed Millard picking up a large wooden pole, throwing it at the building but missing.

Chris Stewart, in mitigation, said: “It was a pathetic and half-hearted attempt.”

Ryan Stapleford, of Ashby Road, Ibstock, was ordered to do 200 hours unpaid work in the community after admitting to launching a “flying kick” on a Muslim man on the afternoon of the EDL demonstration.

The 18-year-old, who was filmed on CCTV attacking the man outside Benny’s Chicken, in Granby Street, claimed he had been defending a friend who had persuaded him to accompany him to the protest.

This is Leicester

Swansea couple jailed for racist attack on daughter, 17

By
July 18, 2013
Jailed, Racial Conviction, racially aggravated harassment, Racist Abuse

wales

The parents of a 17-year-old girl, jailed for attacking her because she was going out with a black man, have been called “disgraceful” by a judge.

David Champion, 50, from Swansea, and his wife Frances, hit daughter Jane for “bringing shame” on the family.

The father also abused her boyfriend Alfonce Ncube with racist language before grabbing and kicking him.

Champion was jailed for 12 months at Swansea Crown Court, and his wife to nine months. Both admitted assault.

The father also admitted a charge of racially aggravated assault against Mr Ncube.

Frances Champion admitted using threatening, abusive or offensive words or behaviour to cause racially aggravated fear or provocation of violence towards Mr Ncube.

The court heard parents attacked their daughter after returning home to find her in a “state of undress” with Mr Ncube.

After abusing and assaulting Mr Ncube, Champion then grabbed his daughter, now 18, by her hair.

He accused her of “bringing shame” on the family and started to hit her.

Nicola Powell, prosecuting, said: “He told her she was destroying the family and pushed her out of the front door of the family home in St Thomas, Champion shouting racist language to describe Mr Ncube.”

The court heard the teenager went to stay with her grandmother for a while but later returned home

But a month later, after the couple had been drinking, they came home from the pub and challenged her over the relationship.

Miss Powell said: “David Champion asked his daughter if she was still seeing Mr Ncube. When she told him she was, he punched her in the face.

“Miss Champion said she felt huge pain to her left eye, but her father then grabbed her by her throat, and continued hitting her.”

The court heard Mrs Champion yelled: “You deserve it. It is all your fault.”

She also hit her daughter and told her she had “brought shame on her family,” the court heard.

The couple also had to be removed from the restaurant where Mr Ncube worked after going there and shouting for him.

He was “in hiding” during the incident. Frances Champion continued to bang on the restaurant’s window, the court heard.

John Hipkin, defending David Champion, said his client knew his “abhorrent” assault was “not excusable in any way, shape or form”.

He said: “But the circumstances in which he found his young daughter meant he reacted in a terrible way. Lessons have been learned.”
‘Cannot be tolerated’

Georgina Buckley, defending Frances Champion, said her client admitted her “disgraceful” actions were “fuelled by alcohol” and that she “confronted her daughter in a wholly unacceptable and disgusting way”.

“She is remorseful and her daughter has sent her a text message before the court hearing wishing her well.”

Judge Peter Heywood told the couple: “Your behaviour was disgraceful and you used vile language.

“We live in a liberal and enlightened society and these sorts of racist behaviour cannot be tolerated.

“The way you reacted was totally inappropriate.

“I would be failing in my public duty if I was to do anything other than to impose a custodial sentence

BBC News

EDL leaders fined over rooftop protest

By
July 18, 2013
EDL, English Defence League, Fined
Kevin Carroll holds a banner on top of FIFA HQ in Zurich

Kevin Carroll holds a banner on top of FIFA HQ in Zurich

A ROOFTOP protest over the ban on the England football team having embroidered poppies on their shirts has cost two English Defence League members £3,000.

EDL leader Stephen Lennon and member Kevin Carroll flew to Switzerland last Tuesday and 24 hours later managed to get on to the roof of the FIFA headquarters in Zurich.

They were demanding England players be allowed to wear poppies on their shirts for their friendly against Spain after the governing body ruled emblems were not allowed because the poppy was seen as a political emblem.

The compromise of allowing the teams to wear black armbands with poppies on was reached after interventions from Prince William and David Cameron.

But Mr Lennon claims his protest was the tipping point.

“FIFA changed their mind after two hours of us being up on that roof,” he said. “Everyone’s saying it was David Cameron but it was us.”

The pair were arrested when they came down from the roof after four hours, and were fined £2,300 and had to pay £700 court costs.

