Paedophile who groomed and threatened girl jailed

A paedophile who told a girl he would "knock her head off" if she told anyone about him abusing her has been jailed for more than seven years.

William Clowes, 66, was caught after his victim's mother recognised his hand tattoos in a graphic picture she found on her daughter's phone, Newcastle Crown Court heard.

Clowes, from Whickham, Gateshead, admitted multiple sex offences involving a child under the age of 13.

Judge Tim Gittins said Clowes used "cynical manipulation" and a "sickening blend of grooming and threatening" the girl.

A restraining order was issued by the judge banning Clowes from contacting the girl or her parents.

Judge Gittins also warned any of Clowes' "supporters" who might seek "intimidation or revenge" against the victim or her family would be "dealt with most severely by the courts", adding it was "completely misplaced loyalty".

The court heard Clowes called his victim, who was not related to him, "baby girl" and gave her sweets, money and a mobile phone.

Prosecutor Glenn Gatland said Clowes then incited the girl to send him pictures and videos of herself performing sex acts while he also sent her images of his genitals.

Clowes called the images "lovely", but when the girl said she wanted to tell her mother "he threatened if she told anyone he would knock her head off", Mr Gatland said.

One of his images was discovered by the girl's mother when she looked through her daughter's photos, Mr Gatland said.

Police seized his phone and laptop where they found 148 indecent images of children, including 24 in the most serious category, some of which featured the girl.

Clowes admitted to detectives that he sent the girl nude images of himself, but said the ones she sent him were "unwanted", Mr Gatland said.

The prosecutor said Clowes, who had 13 previous convictions for 36 offences but none of them sexual, had used "grooming and threats" to control his victim.

In a statement read to the court, the girl said she had been left feeling suicidal, unable to eat and with post-traumatic stress disorder.

In mitigation, Susan Hirst said it was "difficult to explain" Clowes' behaviour and he was "struggling to acknowledge" what he had done.

She said he was married for a long time but became "lonely" after the relationship ended about 10 years ago.

Ms Hirst said he had suffered from depression for several years and took an overdose in 2021 shortly before he started offending against the girl.

She said he was "not in good health" and prison would be "more difficult" for him than most.

Judge Gittins said it was "preposterous" for Clowes to claim the girl had sent him the pictures "without any instigation" from him, adding: "You had the gall to suggest an innocent young girl was seeking to corrupt you rather than the other way round."

The judge said the offending had caused "significant psychological damage" to the girl, while discovering what had happened to their daughter "must have been heart stopping and stomach flipping" for her parents.

He said Clowes threatened the girl with "serious violence", adding he was "intimidating her to keep the dark secret between you and her" and had shown "no remorse".

The court heard there had been several delays in the case progressing through court as Clowes had been on multiple holidays, including a trip to Gambia.

Clowes admitted two counts each of causing or inciting a child under 13 to engage in sexual activity and making indecent photographs of a child, and one count each of having sexual communications with and taking an indecent photograph of a child.

He was jailed for a total of seven years and two months, made subject to an indefinite sexual harm prevention order and ordered to sign the sex offenders register, with the judge telling him he remained a "danger" to young people, especially females.

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