Latest Offenders Sunderland

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A woman did not know she was sexually assaulted until she was told by police after passing out on a train, a court has heard.

The victim took prescription drugs that rendered her unconscious on a Metro train from Gateshead to South Shields on the evening of April 19 last year.

During the journey she was preyed upon by Leon Clarkson, 21, who told witnesses he was her boyfriend and has now been spared jail.

They saw him repeatedly putting his hand down her leggings while she was totally unconscious and unable to sit up.

A woman who saw what Clarkson, from Houghton, Sunderland, was doing felt uncomfortable and messaged her boyfriend who called police.

He told the witness that she was just a bit dizzy, but when he got her to her feet and led her off the train at Four Lane Ends the onlooker messaged her boyfriend who called police.

Another passenger saw him carrying her and asked what was happening, but Clarkson said the victim had had a joint and her mother was going to pick her up.

When police arrived she was very drowsy from taking three diazepam tablets so she was taken to hospital.

The victim told Newcastle Crown Court: ‘I had taken medication before I got on the Metro and I have no recollection of what happened to me.

‘The police investigating the crime told me what happened. This made me feel ill and very anxious.

‘I didn’t know who this man was. I didn’t even know what was happening to me. I was very vulnerable at that point and I think it’s terrible he could do that on a Metro in front of other people.

‘I’m very worried he will do this again to a vulnerable woman or girl. When I see a drunk girl or woman I now always tell them to get home safe and I worry about them.

‘I truly believe if he is capable of doing this in front of witnesses on a busy Metro train he could do something worse to someone else.’

Clarkson, who was previously convicted for committing a sex act on a bus, admitted sexual assault.

Recorder Tahir Khan KC told him: ‘The complainant was completely at your mercy and you took advantage of her by touching her when she clearly could not be consenting.’

He ordered him to take part in a sex offender programme and was put on the sex offenders’ register for five years.

Defending him, Jamie Adams said that he was a vulnerable man and had apologised for what happened.

He said: ‘The unfortunate complainant didn’t know just how vulnerable this young man is. He has mental health problems and he was taking lots of cannabis at the time.’

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A Newton Aycliffe vicar and an Alnwick priest have been jailed for their sickening historic abuse of young boys.

George Granville Gibson was the vicar of a Newton Aycliffe church in the late 1970s when he indecently assaulted a teenager. Durham Crown Court heard that Gibson a leader of a church group and committed the offences during rehearsals for a pantomime and then later at a house party following the show's run.

Judge James Adkin said Gibson would "seek out" a young man and indecently assault him "in the company of others" by rubbing against his body and "appeared to enjoy" their presence.

Gibson, who is now 86-year-old, was found guilty of two indecent assaults after being convicted by a jury and jailed for 21 months. He will be on the sex offender's register for 10 years.

Sentencing Gibson in November, Judge Adkin said: "You were the Parish priest, revered and completely trusted to promote Christian values in the community. Sex offenders in positions of authority must know they will be sent to prison if they abuse children in the community."

In December, Chronicle Live reported how another clergyman was locked up for carrying out sex attacks on a young boy.

Perverted priest David Taylor, from Alnwick, ruined the life of a young boy with sickening sex attacks in a church and on Holy Island. The court heard the abuse happened in a church vestry, at a retreat on Holy Island, in an old convent and also during a trip to a football tournament.

Prosecutor Vince Ward said: "These were religious venues where he would have expected to be safeguarded but wasn't."

The victim said the first time it happened was when he was put under Taylor's gown and made to do a sex act.

The victim kept his abuse a secret for four decades, fearing he would never be believed over the trusted churchman. Now he finally has justice after Taylor was convicted of ten offences, of indecency with a child and indecent assault.

The victim said: "I was angry and confused and started to blame myself for what happened. I felt disgusted I had allowed Father Taylor to abuse me in the way he had.

"The abuse has affected my work life and my personal relationships. My anger issues have caused many of my relationships to break down and I believe this is because of my childhood abuse. My mental health has suffered also."

Newcastle Crown Court heard Taylor had been convicted of five offences of indecent assault against boys in the 1980s in 2009 when he was jailed for 30 months. And in 2017 he got a suspended sentence for another count of indecent assault.

