The girl and her mother called police and the FBI contacted the British force to launch an investigation. The user name attached to the webcam footage was tracked to Pratt and his computer at his home in Bittern Way, March.

Pratt accepted the user name was his and that it was unique to him. He continues to deny knowledge of the live pornographic webcam film and police investigations continue, Cambridge Crown Court was told. Police searched Pratt's home and seized his computer equipment, uncovering an organised collection of almost 1,200 indecent photographs of children. Some of the pictures were discovered on a computer he had given to his partner's daughter - used to play games - which he believed he had wiped clean. Many of the 424 most depraved images involved youngsters, aged mainly between five and eight years old, in sexual situations with adults. Some were in obvious distress. Some were bound and tied in sexual bondage acts, one was being held upside down.

Other sex acts involved a baby, while others involved sadism and animals. But not only had Pratt been downloading the child porn, he had also been busy passing some of the images on to others. Sara Walker, for the prosecution, told the court that forensic computer analysts found he had attached some of the images to emails and distributed the pictures to individuals, while others he had shared through a file-sharing programme open to anyone who wanted to download them. In all, 13 images were distributed.

Pratt pleaded guilty to 13 charges of distribution in addition to 15 of downloading, and asked for six similar offences to be taken into consideration - the counts encompass a total of 1,168 images in all.  In mitigation, Michael Proctor pointed out that the 13 indecent images distributed were not the most grave in the scale of seriousness used in judging the severity of such pictures and that many of the others in Pratt's collection were duplicates. The distribution was not wide-scale and was not for financial or commercial gain, he observed.

He added: "Mr Pratt accepts he is going to get a custodial sentence of some length but deserves credit for the open and frank help he gave police and for his guilty pleas. He acknowledges he has a problem and recognises he needs help." Pratt, who has never been in trouble with the law before, has lost his job as a result of the charges and his long-term relationship has broken up. Sentencing him to three years in jail with an extended two-year licence for sex offender treatment, Judge Jonathan Haworth told Pratt: "The pictures I have seen are disturbing in the extreme. "The distribution of such images is of particular concern. This involved the sending of images to others you had come across in chat rooms and in particular distribution through a programme which made them available to anyone who chose to access the internet through that programme.

"The images involved the degradation of child victims - images of abused and distressed children which you retained for your own gratification. "This is a very worrying case and I am told in the pre-sentence report from the probation service that there is a high risk of further offending by you. That is why I am extending your licence - to protect the public and to help you as far as possible." Pratt was also banned from working with children indefinitely and also ordered to sign on the Sex Offender Register within three days of his release. His name will remain there for life.  RRespectable front: Pratt's home Neighbours in Bittern Way, March, spoke of their horror and revulsion at Pratt's crimes and described him as "shifty" and "creepy". A female neighbour, who asked not to be named, said: "We have never had anything to do with him. We were invited round to his house for a barbecue but we didn't go. I have got two young children and it is terrifying to think while they were playing he was inside looking at sick photos. "He always had his curtains and blinds shut and it makes me wonder what he has been up to behind them for all these years." The woman described an incident two years ago when Pratt's car was doused with paint stripper in the middle of the night. She added: "He passed it off as an argument with a work colleague, but now I wonder whether it was a revenge attack or something."

According to one resident of the quiet cul-de-sac, Pratt avoided contact with the other residents to the point of being rude. Another neighbour physically shuddered when she heard what Pratt had confessed to doing. She said: "It is repulsive. He should be locked up and they should throw away the key. It is unbelievable to think we lived so close to a paedophile. We are a very friendly street, but he made it clear he didn't want anything to do with the rest of us. Luckily my children are grown up, otherwise I would be too scared to let them out after what he has done." Another female neighbour said: "It beggars belief what he has been up to. It makes me feel physically sick. He always looked creepy and shifty but you never dream something like that is going on." Ends.

STOP  offending

Help for those who want to

is like our own daily newspaper, flagging the days relevant news stories, expressing our own opinions, posting our own press statements and it goes back to 2002.