“They said our reasons were just but obviously it was against the law,” said Mr Lennon. “They put us in a grimy prison for three days.”

Their spell behind bars meant the pair were not in London on Friday when 170 English Defence Members were arrested at a pub near the Cenotaph because police believed they were headed for the protest camp at St Paul’s Cathedral.

Mr Lennon said: “They dragged everyone out of the pub and held them for four hours. There was no trouble.

“The police said they were preventing a breach of the peace so they arrested everyone, men and women. But no-one was charged with anything, they were all just released after four hours.”

Luton Today

The Guardian

Man loses appeal over Luton parade

By
July 18, 2013
conditional discharge, EDL, English Defence League, Public order offence

kevin-carroll-court-case-11-1279816669-article-0

A judge and two magistrates decided Kevin Carroll’s behaviour had been likely that day to cause alarm and distress in Luton Town Centre.

But minutes after losing his appeal Mr Carroll a 41 year old carpenter emerged from Luton crown court where his case had been heard to a hero’s welcome.

Scores of young men chanted “EDL, EDL” a reference to the right wing group, The English Defence League.

Mr Carroll addressed the crowd saying “Thank you patriots and people of our great democracy for supporting me.”

He said the country was “falling” more and more under the influence of Sharia law and he and people like him were being “treated like enemies of the state.”

To rousing applause he ended by “God Bless our Troops, God save the Queen.”

Later he said “I am disappointed by the court’s decision but I will accept it on the chin and move on”

He said on the day of the protest by Muslim extremists which had led to his arrest he had been intent on protecting a group of veterans and old soldiers.

He added what upset him most that day was that the extremists had been allowed to protest in front of the soldiers and next to their families who had attended the parade

Caroll, a married man had gone to court earlier in the day to appeal against his conviction earlier this year when he was found guilty of using threatening words and behaviour likely to to cause fear harassment and alarm.

In court Judge Christopher Compston hearing the case was told how on March 10 last year there was a home coming parade by the 2nd Battalion The Royal Anglian Regiment through Luton Town Centre.

But within minutes of the march getting underway a group of Islamic extremists staged an anti war protest

They had placards and shouted at the troops “Butchers of Basra” and “British soldiers go to hell.

The group were standing near the town hall and an angry crowd, incensed that the soldiers were being subjected to the protest, began a counter demonstration.

They had to be separated from the young Muslims by a cordon of police officers.

In a stand off the crowd were heard to shout “No surrender to the Talban,” “England, England” and “Scum, Scum Scum.

Carroll of Bolingbroke Road, Luton was captured on town centre CCTV as being part of the crowd angry at the Muslim protest.

He was arrested later by police officers and earlier this year found guilty of the public order offence and given a nine month conditional discharge and told he must pay costs of £175.

In court Mr Carroll said he had been “extremely angry and upset” when he saw the extremists protesting against the soldiers”

He said there was an “instantaneous upset” among many people who had gone to the parade and he had ended as part of a crowd that had vented their anger towards the protesters.

“I just couldn’t believe they had been allowed to do that.

He said at one point he ran towards a group of veterans because he thought the Muslim protester was heading in their protection and he wanted to protect the old soldiers.

“I swore at the extremists, I don’t deny that, but it was a crazy situation. It was not something I condone but there was so much anger and emotion from everyone.”

He added “Everyone was doing the same thing. People were so upset by what these people had done and wanted to give them a piece of their mind”

He added “Everyone in the vicinity was swearing and shouting and roaring”

Mr Carroll denied that he’d been a ring leader that day

Dismissing the appeal Judge Christopher Compston told Carroll “We have no doubt at all that you did use threatening, abusive and insulting words and behaviour which was likely to cause harassment, alarm and distress.”

The judge said the CCTV evidence had been overwhelming and he went on “We dismiss your appeal.

He ordered that Carroll pay further costs of £330.

Heart

Outrage as lout who flouts sentence still avoids prison

By
July 18, 2013
criminal damage, Racial Conviction, racially aggravated assault, Suspended sentence

A taxi driver has hit out at a thug who used a legal loophole to avoid jail after subjecting him to a violent assault.

Shaun Burns, 19, of Mayfield Avenue, Ingol, was found guilty of racially aggravated assault and criminal damage to the taxi during the period of a previous three months sentence, suspended for a year, imposed in May 2011 for affray.

But a shameful legal loophole has seen him walk out of court a free man,.

His suspended jail term had originally been imposed by Crown court, meaning magistrates, who found him guilty of the attack in March, had to commit his sentencing to the crown court.