Judge Julie Clemitson sentenced Taylor, of Angel Lane, Alnwick, Northumberland, to 13 years in prison for his latest offences and he must sign the sex offenders register for life. The judge told Taylor he'd had a sexual interest in boys from an early stage in his career, having been ordained in 1977.

Judge Clemitson said: "There were so many occasions he can't recall them. It seems to him there were hundreds of them because it happened so often in various places. Throughout this long process you have protested your innocence, saying you had no recollection of him. That clearly can't be true.

"His victim impact statement describes the devastating impact your abuse has had for the last 40 years - that's almost the entirety of his life he has had to live under the shadow of what you did to him as a child.

"He was particularly vulnerable due to his age, where he was - in the vestry on his own and away from home at Holy Island, separated from others in your bedroom."

Lorraine Mustard, defending, said Taylor continues to protest his innocence.

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A paedophile who thought he was chatting to a child online has got his comeuppance after he had actually been speaking to an undercover cop.

Darran Faith, from Sunderland, made indecent images of children and attempted to engage one of them in a sexual act.

But little did he know that he was actually speaking to an undercover police officer from Northumbria Police who had been building a mountain of evident against him.

Officers seized a number of devices from the 43-year-old’s home including his laptop, which contained multiple indecent images of children.

Faith was interviewed in January 2021 after engaging in sexual communications with a child online.

He was later charged with attempting sexual communication with a child and making indecent images of children, and pleaded guilty to all counts at South Tyneside Magistrates Court on October 27.

Yesterday (Wednesday November 30) Faith appeared at Newcastle Crown Court where he was sentenced to 12 months behind bars, suspended for two years.

He was also ordered to 35 days rehab, 10 years sex offender notification requirement and a 10 year sexual harm prevention order.

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A paedophile has been hauled back in front of a judge for creating a false name on a football forum and deleting his internet history.

James McGuire was given a suspended sentence in January last year after being found in possession of indecent images of children and extreme porn. The 40-year-old was also put on the sex offenders register for 10 years and was made subject of a sexual harm prevention order, meaning he must abide by certain conditions including not deleting any internet browsing history.

But on Thursday, McGuire, of Eglington Tower, Monkwearmouth, Sunderland, appeared back at Newcastle Crown Court after breaching the sexual harm prevention order and failing to comply with notification requirements between January 11 and March 21, last year. 

Kevin Wardlaw, prosecuting, said McGuire's breaches came to light when police officers carried out a routine check of his mobile phone. He said: "They discovered the defendant had deleted his entire internet history from that device. The failing to comply offences relate to two pseudonyms." Mr Wardlaw said McGuire also used "false names" online, one of which was on a football forum and another on an Instagram account.

The court heard that nothing illegal had been deleted by McGuire and he said he had been accessing adult pornography on his mobile and deleted the history to prevent his daughter from seeing it.

In mitigation, the court was told that McGuire had been accessing a Sunderland football club forum under the name "Jimmy Riddle". Mr Pickford, defending, said: "On these forums you're encouraged to use usernames rather than actual names. The last post he put on (the forum) was about Metro disruptions." He added that McGuire was a "hard working man" who had been "ostracised" by members of his family since his conviction and used a different name on Instagram so that he could stay informed about his daughter.

Recorder Paul Reid said McGuire had a conviction for "very unpleasant offences" and sentenced him to 10 months prison, suspended for 18 months.

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A sex attacker who plied a woman with alcohol then raped her when she was unconscious has been jailed.

Ian Howdon waited until the victim was heavily intoxicated before taking advantage of her. When she came round during the degrading attack, she was horrified at what he was doing.

Howdon, just 19 at the time, denied any wrongdoing but was convicted by a jury of two counts of rape. Now the 21-year-old, of Hendon Burn Avenue, Sunderland, has been jailed for eight years and three months by a judge at Newcastle Crown Court.

Judge Robert Spragg told him: "You were plying her with alcohol that night, I'm satisfied you were trying to get her drunk. You fully intended to have sex with her that night.

"She became increasingly drunk, she describes herself as passed out drunk and a friend said she was nine out of ten drunk. You didn't care by this stage she was so drunk she couldn't possibly have consented.

"She had been sick and was essentially passed out when you raped her."

The court heard a camera outside the window of the room where the attack happened picked up an audio recording, which the judge said was "absolutely harrowing".