Please note: This is a place where WE express OUR opinions, about the days events and news stories. We are not responsible for the content of the linked sites and they are not responsible for us. The Newsdesk is updated daily, for best results always refresh this page- Shirley. 

If the NEWSDESK is our newspapers 'front page',
the NEWSWIRE would be its content. Need password.

The Phoenix Voice 
 Newsdesk

THE PHOENIX VOICE- NEWSDESK

Samantha said: 'What kind of a mother charges her daughter for the grave of her daughter? It is just beyond belief'I can't afford to buy my daughter's grave and I can't believe I am being put in this heartbreaking position. 'My mother has robbed me blind once. Everything seems to be about money for her.'

Pauline was jailed for nine months last year for blowing the compensation cash she was supposed to keep safe for Samantha until she was 18. Pauline's husband Alan, 50, got 15 months at the court last month for the theft.

Pauline said yesterday: 'I will not accept less than £800 for the grave. It is my property. 'I blame Samantha for putting me in jail and I will not let her get away with it. 'She will not be getting the grave until she pays me. 'I still visit it - she is my granddaughter after all. Ends.

Tragic Samantha Langland was raped by her natural father Barry Cunningham. Aged 14, she later gave birth to baby Natasha but her daughter died just hours later. Her mum, Pauline, 42, was jailed for stealing Samantha's £10,000 compensation award and blowing it on luxuries.

Now she is demanding £800 from Samantha, 24, before she will let her put a headstone on the baby's grave in the family plot in Middleton, Manchester.

A VILE mum is demanding more money from her rape victim daughter for a baby's headstone.

It is because of decent  human beings like these, that people like us, even get a voice, let alone justice, help or protection, thank you.

Re: Pauline Langland: In light of how Pauline Langland has treated her own daughter Samantha and in light of the fact that Pauline never visits the graveside, it seems both cruelly manipulative and absurdly ridiculous to hear Pauline Langland now profess any kind of genuine maternal grandparent feelings, towards her daughters dead child.

It is our view that Pauline Langland made the arrangements for the burial of Samantha’s child on behalf of Samantha- because Samantha was (at the time) too young and too distressed, to do this for herself.

There was no family burial plot prior to Samantha’s child’s passing, the plot was brought specifically for Samantha’s child - after she passed away.

As soon as Samantha was of legal age (16) Pauline Langland should have passed the ownership of the burial plot deeds, over to Samantha- the dead child’s mother.

In our opinion, Pauline Langland has already had more than enough money out of her daughter Samantha and could take the view, that she has already been re-paid for her daughters child’s gravesite –many times over. Pauline and Alan Langland could deduct it retrospectively -from the many thousands they were convicted of stealing from Samantha.

What is more, both Alan and Pauline Langland pleaded financial poverty when being sentenced for this crime and was therefore not ordered to pay any court costs or indeed any of the money they stole from Samantha. In our opinion, Pauline Langland should stop blaming everyone else for her abhorrent behaviour throughout this desperately sad situation and think about the harm she is doing to Samantha and the rest of her family.

Our team have worked overtime, over the past few weeks looking for a way to help Samantha secure ownership of her child’s grave. What is so disgusting and unfair about this whole matter is that it seems the law is entirely on Pauline Langlands side and unless we find a ‘magic money wand’ that would enable the courts to force her to give the grave deeds to Samantha, we can do nothing more than try and raise the £800 ourselves and buy them from her.

We would never normally consider doing such a thing, but we feel very strongly that getting Samantha’s child’s burial plot deed’s signed over to Samantha, is paramount, to Samantha being able to begin her grieving process, which will in time allow her to begin to move on from this appalling tragedy. We were recently forced to close down many of our services- due to lack of funding-and have no cash available to help, but we promise to do our best to raise the £800 and keep you updated on our progress.  Ends.

A WOMAN raped by her father is being charged £800 for her baby's grave by the mother who stole her compensation. Samantha Langland, 24, had baby Natasha at 14 after her ordeal but the tot died hours later. Her mother Pauline and partner Alan Langland were jailed for stealing her £10,000 award. Pauline, who owns the grave in Middleton, Manchester, refuses to allow a headstone but says she will sell it to Samantha. She said: "I blame her for putting me in jail and I will not let her get away with it." Samantha said: "She is continually trying to ruin my life." Ends.

