87 paedophiles, rapists and perverts all parents should know about

Dangerous predators, paedophiles and rapists who have targeted woman, men and children have disgusted and shocked ECHO readers. Some horrific cases have been brought before Liverpool Crown Court, including victims who were just children

From violent rapists to manipulative groomers, their crimes appalled readers when they were first reported.

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Thanks to the courage of victims who reported their abusers and in some instances gave evidence against them in court, and of course the dedicated police officers and Crown Prosecution Service teams whose painstaking work built up cases against perpetrators, these twisted crooks were all locked up.

To make people aware of the ways in which predators can target and children, we have put together a list of some of these men and woman and their sick crimes.

Andrew Ratchford -Jailed on February 23, 2023

Andrew Ratchford of Gainford Road, Knotty Ash, was found guilty after a four-day trial of one count of attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child and one count of attempting to incite a child to engage in a sexual act. He offered what he thought was a 14-year-old girl money and clothes and asked to meet at a hotel room but during the trial in January this year, the 43-year-old claimed he knew he was talking to a fake profile.

Ratchford was sentenced to four years imprisonment and a sexual harm prevention order was implemented for 10 years. Notification requirements are also in place indefinitely.

Gyulhan Hyusein -Jailed on February 23, 2023

Gyulhan Hyusein, 25, followed a woman in her late teens as she was walking to her partner's home at 3am on Sunday, October 16 2022 following a night out with friends. Liverpool Crown Court heard the woman walked along Orford Lane in Warrington, Hyusein put his arm around his victim and placed his hand down her back.

The victim pushed him away and told him "no" multiple times, before dragging her into a an alleyway and pushed her against a wall, where he continued to touch her. Gyulhan Hyusein pleaded guilty to two counts of sexual assault.

The 25-year-old was sentenced to 10 years in prison at Liverpool Crown Court on Thursday, February 23.

Lucel Tugui -Jailed on February 21, 2023

Lucel Tugui drove past the woman's home and instead took her to a remote location, where he performed a series of vile acts on her. But the "devious predator" was caught out after the incident was recorded by a CCTV camera inside his car, with the footage having captured him "smugly" saying "she has no clue what happened" after dropping his victim off following his attack.

Tugui admitted causing a person to engage in sexual activity without consent and was found guilty of three counts of sexual assault by a jury. Appearing via video link to HMP Liverpool, he was jailed for 12 years.

Christopher Smith -Jailed on February 17, 2023

Christopher Smith, 41, who was a school governor and worked for the Home Office, had his secret life revealed after a pervert was arrested by Devon and Cornwall Police. When Smith, who was then living in New Brighton, Wirral, was arrested and interviewed on November 18 by Merseyside Police the same images were found on his phone and a “plethora” of messages between the two men.

Smith, of Brookfield Drive, Fazakerley, pleaded guilty to 15 offences involving three of sexual activity with a child, taking, making, distributing and possessing indecent images. He was ordered to sign on the Sex Offenders Register for life.

Alan Cashman -Jailed on February 16, 2023

Alan Cashman held daily lewd chats on Facebook with what he believed was a 14-year-old boy and exposed himself during a video call. But, unbeknown to him, he was being ensnared in a paedophile hunter sting.

Cashman admitted attempting to incite a child to engage in sexual activity, attempting to cause a child to watch sexual activity and attempting sexual communications with a child. Appearing via video link to HMP Altcourse, he was jailed for 20 months as well as being handed a 10-year sexual harm prevention order and told to sign the sex offenders' register for the same period.

Alan Thomley -Jailed on February 14, 2023

Alan Thomley engaged in lewd online chats with three decoy accounts posing as what he believed were teenage girls aged as young as 13. The 51-year-old asked one of the supposed youngsters what colour her underwear was and exposed himself on video while in the bath to the others.

Thomley, of Longfield Road in Bootle, admitted three counts of attempting to incite a child to engage in sexual activity, two counts of attempting to incite a child to watch sexual activity and three counts of attempting sexual communications with a child. He was jailed for 45 months, handed a new lifetime SHPO and told to sign the sex offenders' register indefinitely.