In addition, the court heard there was a recording of the 999 call made by the woman after she realised what was happening. Judge Spragg said: "The terror in her voice was awful to hear."

The court heard Howdon has never been in trouble before and handed in references, including one from a rugby club, about his ordinarily positive character. Gavin Doig, defending, said Howdon's behaviour in custody has been exemplary" and he has been praised by prison officials after he assisted another inmate during a medical emergency. Mr Doig added that Howdon is still young and was "immature" at the time he committed the offence.

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A paedophile was found with a hoard of sickening indecent images of children - some of which were as young as three years old.

Scott Broadbent was found with over 1,300 indecent images and videos, as well as over 2,000 prohibited images, and extreme pornography involving animals. The 37-year-old was caught after police raided his home and he admitted he'd been downloading the illegal material.

Former Nissan worker, Broadbent, of Philip Square, Plains Farm, Sunderland, appeared at Newcastle Crown Court on Thursday to be sentenced for three counts of making indecent images, possession of extreme porn, and possession of a prohibited image of a child. He had pleaded guilty to the charges at a previous hearing.

The court heard that police executed a warrant at Broadbent's home address on September 25, 2019 and searched his bedroom before he told them: "I've downloaded some stuff, I know I shouldn't have deleted it all." He then directed them to a computer monitor and a number of electronic devices were seized, including laptops, phones and storage devices.

On three devices, a total of 711 category A videos and 37 images were found, along with 212 category B videos and 55 images, and 101 category C videos and 247 images. A total of 2,011 prohibited images and three videos were also discovered, as well as 212 extreme porn videos and 212 images.

The court heard that four devices contained "searches and key works" relating to indecent images and one device contained peer-to-peer file sharing. The ages of the children depicted in the indecent material were between the ages of three and 16, the court heard.

Susan Hirst, defending, said Broadbent had committed no further offences since he was first arrested and had pleaded guilty early to the offences. The court was told that he had lost his job at Nissan when his offences came to light and was "afraid of getting further work" due to his conviction.

Judge Adams, sentencing Broadbent, said the fact that he had downloaded a "large number of videos" aggravated the offence, but said he had been deemed as being at a low risk of reoffending. He said: "You have expressed remorse and lost your job." He added that apart from a previous conviction for assault, he was of "previous good character".

Broadbent was given a 12 month prison sentence, suspended for two years and must complete 40 rehabilitation days and 100 hours unpaid work. He will be on the sex offender's register for 10 years and a 10 year sexual harm prevention order was made.

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A dangerous 'monster' who raped and abused two vulnerable victims has been jailed for life.

Peter Anderson subjected the young women to shocking sex attacks and his victims suffered degrading abuse at his hands. The 30-year-old pervert, of Easington Lane, Houghton-le-Spring, who has 11 previous convictions, including for assault, was convicted of 13 offences.

In relation to the first victim, he was found guilty of two counts of rape, sexual activity with a child, blackmail, false imprisonment and controlling or coercive behaviour. In relation the second victim, he was convicted of four counts of rape, a sexual assault, causing a person to engage in sexual activity and controlling coercive behaviour.

Both victims outlined the severe trauma they endured at his hands, with one of them branding him a "monster" and a judge calling him "an extremely dangerous man". He must serve at least 14 years of the life sentence before he can be considered for parole and will be on the sex offenders register indefinitely.

The first girl, who he first kissed when she was 15, said in a victim impact statement read to Newcastle Crown Court: "Before (this) I was a fun and outgoing young lady, a child. I was absolutely terrified of him.

"I would frequently wake up during the night screaming. I've had repeated nightmares - one I can't forget of him trying to force entry by trying to smash the door. I know it's a nightmare but it's so vivid it feels like a memory.

"He still plagues me in my sleep and I fear this will last the rest of my life. I feel anger at the thought of what one person can do to another."

The second victim said: "I went from an outgoing independent young lady to a shell of my former self. I was terrified of him. The effects are going to last a lifetime.

"I have trouble sleeping and I feel worthless." She added that the trauma left her suicidal.

Sentencing Anderson, Judge Julie Clemitson said: "At trial you represented yourself. You clearly demonstrated repeatedly to be narcissistic, paranoid, domineering and manipulative.