Phoenix statment  ....PS1:18/05/05. 
 We would like to send our sincere thanks to the incredible team at the 'Cavendish press'

Star Wars revenge of ousted leader 'Evil empire' outburst. SACKED council leader Colin Inglis has likened the man who took his job to a "Thunderbirds puppet" and used a bizarre Star Wars analogy to attack the "dark forces" at work within Hull's Guildhall, as the divisions within the city's feuding Labour party become increasingly bitter.

In the letter, he wrote: "Some of your readers may well be unfamiliar with the Star Wars saga currently en vogue and perhaps I could use your letters column to enlighten them. "The Republic had brought peace, prosperity and stability to the Galaxy but the Dark Emperor, the embodiment of evil, sought to overturn it and rule the Galaxy himself. To achieve his objective he seduced Anakin Skywalker, a young Jedi Knight being groomed for his role in defending the Republic, with the prospect of Power and Wealth, trying to turn him to the Dark side of the life Force which pervaded the Galaxy. Skywalker succumbed and became Darth Vader, the Emperor's Enforcer. The Republic crumbled in the face of their unprincipled onslaught and an evil Empire was born.

"Quite how Ken Branson, who is a little more Thunderbirds than Star Wars fits into all this I am not sure, but puppets, generally speaking only move when their masters pull the strings.

"You may be reassured to know that in the end Vader repented of his evil just before he died and the true Jedi returned to restore peace and harmony."

It is unclear to whom Coun Inglis is referring when he talks of the Dark Emperor, but he is known to be unhappy with the role of the so-called "east Hull Mafia" — a group of veteran ward councillors — in his removal. He also engaged in a public spat last year with Coun Hale, who was deputy leader until Coun Inglis stripped him of his portfolio over his refusal to stand down as chairman of governors at a troubled Hull school.

He is known to have considered Coun Hale a future leader, and the youthful politician was viewed as Coun Inglis's prodigy. When the letter was read to Mr Branson, he said: "Oh dear." He added: "It doesn't bode well, does it? It's very sad that he's chosen to go down this road. For full story please click on YP logo. Ends.

Star Wars revenge of ousted leader 'Evil empire' outburst

Abuse of babies on live webcam

LIVE video footage of a baby being sexually abused has led to the jailing of a depraved internet pervert who peddled the worst kind of child porn images.  Vile pervert: Alistair Pratt Alistair Pratt, 34, a buyer for a vegetable packaging company, is starting three years behind bars for downloading and distributing appalling images of young children being sexually violated. Pratt was snared after a 15-year-old girl in Minnesota, USA, received live webcam images of a man involved in sex acts with a baby.

By Will Batchelor, PA An ex-police officer who battled brain damage to become a successful barrister was jailed today for child porn offences. John Temple sustained horrific injuries when he was beaten up by a gang of suspected car thieves in 1992. He was discharged from North Yorkshire Police 18 months later and became a barrister in 1998, working at a chambers in Durham.

But the 46-year-old’s hard-won career was in tatters after he admitted 34 counts of possessing and distributing child pornography in January. He was sentenced at Liverpool Crown Court today to concurrent sentences of two years for possessing specified images, two years for possessing 3,753 unspecified images and two years and eight months for distributing images. Liverpool Crown Court heard that police found the images, which featured girls aged 10 months to 11 years, stored on Temple’s hard drive, zip drive and 60 disks. Some had been deleted but many had been viewed several times.

Around two-thirds of his collection was graded as the least serious level of paedophiliac images, but 382 were classified as level four and five – the two most serious types. Temple’s activities were discovered after Devon and Cornwall Police, working on the national Operation Ore, discovered a computer which had been used as part of a paedophile network. One pseudonym on the network was “Rudisrevenge“, and investigations revealed it to be Temple.

