July 2015 Pervert deserves new jail term, judges rule A SERIAL sex predator who repeatedly groped fellow inmates behind bars can have no complaints about his convictions, top judges ruled today. Depraved Ian Hodkinson was serving a 15-year sentence for sex crimes against children at HMP Altcourse, Liverpool, when he cornered his two victims. The two male inmates told how the 49-year-old separately sexually assaulted them while in a cell at the jail. In both cases he groped them intimately, London’s Appeal Court heard, locking the cell door from the inside to bar one victim’s escape. Both of his victims also had convictions for sex offences, the court heard. Hodkinson, of Bryn Road, Ashton, was serving his sentence for a string of sex attacks – including the rape of a schoolgirl. He stood trial for the HMP Altcourse incidents at Liverpool Crown Court in December last year and was convicted of four counts of sexual assault. Hodkinson was hit with a two-year jail term on top of his existing sentence. Categorised as a “dangerous” offender, he was also ordered to serve a two-year extended licence period after his release. His case reached the Appeal Court this week as his lawyers challenged his convictions over the prison sex attacks. They claimed his trial was unfair because the jury were not allowed to hear about his victims’ previous convictions for sex crimes. But Lord Justice Jackson, sitting with Mr Justice Holroyde and Judge Neil Ford QC, said the trial judge’s approach was “entirely right”. Had the evidence been admitted then Hodkinson’s own record would also have been revealed to the jury. “That would have been grossly prejudicial…therefore we are quite satisfied that his convictions are safe”, the judge concluded. January 2013 ‘Predatory paedophile’ who used two children aged 11 and 13 to act out ‘real life pornographic film’ jailed for 15 years Ian Hodkinson, 41, groomed the parents of 11-year-old girl before inviting her to his home and raping her His accomplice was a 13-year-old boy A paedophile described as ‘predatory’ who used two children to act out a ‘real life pornographic film’ has been jailed for 15 years today.  Ian Hodkinson groomed the parents of an 11-year-old girl so they trusted him to look after her before raping her with an accomplice, who was just 13. Judge Norman Wright told Liverpool Crown Court that the girl, who had been using the computer in Hodkinson’s bedroom, left to go to the toilet before Hodkinson started having sex with the boy so she would see them when she returned. ‘She didn’t complain or flee as an adult might have done. ‘She looked on you as a friend. You had groomed her well,’ said Judge Wright. The 41-year-old then sexually assaulted and raped her before ordering the young boy to do the same. Hodkinson, from Wigan, denied the charges along with his co-accused, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, but both were found guilty at a trial at Liverpool Crown Court. Hodkinson was also found guilty of six charges of sexual assault including one on a ten-year-old boy in a separate incident, inciting a child to engage in sexual activity, rape of a child and attempted rape. The judge ordered that he is on extended licence for six years for public protection. He banned him from working with children and ordered him to sign the Sex Offenders Register for life.  The court heard that he has a previous sexual assault conviction. The juvenile defendant was placed under supervision for two years and was made the subject of a youth rehabilitation order for two sexual assaults and an attempted rape.  The judge said: ‘You looked up to him and did what he said.  ‘You probably still do not appreciate the effect he has had upon you. He made you do this not for your gratification, but for his.’