"You adopted one persona in front of the jury and quite another when they were not in the room. You tried to shout me down and lost your temper one time when I tried to speak to (the prosecutor).

"You demonstrated a complete lack of empathy towards (the victims), showing a callous disregard to both of them. You demonstrated how domineering you could be during your evidence. You walked back to the dock making v-signs to the public gallery.

"You conducted your case with breathtaking arrogance, even asking for feedback on your cross-examination of one witness. You displayed absolutely no remorse but in fact demonstrated an arrogant, entitled attitude to them and those who supported them.

"You made various allegations of misconduct towards various professionals involved in the case."

Judge Clemitson added: "You pose a significant risk of causing serious harm in the future to members of the public. You have shown now insight into your own culpability or the harm you have caused and you appear to have an unflappable belief in your own superiority.

"You are very clearly a dangerous offender. It's likely you will pose a serious risk to others indefinitely."

The judge praised the courage of the victims, saying: "Peter Anderson is an extremely dangerous man who has been brought to justice and the public are going to be kept safe for a lengthy period of time as a result of the courage shown by (the victims).

"He is the most difficult person I have dealt with in 30 years in the criminal justice system."

Peter Schofield, defending, said: "It's right to observe Mr Anderson has strong views about his case. Much of what is contended, he does not accept.

"He has not received a custodial sentence previously. He needs specialist help for his personality disorder. He worked for Nissan for more than a year in the past."

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A MAN who ignored a womans pleas to stop, during a rape ordeal, later boasted: She wouldnt give us it, so I took it anyway, when challenged about the incident. The comment would come back to haunt Robert Jeavons, as it formed part of the evidence against him as the case of rape came to court. Appearing at a Durham Crown Court plea hearing in March, the 34-year-old defendant denied three counts of rape alleged against him. A trial was set, with a three-day time estimate, to be staged at the court, in September this year. But on the day the victim appeared for her pre-trial recording of her evidence, last month, Jeavons changed his plea to guilty, relating to one of the alleged incidents. The plea was accepted by the Crown and the other two alleged rape charges were left to lie on the file. Giving her impact statement at the sentencing hearing at court, the rape victim addressed Jeavons and said: Its not okay what you have done to us. You have destroyed my life. I will never forgive you for what you have done. She said she now struggles to sleep, but when she does, she suffers nightmares recalling the ordeal. But she pledged that despite the effects, mentally and physically, of the incident. she can and will attempt to get on with her life. Robin Turton, prosecuting, said the defendant, living at an address in Norfolk Street, Sunderland, recently, has a single unrelated caution on his record for sexual activity with a child under 16, dating from 2008. Ian West, in mitigation, said that previous incident was when Jeavons was aged only 21, at the time. He said by pleading to the current offence when he did, it was well in advance of the full scheduled trial and saved three days of the courts time. Judge James Adkin said it was still only on the day the victim was to give her evidence in the case but he agreed to give Jeavons 15 per cent discount on his sentence to mark the guilty plea. He said the defendant had intercourse with the woman despite her telling him to stop, but, later, effectively confessed. Imposing a total sentence of 61 months imprisonment, five years and one month, he also made Jeavons subject to a lifetime restraining order, prohibiting any attempt to contact or approach the victim. The defendant will also be subject to notification as a sex offender, also for life.

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Stephen Jones, of Sunderland, was subject to restrictions after he was caught by paedophile hunters, including being banned from deleting internet devices A sex offender has been jailed for deleting the history on his phone. Stephen Jones was given a chance to stay out of prison in 2020 when he was caught by paedophile hunters attempting to meet a child following sexual grooming. As part of his sentence for that offence he got a sexual harm prevention order and one of the terms of it was a ban on deleting his internet history. On May 11 this year, police went to his home to check up on him and asked to examine his devices. The 55-year-old, of Gladstone Street, Sunderland, handed over a phone, saying they would not find anything on it. When told there should be something on it, as he was banned from erasing it, he said: "You won't find anything, I wiped it. I like to wipe my phone." He was arrested and replied "S*** I'm going to prison." As well as the conviction from 2020, he was also in court in September last year of failing to comply with his sex offender notification requirements after failing to notify a change of address. And in November he was convicted of a similar breach. For the latest offence, he pleaded guilty to breaching his sexual harm prevention order and was jailed for 18 months. Judge Christopher Prince, at Newcastle Crown Court, told him: "You have got a concerning record in recent times. You are a high risk of sexual offences against children."

