Viktorija Sokolova: Teenager who brutally raped and murdered 14-y/o girl in UK named as Ayman Aziz
Ayman Aziz subjected Lithuanian national to horrific levels of violence
in a two-hour attack
It appears likely that pornography contributed to the attack
Sian HarrisonThe Independent
The identity of a teenager who brutally raped and murdered a 14-year-old schoolgirl can be revealed for the first time after a court ruling.
Ayman Aziz, 17, contacted Viktorija Sokolova online and lured her to a Wolverhampton park, where he subjected her to horrific levels of violence in a two-hour attack before dumping her body on a bench.
He was handed a life sentence and ordered to serve at least 19 years behind bars at Wolverhampton Crown Court in February after being found guilty of her murder.
Aziz could not be identified in reports at the time as reporting restrictions because of his age were imposed.
Although the trial judge agreed to lift those restrictions following an application by media organisations, the teenager's lawyers challenged that decision and the restrictions remained in place pending an appeal.
Adam Kane QC argued the reporting restrictions should not be lifted because they would have an adverse effect on Aziz's rehabilitation.
He also said the teenager, who has been diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia, has been "bullied and threatened" in detention and has stopped attending educational classes as a result.
Awww shucks!
But the Lord Chief Justice Lord Burnett and two other senior judges rejected Aziz's challenge at the Court of Appeal, meaning he can now be named.
Ayman Aziz was 16 when he attacked Viktorija Sokolova in 'an explosion of violence' after she refused to have sex with him. ( SWNS.COM )
The judges also rejected an appeal by Aziz, who watched the hearing over a video link from the young offenders' institution where he is detained, against his minimum term.
The teenager denied any wrongdoing during a three-week trial at Wolverhampton Crown Court but was found guilty by a jury on December 14 last year over the attack on Viktorija.
Lithuanian-born Viktorija - described in court by her mother as her "one and only" - was contacted by Aziz on Facebook Messenger and lured to Wolverhampton's West Park late on April 11 2018.
She was savagely beaten in a pavilion before being dragged 150 yards to a bench, where her body was later discovered by a dog walker.
Sentencing Aziz, Mr Justice Jeremy Baker said the teenager carried out the "truly shocking" attack after watching pornography and carrying out internet research.
He was caught on CCTV as he attempted to cover up the offence by hiding bloodied clothing, having deleted Facebook messages and hurled his victim's phone towards a lake.
Detectives believe he used a hammer, which has never been found, to launch the assault on his victim - who suffered a fractured skull, brain injuries and shattered vertebrae.
Throughout his trial, Aziz showed no remorse, gave no evidence in his defence and simply nodded as he was ordered by the judge to be taken to the cells.
In a victim impact statement, Viktorija's mother Karolina Valantiniene said her daughter had "many beautiful plans for the future" - learning how to drive, finishing school - and she had spoken of "buying her a beautiful prom dress".
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| Karolina Valantiniene |
She added: "Many times, I've asked why are there such terrible people on the Earth. To realise you don't have your child any more, and never will again. Because she was my one and only daughter. Someone dared to raise his hand against her and take her away from me. Why?"
Lord Burnett said full reasons for the Court of Appeal's decision will be given at a later date.
Commenting on the ruling, Detective Inspector Caroline Corfield, of West Midlands Police, said: "I am pleased with the outcome of the hearing today. It means a lot to Viktorija's family that the name of her killer has been made public."
How does someone get so completely screwed up at 16 so as to do something like this? Was he raised to believe that western girls are all prostitutes as so many Muslim boys believe?
Evil likes to destroy what is beautiful.
Nottingham: Sexual abuse of children in care homes 'widespread', report finds
The new report from the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse says two councils did not learn from their mistakes
By Aubrey Allegretti,
Around 350 people alleged they were abused while in care in the Nottingham area
Sexual abuse of children in care homes in Nottinghamshire was widespread for decades and a failure to learn from mistakes exposed more young people to harm, a report has found.
The Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse revealed in the report published today that abuse including repeated rapes, sexual assaults and voyeurism took place during the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s in many of Nottingham City Council and Nottingham County Council's homes as well as in foster care.
As well as this, "harmful sexual behaviour" also occurred between children in both areas, it said.