Burns then appealed the verdict, leading to a further delay in sentence. He then abandoned the appeal.

By the day of Burn’s sentencing on Thursday – four months after his case was committed – the period of his suspended sentence had expired and Judge Ian Leeming QC, sitting at Preston’s Sessions House, ruled it would be ‘unjust’ to activate the order.

Instead Burns walked out of court with another suspended term, this time for 16 weeks suspended for a year, with 100 hours unpaid work, £350 costs and £520 compensation.

Earlier this year father–of-five Muhammed Hussain, from Holme Slack, Preston, told how he feared for his life after Burns, his partner Bryanne-Serrita Langham, 22, and friend Callum Tennant, 20, launched a racist attack on him before threatening to “take him down a side street and kill him”.

During the terrifying incident last December his attackers even threatened to cut off the Miller’s taxi driver’s beard.

Today a Crown Prosecution Service spokesman said: “Shaun Burns was found guilty after trial on March 22, 2012 at Preston Magistrates Court of racially aggravated common assault and criminal damage.

“The magistrates decided they had insufficient sentencing powers for these particular offences and committed the case to Preston Crown Court for sentence. The CPS was advised that Mr Burns was to exercise his right to appeal this conviction and therefore the Crown Court took the case out of the listing pending the outcome of the appeal.

“The appeal was subsequently abandoned by the defence and the case was relisted for sentence at Preston Crown Court on July 19.”

Tennant, of Marshall Grove, Ingol, was found guilty of racially aggravated assault and criminal damage to the taxi, which was kicked and dented when Mr Hussain pulled over to let them out at Lane Ends pub in Ashton.

He was given a community order, five month curfew and 200 hours unpaid work and ordered to pay £130 compensation and £50 costs in March.

Langham, 22, of Sylvancroft, Ingol, pleaded guilty to criminal damage to a taxi and making off without paying the £4.50 fare and was ordered to pay £84.50 compensation, a £100 fine, a £15 victim surcharge and £40 costs.

Mr Hussain, 36, had picked up the group from Marshall Grove on December 28, last year.

Lancashire Evening Post

Middlesbrough railway station race abuse group to pay £6k

By
July 18, 2013
EDL, English Defence League, Fined, Racial Conviction, religiously aggravated harassment, religiously aggravated intentional harassment

SIX men with links to a controversial right-wing pressure group have been ordered to pay almost £6,000 for chanting a sickening torrent of religious abuse

EDL members outside Teesside Magistrates Court

EDL members outside Teesside Magistrates Court

The men, who are associated with the English Defence League (EDL), were sentenced at Teesside Magistrates’ Court yesterday.

They were found guilty in August of shouting a highly inflammatory religious chant at Middlesbrough railway station.

Supporters of the men, some wearing EDL sweatshirts and carrying flags, gathered outside the court building yesterday as magistrates only allowed five people in the public gallery.

There was also a strong police presence both in and outside the court, along with mounted officers in Centre Square.

As reported, the group members – who all said they were associated to the EDL in some way – were convicted of religiously aggravated harassment and using threatening words or behaviour to cause harassment alarm or distress, after a two-day trial.

The incident happened at about 7.30pm on Saturday, December 10, after the group came to Middlesbrough to watch Boro play Brighton. But when they decided it was too cold, they visited several pubs in the town instead.

Trouble arose when the group arrived at the station and were heard by PC Andrew Ward, of British Transport Police, chanting EDL chants – as well as the highly inflammatory chant in question.

Addressing the defendants, Elizabeth Hutchinson, chairman of the bench, said: “It’s the court’s belief that you knew exactly what you were doing, that you deliberately set out to use racially abusive language and to intimidate members of the public.”

She added that the incident was aggravated by the fact that it was a group action which took place over a “length of time” where members of the public were present.

Between them, the defendants were fined £2,730 and ordered to pay £3,090 costs – adding up to £5,820. One person from the public gallery had to be escorted out by police after the sentencing.

Jak Beasley, 23, of Cedar Road, Bishop Auckland was fined £455 and ordered to pay £515 costs.

Ross Williams, 23, of Ebberston Court, Spennymoor, was fined £420 and ordered to pay £515 costs.

Christopher Caswell, 32, of West Auckland Road, Darlington, was fined £455 and ordered to pay £515 costs.

Paul Ross, 48, of Auckland Wind, Shildon, was fined £525 and ordered to pay £515 costs.

