May 2021: Curtis was sentenced to eight months suspended for two years.

He was also put on the sex offenders register for ten years and will be subject to a sexual harm prevention order for the same period.

April 2021

Tynemouth paedophile spent years collecting sick images of children as young as two

A paedophile pensioner is facing jail after he spent years collecting sick images of children as young as two.

Roger Curtis was found with more than 1,800 disgusting photographs of kids being abused when his electrical devices were seized by police.

A court heard that 83 of the pictures in the revolting haul were of the most serious category A kind, which involve penetrative sexual activity.

Curtis, of Monkstone Crescent, in Tynemouth, was arrested after the disturbing collection was discovered in August 2019.

And the 70-year-old is now facing a possible stint behind bars after he pleaded guilty to three counts of making an indecent photograph of a child and one of possessing a prohibited image of a child.

Prosecutor, James Long, told North Tyneside Magistrates’ Court that Curtis collected the images over a great number of years before August 1 2019.

He added: “I have discussed the matter with my friend and the invitation is to commit the matter for sentence given the large amount of category A images.

“The children’s ages are between two and 14 and it’s behaviour over a considerable number of years.

The court heard that, in total, Harrison had 83 category A images, 163 category B images and 1,635 category C images.

District Judge Paul Currer agreed that Harrison should be sent to Newcastle Crown Court for sentence and bailed him to appear there on May 13.

He said: “You have pleaded guilty and you will be given credit for that in due course.

“The case is so serious that I can’t deal with it and it has to go to the crown court. You will appear there on May 13 at 10am.

“Please attend on that time and date. If you don’t, you commit an offence.”

In the meantime, Curtis was ordered to sign the Sex Offenders’ Register.

September 2020

Man who masturbated in front of schoolchildren avoids jail

A convicted sex offender has avoided jail after masturbating in front of terrified schoolchildren as they walked past his house.

Pupils were left ‘shocked and appalled’ after seeing Stephen Fullerton, 63, ‘naked and groping his crotch area’ in front of his living room window.

After hearing about Fullerton’s ‘disgusting behaviour’ from pupils, a teacher went to investigate and also found him masturbating in full view at his home in Morpeth, Northumberland.

Retired Fullerton continued offending even after he was arrested and released under investigation, heard Newcastle Crown Court.

He also has a previous conviction for making indecent images of children from 2009.

He has been given a four-month prison sentence suspended for two years after admitting three offences of outraging public decency and one of exposure.

Fullerton committed the offences between March and May last year, when he knew there would be a ‘parade of children going past’, the court was told.

In the first offence, a teenager saw Fullerton masturbating around a metre and a half away from the window.

On another day, the same girl saw him again while she was with a friend. Lewis Kerr, prosecuting, said: ‘He had his hand behind one of his knees holding his leg up and spreading them.’ A few days later a school teacher went to look.

Fullerton was seen wearing a dark shirt and bobble hat but was naked from the waist down sitting in the living room ‘rocking back and forth with his hands groping his genital area’.

He was arrested but released under investigation and continued his behaviour.

One girl saw Fullerton naked with his leg straddling over a table and ‘doing something with his genitals’.

A teenager said in a victim impact statement: ‘I’m shocked and appalled by what has happened. At the time I couldn’t face speaking to anyone about it. ‘I was having difficulty concentrating due to the thought this man would be there again and I would have to see his disgusting behaviour.’

As well as the suspended sentence, Fullerton was fined £1,000 and must undertake a sex offenders treatment programme.

Judge Julie Clemitson said Fullerton ‘presents a risk to children which needs to be addressed if children are to be protected from you’.

March 2021

Alnwick pervert who made vile comment to nine-year-old girl had indecent images

A pervert who made a vile comment to a nine-year-old girl was found with indecent images of children on his computer.

Stephen Wrench asked the child if she had a boyfriend and if she kissed him and whether he could kiss her private parts, to which she said no and he laughed.

The little girl told her mum what had happened and Wrench was arrested and prosecuted for engaging in sexual communication with a child.

He was given a three year community order for that in September 2018 but police, who seized his computer devices, discovered child abuse images on them a year later.

Now Wrench, who said he preferred girls aged between five and ten, has been back in court for making indecent images of children.

Newcastle Crown Court heard there were pictures on his phone and laptop, of girls aged between one and 13.

Andrew Espley, prosecuting, said: “He admitted the images were his. He said it became a habit.

“He admitted he was aroused by them and said he preferred girls aged between five and ten years old.”

Wrench, 38, of Tower Lane, Alnwick, Northumberland, pleaded guilty to making indecent images and was sentenced to 12 weeks suspended for 12 months with a £500 fine and £200 costs.

He must also sign the sex offenders register and be be subject to a sexual harm prevention order for seven years.

Judge Sarah Mallett said he had “made some progress and demonstrated a potential for rehabilitation”.

February 2021

Northumberland sex offender jailed after concealing criminal past and meeting South Tyneside woman and child

A sex offender who went on a daytrip with a mother and child while keeping his sickening past a secret has been put behind bars.

David Young started a relationship with the mum, from South Tyneside, online and revealed nothing about the 40-month jail term he served in 2013 for three offences of engaging in sexual activity with a child and two of assault.

Newcastle Crown Court heard the 32-year-old, who is on the sex offenders register for life, went on a fishing and park trip with the mum and child last summer.

But before a second trip that had been arranged could take place, the woman found out the truth about his shocking past and told the police

The mum said in a statement: “I am completely shocked after finding out about his past, especially as he had been in contact with my child.

“I was sick at finding out about it.

“I felt I was used by him so he could get access to my child.

“I also feel scared now as he knows where I live and work. I am anxious he will try and find me if he’s released.”

Young, of Elliott Street, Blyth, admitted breach of a sexual harm prevention order.

He also admitted breach of sex offender registration requirements by failing to disclose a change of address within the required time.

At the time of the offences he was on a suspended sentence for a previous breach of the sexual harm prevention order by talking to an underage girl.

Judge Tim Gittins sentenced Young to 28 months behind bars and said the mum was left “sickened”.

The judge told him: “You engaged in a relationship with a lady that was based on you not telling her the truth about your circumstances.

“Despite the clear prohibitions for you to be in contact with any children, male or female, by virtue of the sexual harm prevention order, you took her and her child on a fishing trip and planned another but she became aware of the true position and your history.

“She was obviously deeply distressed, not least because of the fear of what you might have done towards her child.”