The IICSA has run three investigations into specific local areas
The report said: "For more than five decades, the councils failed in their statutory duty to protect children in their care from sexual abuse.
"These were children who were being looked after away from their family homes because of adverse childhood experiences and their own pre-existing vulnerabilities.
"They needed to be nurtured, cared for and protected by adults they could trust. Instead, the councils exposed them to the risk, and reality, of sexual abuse perpetrated primarily by predatory residential staff and foster carers."
Around 350 people came forward to reveal the alleged abuse they suffered dating back to the 1960s. The true scale is likely to be higher.
Between the late 1970s and 2019, the report found 16 residential staff were convicted of sexual abuse of children in residential care. Ten foster carers were also convicted of sexual abuse of their foster children.
The panel said it was also aware of 12 convictions relating to the harmful sexual behaviour of children against other children in care.
At the notorious Beechwood Care Home, male and female former residents described being routinely sexually abused by members of staff and being too scared to report it.
The report said "sexualised behaviour by staff was tolerated or overlooked" which allowed some abusers to "flourish".
The abuse also took place at other children's residential units, including Hazelwood, Skegby Hall, Edwinstowe, Sandown Road, Wollaton House, Hillcrest, Risley Hall, Greencroft, Beckhampton Road, Woodnook, Amberdale and Three Roofs.
Professor Alexis Jay said neither council 'learnt from their mistakes'
The report warned weaknesses "continue" in the care system in the areas and recommended both councils "assess the potential risks posed by current and former residential care staff and foster carers".
It added Nottingham City Council should "commission an independent, external evaluation of their practice concerning harmful sexual behaviour, including responses, prevention, assessment, intervention and workforce development".
Nottinghamshire Police was also criticised for not properly resourcing investigations into allegations of historical abuse of children in care, nor treating allegations with "sufficient seriousness".
One of the survivors said the abuse and lack of care had "ruined my life" and left them unable to settle or trust people.
They added: "I count myself lucky in some ways, as many survivors are still battling alcohol or drug addictions, have seen the inside of a prison cell, or, devastatingly taken their own lives because of what these animals did to us.
"I just hope that this won't be a flash in the pan and that this remains in the public eye until the whole system is cleaned up."
Professor Alexis Jay, chair of the inquiry, said it was "appalling" children in Nottingham suffered sexual abuse from "those who should have nurtured and protected them".
She added: "Those responsible for overseeing the care of children failed to question the extent of sexual abuse or what action was being taken.
"Despite decades of evidence and many reviews showing what needed to change, neither of the councils learnt from their mistakes, meaning that more children suffered unnecessarily."
The investigation is the third into a specific local area - following Lambeth and Rochdale - in which organisations have been found to have failed to protect children from sexual abuse.
Senior NZ sect figure convicted of child sex abuse
gets sent to his room
gets sent to his room
The Gloriavale sect is located in a remote part of the West Coast.
A suppression order has lapsed for a former senior member of the Gloriavale Christian Community after he was convicted of child sex abuse.
The man has permanent name suppression but suppression on his link to the West Coast community lapsed on Thursday.
The man pleaded guilty earlier this year to representative charges of indecently assaulting and having unlawful sexual connection with a young person under the age of 16.
He was sentenced by the Christchurch District Court on May 16 to six months' home detention.
6 months home detention? What kind of sentence is that? It's like a reward! Did he get a gold watch with that? Good grief! When are NZ judges going to start taking child sex abuse seriously?
The man no longer lives in Gloriavale and has moved to a small community in the South Island.
NZ monster found guilty on 42 charges of sexual abuse, violence against woman and children
David Clarkson, StuffA 39-year-old man, who has continued name suppression, has been found guilty of 42 charges of sexual abuse and violence in the Christchurch District Court.
A man's 13-year reign of terror against a woman and three children included raping a woman and a girl, holding a woman's head under water, and whipping her with a hose.
The 39-year-old man, who has continued name suppression, remained impassive in the dock as he was found guilty of 42 charges of sexual abuse and violence in the Christchurch District Court on Friday.
The offending happened at various locations in the northern South Island over 13 years.
The Crown alleged the man whipped a woman with a length of hose after arguments, raped the woman and a girl, indecently assaulted the girls or did indecent acts with them, and held the woman's head under water.