Officers raided his home in Bishop Auckland, County Durham, and seized his computer in March last year. They found the images and also discovered evidence that he had distributed 491 images to other members of a 1,300-strong paedophile ring. Prosecution barrister Damian Nolan added that Temple had told police he “knew it was a crime but did not give it any thought“.

Temple, who is married with children, admitted 17 counts of possessing and 17 counts of distributing indecent images of children in January. Defence barrister Robert Woodcock described Temple as “a ruined man“. Henry Globe, Recorder of Liverpool, said that Temple’s brain injury did not cause his use of child porn, but had been a factor in his emotional problems, which included gambling and alcohol issues.

He said: “There is no direct causal link between the injuries and your offending. “That said, I note the surrounding difficulties that the incident has caused for you and your family in the years since it occurred.” Detective Sergeant Keith Gilfillan, of Durham Constabulary, said outside court: “With his experience as a police officer and a barrister, Temple may have thought that he knew enough not to be caught and could make himself above the law. “Today’s sentence shows that he is not above the law and neither is anyone else, regardless of social standing or profession.” Ends.

Barrister Jailed for Child Porn Offences

Phoenix re-launch: We are all working flat out to officially register Phoenix Survivors as a charity, which will enable us to start raising the cash we need, to re-open our victims support services and hopefully develop them on, to an even better place. We are still hoping for a July re-launch -Watch this space for more on this.

Operation Faber: We have indeed received unconfirmed reports that Edward Pratt committed suicide yesterday morning. We are currently working to officially confirm this through the appropriate authorities and will update when we have that confirmation.

Phoenix report: We have asked Shy to update and advise us on the following issues: Operation Ore- Current Sex Offenders Register (or SOR) statistics- SG-ROM- New HS Charles Clarke- SOR loopholes- Watch this space.

Incredible Samantha Langland: We are currently trying to raise £800 to buy Samantha’s child’s -grave deeds- from Pauline Langland and would welcome any help with this. Ends.

Phoenix news update: The Phoenix team 21/05/05.

Phoenix mail: We receive hundreds of emails a week and although we always try to respond, where appropriate, we must again remind some, that we do not respond to- or welcome- correspondence from child molesters or their supporters. We know it is difficult for your ˜specific type’ to appreciate, that we actually do have rights and are entitled to our own opinions. We know it’s hard for you to accept that we really don’t need your permission or guidance on how or what to think. However, please do allow us to reassure you that we have never 

sought to obstruct your human rights- just your inhuman ones. The fact is, we get to voice our opinions on the issues that matter to us, without compromising our rights to anonymity. Shy speaks for herself, but she also speaks for us. Our point is, that if you abuse her, you abuse us all. Still- what comes around, goes around. Also, it is important to note, that we strictly report all harassment to the appropriate authorities.

WebManager. Joined: 08 Jan 2004. Posts: 21848. Location: UK. Posted: Sun 22 05, 2005 5:23 am. Post subject: Which brings us to Shy. Since I have not, yet, had any sleep, I will show a little restraint until I have dreamed a few dreams. I will say this. Up to now, I have been supportive of the Phoenix cause (and my support for the cause will always remain). I have shown empathy, care, tact and restraint in dealing with them and for them. Those days are now over. Shy, you have just initiated the demise of your anger-ridden, spiteful and sorrowful organisation. The gloves are off, and you will live to regret this action, more than anything you have regretted before. Place me on your ‘evil page’. In the future, you will rue this day. Now off to bed. WM.”

 

We have been aware of this site and its agenda- and despite its persistent threatening, abusive attacks on Phoenix (and many other child protection agencies/professionals/groups) we have always taken the view, that regardless of what ˜we’ may think of the self pitying Nigel Oldfield and his ’opinions’- he is entitled to them, unfortunately, he brings nothing to the table, that we haven’t ALL heard before. However, Mr Oldfield’s private mobile telephone helpline causes considerable concern for very obvious reasons.

Our advice would be that if you are someone looking for information or you are an offender and you want help to stop offending, please contact  Ray Wyre Associates or Stop It Now and get that help and advice from qualified, regulated professionals who REALLY know how to help and advise you.