Dean Spence, 23, of Yew Close, Spennymoor, fined £455 and ordered to pay £515 costs.

Shaun Bunting, 33, of Fenhall Green, Newton Aycliffe, was fined £420 and ordered to pay £515 costs.

The EDL was formed in response to a protest in March 2009 organised by an Islamic group against troops returning from the war in Afghanistan.

The group states its aim is to demonstrate peacefully but conflicts with Unite Against Fascism and other opponents have led to street violence, anti-social behaviour and arrests.

In July last year, about 500 EDL supporters marched through Middlesbrough. The event, which was marked by a large police presence, passed off peacefully

Gazette Live

Suspended term for EDL protester

By
July 18, 2013
EDL, English Defence League, Racial Conviction, racially aggravated harassment, Suspended sentence

A man travelled to an English Defence League march in Leicester because he knew there might be trouble and he could shout and scream at Asian people, a court heard yesterday.

Prosecutor Elizabeth Dodds told Leicester Magistrates Court that Daniel John Buckley told police that was why he had made the journey.

Buckley, 27, of Oakley Road, Long Eaton, Nottingham, admitted racially aggravated harassment and obstructing a police officer.

Eve Patterson, in mitigation, said Buckley had an alcohol problem

He was given an eight-week prison sentence suspended for 12 months and ordered to attend a course to address his alcohol problem.

Leicester Mercury

EDL thug abused old men

By
July 18, 2013
EDL, English Defence League, Suspended sentence

An ENGLISH Defence League member who threatened two elderly asian men has been handed a suspended prison sentence.

Darren Buck, 50, was involved in the demonstration with the far-right group in Halifax town centre on April 16.

Calderdale Magistrates Court heard how around 200 EDL members turned out for the demonstration which they claimed was in protest at two of their number being attacked the week before.

At around 2.30pm police reported that a large gathering of protesters were congregating outside The Plummet Line pub, Bull Close Lane, Halifax, and were trying to break through the police line.

It was at this time that officers saw Buck, a former sheet metal worker, acting aggressively towards the two elderly asian men.

Officers said he was seen trying to punch the two men but he missed and was consequently arrested.

Buck was interviewed by police and admitted the offence saying he was demonstrating to show solidarity with his fellow members.

He also told them he had been an EDL member for about a year but didn’t have any racist beliefs.

Buck pleaded guilty to a charge of using insulting or abusive language with the threat of violence.

Judith Poole, chair of the magistrates, said: “We feel this offence is so serious that only custody is appropriate.

“You were part of a group of 200 people, over 200 police officers had to be in attendance and it was a Saturday afternoon with a lot of people around who must have been really frightened.”

Buck, from Wombwell, Barnsley, was sentenced to 16 weeks in prison which was suspended for 12 months.

He will be subject to a curfew on Saturdays and Sundays from 9am to 9pm for 20 weeks and must pay costs of £85.

Halifax Courier

Three men in court after protests

By
July 18, 2013
Public order offence, scottish defence league, Uncategorized

Three men have appeared in court after being arrested during clashes between rival demonstrators in Edinburgh.

Scott Buchan, 23, from Aylesbury in Buckinghamshire, and David Parslow, 52, from Edinburgh, both admitted breaching the peace and were released on bail.

Graeme Stevenson, 21, denied acting in a manner likely to incite violence and public disorder.

About 2,000 anti-racist campaigners opposed a threatened protest by the Scottish Defence League on Saturday.

About 90 Scottish Defence League members were kept inside the Jenny Ha’s pub, which sits opposite the Scottish Parliament on the Royal Mile, by police who blocked the doors and sealed off the area to stop the rival groups clashing.

They were later put on buses and taken away from the area.

In a brief appearance before Sheriff Derrick McIntyre, Buchan admitted disorderly behaviour by attempting to engage others in a fight and blocking vehicles on the road outside the pub.

Released on bail

The sheriff called for background reports and bailed Buchan until sentencing next month on the condition he reports to his local police station in Aylesbury every Saturday.

Parslow admitted shouting and swearing outside the city’s Central Mosque. He was bailed until later this week, when further details are due to be heard in court.

Mr Stevenson, of Largs, denied acting in a manner likely to incite violence and public disorder while inside Jenny Ha’s.

He was released on bail on the condition he does not participate in Scottish or English Defence League demonstrations.

The Scottish Defence League, an offshoot of the English Defence League, attempted to hold a similar demonstration in Glasgow last year.

It has insisted it is not racist or fascist despite claims to the contrary from opponents.

BBC News