The Crown said the man also bashed a teenage boy when he accidentally knocked over one of the man's cannabis plants, and made the boy stay in an unlocked shed for three days with just a blanket and water after he took cannabis to school and caused a police raid.
The defence claimed the allegations were fabricated by the victims.
The man did not give evidence at his trial, but the defence called a series of witnesses to say they had not seen any violence in their dealings with the man and the victims.
As the three-week trial began, Crown prosecutor Ruth Harcourt told the jury the man had already been convicted four times for assaulting another woman, including choking her until she could not breathe.
The man admitted one assault with a weapon at the start of the trial and was discharged on one sexual violation charge at the end of the Crown case last week. Some rape charges were combined into one charge during the trial.
The man was found guilty of six charges of intentionally injuring his victims, three of assaulting females, seven assaults with a weapon, four assaults with intent to injure, wounding with intent to injure, nine sexual violation, three rape, six of indecent assault on a child, indecent assault, assault with intent to commit sexual violation, and kidnapping.
Justice Gerald Nation remanded the man for sentencing on December 13 and signalled the court would consider an open-ended sentence of preventive detention.
The judge offered the jury members counselling and told them the court would make someone available for confidential discussions if they needed assistance.
"Particularly at certain times of this trial, it is likely you found the trial process quite harrowing," he told them.
Dundee, Scotland, man acquitted of sex abuse charges
on 3 children
The Courier
Shaun Howie was charged with multiple attacks on children between 2017 and 2018 at various addresses in the city.
But a jury at Dundee Sheriff Court found the 25-year-old not guilty and not proven respectively of the three charges that he faced.
Howie was found not guilty of inappropriately touching one child on various occasions at addresses in Dundee between June 1 2017 and August 16 last year.
He claimed he was the victim of a conspiracy.
The child’s mother told jurors how the youngster revealed to her that they had been touched by Howie.
A few weeks before the revelation, the woman said she received information from social workers that Howie had been accused of sexually abusing other children.
Howie himself gave evidence and said the children were being bribed with the prospect of holidays and gifts if they made allegations against him.
When asked by Howie’s solicitor, John Boyle, if she had conspired to get Howie into trouble, the woman said: “Why would I do that to my own child?”
A not proven verdict was returned on Howie, of Douglas, on a charge of sexually assaulting another child between December 22 2017 and January 7 last year.
The same verdict was returned on a charge alleging Howie abused a third child between February 28 and March 31 last year.
Sheriff Alastair Carmichael said: “You have been acquitted and you are now free to go.”
So, at least 3 children, and possibly more, have accused Howie of inappropriate touching, and the jury believed Howie, not the children. If there was an attempt to bribe the kids to testify falsely, that should be pursued and charges laid for perverting justice.
'Horrific' child sex video man spared jail in UK
By Michael Black @Bradford_TandA
A 25-YEAR-OLD man who downloaded hundreds of “horrific” child sex abuse images and movies has been given a suspended prison sentence.
Judge Jonathan Gibson told Shipley man Aaron Jennings that his case clearly crossed the custody threshold “by some distance”, but he had decided to suspend the 10-month jail term for two years because he thought there was a realistic prospect of rehabilitation.
Jennings, who had no previous convictions, was arrested last October after police officers seized computer equipment from his home in Kirkgate.
Prosecutor Dave Mackay told Bradford Crown Court on Friday that police analysis of the equipment uncovered 788 child abuse movies and 187 still images involving youngsters aged between two and 13 years.
He explained that 357 of the films were in the most serious category of abuse involving penetrative sexual activity.
In his first police interview Jennings denied searching specifically for child abuse images and claimed to have no sexual interest in children.
But during a second interview in May he confessed to searching for such material on daily basis.
“He said he knew it was wrong and illegal, but didn’t think it could be helped,” said Mr Mackay.
Jennings pleaded guilty at the first opportunity before the magistrates’ court to six offences relating to his possession of the indecent images and films and his case was committed to the crown court for sentence.
His solicitor advocate Nick Leadbeater conceded that the aggravating features of the case were “unarguable” and added: “He does acknowledge what he did was horrific and I don’t use that word lightly.”
He said Jennings was developing some understanding of the effects on the children involved in such abuse and he planned to seek help from the Lucy Faithful Foundation if his jail term was suspended.
“You were downloading images of the most dreadful child abuse, including moving images, and even from the brief descriptions that I’ve heard and read this material was very disturbing,” the judge told Jennings.