Help for those who want to

STOP  offending

Teacher’s pervert website. By Andy Gardener crime correspondent. 22/05/05. A FORMER teacher has set up an internet website to advise paedophiles how to escape prosecution . Disgraced chemistry master Nigel Oldfield , 44, plays “agony uncle”  to fellow perverts who log onto M*********d? The bachelor who runs the site from a tiny flat in Doncaster, served nearly eight months in jail after being caught with over 11,000 obscene images. Last night there were calls for new legislation  which would allow police to shut down the site.

Teacher’s pervert website.

Shy Keenan chief executive of Phoenix Survivors, which helps victims of sex abuse, said: “the worry is that users of the website have their warped opinions reinforced by other paedophiles and go on to abuse.” Oldfield was arrested in August 2002 after a shopper saw him taking pictures of children in Sheffield’s Meadowhall shopping centre. He denies his website is aimed at Paedophile. Ends.

Pervert Oldfield

By Colin Freeman. (Filed: 22/05/2005)  Back in 1997, the former teacher's notorious seduction of a 12-year-old pupil at an American elementary school saw her sentenced to more than seven years in jail after being found guilty of rape. Against the odds, the couple stayed together and last Friday Ms Letourneau, 43, married her former pupil, Vili Fualaau, now 22, in a secret ceremony at a vineyard near Seattle. For the full story please click on logo. Ends.

Ex-teacher marries the pupil she raped.

Pitcairn mayor Steve Christian was sacked after being convicted of rape. An appeal by six men found guilty of sexually abusing young girls on a remote UK territory in the South Pacific has failed. The men, from Pitcairn - where fewer than 50 people live - claimed they had not realised English law applied there. But prosecutors argued islanders were subject to Britain's laws for most of the island's 200-year history. Four men, including Pitcairn's former mayor Steve Christian, were sentenced to prison for two to six years. Two others were given 

 

Pitcairn sex case men lose appeal 

non-custodial sentences in 2004 for raping underage girls. The Pitcairn Supreme Court, at a special sitting in Auckland, rejected claims that the men were unaware that British law applied on Pitcairn, and that their trial was unfair. On Tuesday, the court is due to hear discussions on whether the convicted Pitcairners would be granted bail. Until now the sentences have been effectively suspended and the convicted men have been free on Pitcairn. The six men were convicted of rape and indecent assault charges last October. They are due to launch another appeal before the Privy Council in London either later this year or early next year, based on a claim Britain did not have legal jurisdiction over Pitcairn. The island was settled by mutineers on board HMS Bounty in 1789. Steve Christian is a descendent of Fletcher Christian, one of the mutineers. Ends.

By IAN HEPBURN Crime Writer. FUGITIVE ex-Radio One DJ Chris Denning was flown back to Britain to face paedophile charges yesterday — thanks to The Sun. We stung police into action after we tracked down 64-year-old Denning four weeks ago. We revealed the location of his hideaway on the Austria-Slovakia border to Austrian authorities. And yesterday, shackled to two Austrian cops, Denning was flown back to Heathrow and handed over to British detectives. Denning was wanted over allegations of indecency against boys as

We put perv DJ in dock

young as 12 in the 1970s and 1980s. He was charged last night with nine counts of indecent assault on children and will appear at Guildford Magistrates’ Court this morning. A Surrey police source said: “The Sun intervention spurred the Austrian authorities into action.” Denning was a Radio One pioneer who worked alongside legendary DJs John Peel, Tony Blackburn and Kenny Everett. He was a producer for The Beatles and helped launch the Bay City Rollers and pop perv Gary Glitter. But he was sacked by Radio 1 in the 1960s after telling listeners: “I got up this morning feeling like a 16-year-old boy, but where do you get one at 6am?” Ends.

The report says there need to be sanctions for breaking the rules Prisoners should have internet access to help with education, resettlement and recreation, a report argues. The report Internet Inside, published by the Forum on Prisoner Education charity, said this was essential to prepare inmates for life after release. It also calls for them to have access to e-mail.