Iain Lloyd -Jailed on February 10, 2023

Iain Lloyd, 33, of William Burton Place in New Ferry, was sentenced at Liverpool Crown Court on Friday, February 10 after pleading not guilty for historic sexual offences with a child. Lloyd was convicted in December following a trial, and has been sentenced to four years in jail after being found guilty for indecent assault on a boy under the age of 14 years.

He will also be on the sex offender register for life. Detectives from Merseyside’s Unity Team who specialise in Rape and Serious Sexual Assault Offences, charged Lloyd for two counts of indecent assault with a minor which took place more than 20 years ago.

Shaun Bennett -Jailed on February 6, 2023

Shaun Bennett, 19, of Banner Street, Wavertree, appeared at Liverpool Crown Court in relation to a sexual assault which took place while he was under investigation for the rape of a young girl. Bennett was already serving a seven and a half year detention with a further five year extended licence for the rape of a 13-year-old girl in 2019, for which he was sentenced on September 9, 2021.

In relation to this offence, he pleaded guilty to making threats to kill, but continued to deny inciting someone to engage in sexual activity until four days before cross examination of the victim for trial was due to take place. Bennett was sentenced to 13 months in detention for causing someone under 16 to engage in sexual activity, and two years for making threats to kill, to be served consecutively to each other and to his current sentence.

Petrus-Ionut Apostoae -Jailed on February 3, 2023

Petrus-Ionut Apostoae, 25, of Gorsey Lane, Orford, appeared at Liverpool Crown Court charged with two counts of rape, one count of burglary, three counts of attempted burglary and one count of attempting to trespass with intent to commit a sexual offence. His victim woke up to hands over her face and realised an unknown man was in her bedroom.

The prosecution said the victim lay on the bed terrified that the children would wake up and come into the room, and when the defendant realised she was no longer fighting so removed his hand from her mouth and proceeded to rape her. Immediately after the assault, the victim underwent medical examination and she was found to have abrasions over both knees and was later given antibiotics after contracting an STI from the rapist.

Apostoae was given a prison sentence of 14 years and eight months, plus an extended licence period of eight years, totalling 22 years and eight months.

Sean Melvin -Sentenced on February 2, 2023

Liverpool Crown Court heard officers raided Sean Melvin's address at around 7.45am on June 8, 2021 and seized two phones. Indecent images of children aged between eight and 12 were subsequently discovered on both phones, as well as a stash of extreme pornographic images involving animals.

The defendant admitted possession of indecent images, three counts of making indecent images and possession on extreme pornographic images. Melvin was handed a 10-month imprisonment suspended for two years as well as a rehabilitation activity requirement of up to 30 days and a programme requirement.

Jack Williams -Jailed on February 2, 2023

Jack Williams, 24, committed a number of sexual offences against a woman, leaving her "emotionless" and "hollow". He forced her onto her hands and knees, ripped off her clothes, touched her sexually and refused to let her leave the room.

Williams, of Wokefield Way, Eccleston, St Helens, pleaded guilty to a number of offences including causing actual bodily harm, sexual assault, rape and sexual assault by penetration and another serious criminal offence, in addition to the criminal damage charge. Williams, 24, was jailed for nine years and 10 months, followed by a three-year licence period.

Ian Wilkinson -Jailed on January 31, 2023

Ian Wilkinson repeatedly abused a teenage boy during the 1980s. A trial at Liverpool Crown Court heard his assaults occurred in the Newton-le-Willows area in the mid-to-late 80s.

Wilkinson, of Ormskirk Road in Upholland, performed sexual acts on his victim and forced him to carry out sex acts. He was found guilty of nine counts of indecent assault by a jury following a trial.

Appearing via video link to HMP Altcourse, he was jailed for nine years and told to sign the sex offenders' register for life.

John Grunner -Jailed on January 31, 2023

John Grunner, 44, appeared at Liverpool Crown Court after being caught by police on the way to meet with what he thought was a 14 year-old boy. The officer told Grunner he was 14 early in the conversation, and Grunner soon asked if he had “done gay stuff before”.

Grunner was sentenced to three years and four months imprisonment.

Matthew Reed -Jailed on January 30, 2023

Matthew Reed was convicted of sexual offences three times, having been handed a lengthy jail sentence previously for raping another young child. The paedophile shouted "bulls" as he was locked up again at the end of January 2023.

Reed admitted two counts of rape and was imprisoned for 11 years, as well as being handed an extended five years on licence. He will also be...