“You searched for it, you found it and you downloaded it.
“I’ve read the pre-sentence report with care. There is significant work that can be done with you by the probation service as well as, if you are prepared to do it, voluntary education from the Lucy Faithful Foundation.”
The judge said the imposition of a 10-year sexual harm prevention order which restricts Jennings’ use of the internet was also a significant safeguard.
But he warned Jennings that he had to complete a 90-day accredited group work programme and comply with a 30-day rehabilitation activity requirement.
Jennings will also have to register as a sex offender with the police for the next 10 years.
Perth, WA, lollipop man jailed for child sex abuse
Australian Associated Press
A Perth lollipop man who filmed himself sexually abusing young girls he knew, including an infant, has been jailed for 12 years and six months.
Hyde's recordings of the abuse were found along with tens of thousands of child exploitation videos and images he had downloaded from the internet when police raided his home.
Two of the victims were sisters aged between six and 10, while the unrelated infant was aged 22 months.
He also produced child exploitation material of another girl when she was aged 11 or 12.
None of the children testified during the trial, so the case hinged on several hours of videos, which were shown to the jury in a closed court.
The court heard Hyde made obscene comments in the videos including asking one girl "how much she would cost and how long he could have her for".
The father-of-one had admitted making the recordings, but denied his conduct was sexual (8th story on link), claiming he was brushing potato chip crumbs and sand off them.
"You were unable to appreciate what was plain to everyone during your trial," Judge Felicity Davis said on Friday, adding the proceedings had been confronting for all concerned.
She said there was a "high degree of perversion" and persistence involved with Hyde's indecent dealing offences. "All the children were very young and they could not have been more vulnerable," she said.
The crimes were also brazen given others were nearby on some occasions, including the mother of a victim.
A detective described the child exploitation material as some of the most graphic he had seen "in a long, long time".
More than 2500 of the images were in the two most severe categories and some showed the victims in visible distress.
Hyde has already been in custody for more than three years and will be eligible for parole after serving 10 years and six months behind bars.
UK Mum jailed 32 years for killing daughters who
‘got in way of her sex life’
Lucy MiddletonA mum-of-two who murdered her two daughters because they ‘got in the way’ of her sex life has been jailed for life.
She was convicted of both murders following a five-week trial at Birmingham Crown Court.
Today during sentencing, judge Amanda Yip told Porton her actions were ‘evil’ and ‘calculated’. She said: ‘These were blameless young children who were plainly vulnerable and ought to have been able to rely on their mother to protect and nurture them. Instead you took their young lives away.’
Judge Yip added that the pressures of life as a single mum could ‘not begin to explain’ what Porton did. She continued: ‘One way or another you squeezed the life out of each of your daughters, only calling the emergency services when you knew they were dead.
‘I am sure at the time of the deaths, you intended to kill each of your daughters. Why you did so, only you will know. ‘Those who loved Lexi and Scarlett have been left bewildered as to how and why you could have done something so evil.’
The court heard Porton formerly of Skiddaw, in Rugby, Warks, had tried to kill Lexi twice before she succeeded in January 2018. When Lexi was ill in hospital in the week before she died, Porton took topless photos in the toilets and arranged to perform sex acts for money with men she had met online, jurors were told.
Lexi and Scarlett died because ‘someone deliberately interfered with their breathing’, the court heard
(Picture: PA)
Emergency services said she was ‘calm and emotionless’, delaying her call for an ambulance and even filling up with petrol with her daughter lying dead in the car.
During the trial, prosecutor Oliver Saxby QC said: ‘The overwhelming inference is that Lexi and Scarlett died because someone deliberately interfered with their breathing. That someone can only have been this defendant.’
She stopped to fill up with petrol on her way to the hospital the night Scarlett died (Picture: SWNS)
In a victim impact statement, Chris Draper, father of both girls, said he felt ‘broken’ and had ‘nothing to live for’. He said: ‘Why did Louise do something so evil to our beautiful daughters? You are their mother, the person supposed to care for them, protect and love them. ‘They were just an inconvenience to you; how could you do this?’
Mr Draper, who never met toddler Scarlett, added: ‘I sit and think, day and night, and I can’t understand why my two little girls were taken away because Louise wanted to sleep around.’
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