The government is planning to try giving prisoners the internet but only in an open prison, which the charity says is unduly cautious. Forum director Steve Taylor said: "There really is something wrong with our prisons when countries such as Hungary, Greece and Russia provide internet access to prisoners but we do not. "Government are being very slow to act on this issue and are in breach of Council of Europe recommendations. We hope that our report will lead to swift action."

The report says that in Switzerland, for example, prisoners undergo a short training course on acceptable use before being allowed onto the net. If they break the rules, access is taken away.

"This hasn't led to a meltdown on the Swiss penal system," said Mr Taylor. Hitherto prisoners have not had internet access because of fears they might view pornography, intimidate witnesses or even plot an escape. A spokesman for the Department for Education and Skills said: "The government agrees that use of information and communications technology to support learning, including appropriate access to web-based material, is increasingly important in improving the skills and employability of offenders.
 
"It is driving this agenda forward in prisons and tackling the challenge to deliver ICT skills and e-learning access while maintaining security." Experimental access is expected to begin at Leyhill open prison in Gloucestershire later this year. But Mr Taylor said it should be tried in a high-security prison. "The government are concentrating on trying to create a secure internet, which is just not possible when faced with a prisoner with considerable IT knowledge," he said. "We need to have unrestricted access, with known rules and boundaries, and close monitoring. "Prison authorities might just be surprised by how positively prisoners would respond." Ends.

Prisoners 'should get net access'.

Phoenix statement PS1 23/05/05. Thank you S&T for keeping us advised.We have just received official confirmation from the D&C Police that sex offender Eddie Pratt, who was living in France, has indeed committed suicide. It has been reported that after splitting with his partner and because of huge financial problems Pratt took his own life leaving a note that ended HA HA. This is a desperately sad day for justice, however, his victims are dealing with the news as best they can. Will update soon. Ends.

A "SCANDALOUS loophole" in the law has forced police to take legal action to ban a convicted paedophile from working with children. Gavin Seagers (pictured), aged 34, was one of eight British men arrested when detectives busted international paedophile cyber-porn ring The Wonderland Club.

The sting in 1998 was the largest international police operation ever and led to 107 arrests in 12 countries and the seizure of 750,000 images of 1,200 children. Seagers, a former youth leader at Dartford Sea Cadets, pleaded guilty to conspiring to distribute indecent images of children. He was sentenced to two years in prison and freed after one. Seagers was placed on the sex offenders' register for seven years.
 

Court order for paedophile tutor By Local London Reporter

Last month, the Daily Mirror duped Seagers, a computer consultant, into meeting reporters at a flat in Dartford. Seagers believed he would be tutoring a young boy, after he advertised his services online. He admitted he should not be left alone in a room with a child. Seagers denied ever abusing a youngster but said he could not help fantasising about it. Following the article's publication, Kent police applied to Dartford Magistrates' Court for an interim order, which was granted on May 11. Seagers, who lives in Swanscombe, was banned from seeking and accepting work, including tutoring, with children under the age of 16. Deputy council leader Councillor Jeremy Kite said: "It is scandalous this loophole exists. "I don't think he received a significant enough sentence or was given the right order when he was first convicted. The interim court order is valid until August 11 this year. Ends.

NEWSPAPER OF THE YEAR

The Phoenix Team 25/05/05. Today we raise a thankful glass to the wonderful Andy Gardener and the team at the Sunday Mirror. It has been reported to us that Nigel Oldfield’s disgusting website site -exposed in last Sundays Mirror- has been shut down. This was in our opinion the right thing to do- as people looking for help, need to seek it- from people qualified to give it.

 

Phoenix update: Whilst we update our services the Phoenix Newswire service will require a password to enter and read. Please e-mail us:
admin@phoenixsurvivors.com
for your password. Ends.

Request password
We reserve the 
right  to say no.

Sorry for any inconvenience to our regular readers but we don’t want to spoil the surprise, so just until after the bank holidays, we can only provide passwords to people we know or to those who provide verifiable ID details. Ends.