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A Sunderland pensioner has been found with over 1,000 images of children being abused.

Police found the content, which included still pictures and videos on Terence Robert's devices, while he was at work.

Newcastle Crown Court heard two mobile phones were seized from the 71-year-old's address in July 2020 and police also found a cloud storage account.

Prosecutor Joe Culley said: "There were 291 category A images including 96 moving images, 214 category B images including 24 video and 560 category C images.

"The material depicts children between the ages one to 15-years-old."

Roberts, of Hewitt Avenue, Sunderland, pleaded guilty to three counts of making indecent images of children.

He also admitted being in possession of a prohibited image of a child and possession of an extreme pornographic image.

Mr Culley added: "When he was interviewed on the 8th of July 2020, the defendant admitted possessing the images.

"He also admitted having shared and distributed them on social media although he wasn't charged with that.

"He used his mobile phones for accessing the images. He doesn't have any previous convictions."

The court heard the offending had began in April 2017, before he was caught over three years later when officers searched his home.

Vic Laffey, defending Roberts, who has since lost his job and long-term partner as a result, told the court: "As with all these cases it's a very unattractive case.

"These offences are nearly two years old, I'm not completely sure how it's taken that long for them to get into the court system.

"He pleaded guilty at the Magistrates court at the first opportunity and was fully co-operative with the police in interview.

"He fully understands the position he's placed himself in. It's had a dramatic effect on him and he is somebody more than prepared to work with the probation service."

Judge Stephen Earl said: "I take into account probation are willing to work with the defendant and I do take into account there is work to be done which is unlikely to be assessed in custody."

The judge sentenced Roberts to 16 months behind bars, suspended for two years, along with rehabilitation requirements and a four-month curfew.

He must also abide by a sexual harm prevention order and sign the sex offender's register, both lasting ten years.

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A man punched a woman twice in the face while on a night out in Sunderland before sexually assaulting her.

Nathan Maxwell hit the woman to the face twice before doing a runner when witnesses intervened, but later committed a sexual assault on her. The 24-year-old committed the offences in June, last year, with Maxwell punching the woman in the face, before hitting her again on the chin. He appeared at Newcastle Crown Court on Wednesday to be sentenced for common assault and sexual assault.

Emma Dowling, prosecuting, said the woman had been out for the day having drinks in Sunderland, but was unfamiliar with the city, and "was not sure" where she was. Later that day, Maxwell "grabbed" her. "He grabbed her and pulled her back. She tried to pull away, but couldn't", she said. "He suddenly punched her to the right cheek and then punched her again on the chin. She was shocked and went quiet before collapsing.

Ms Dowling said that other revellers saw what happened and "confronted" Maxwell, who then ran away. "The woman was not familiar with the area and people asked if she was OK", she said. The court heard that following the assault, Maxwell also sexually assaulted the woman - who was left with bruising to her chin following the assault.

Brian Hegarty, defending, said Maxwell had no previous convictions of a similar type and was someone who had a "fairly full job history". He added: "He tells me he has a contact at an agency who would be able to use his skills readily."

Sentencing Maxwell, of Glendale Avenue, Concord, Washington, Judge Amanda Rippon, said: "You punched her to the face and to the right cheek. Strangers came to her rescue and told you off, you ran away and she collapsed." The judge handed Maxwell a 12 month prison sentence, suspended for two years and ordered him to carry out 45 rehabilitation activity days. He must also pay 1,000 compensation to the victim within six months, and an indefinite restraining order was also imposed.

Maxwell will also be on the sex offender's register for 10 years. Judge Rippon added: "Any breaches will be reserved to me. You do not want to come back to my court room...you need to grow up."

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A pervert caught with a sickening collection of more than 2,000 child abuse images that he viewed out of "habit" has kept his freedom. Police found the vile pictures and movies downloaded onto a laptop and computer tower that were seized from Alan Passmore's home in Sunderland during a search on March 17 2020. Newcastle Crown Court heard the images featured children as young as five and some of those shown were displaying "distress". Passmore, who has never been in trouble before, admitted three charges of possessing a total of 2,253 indecent images of children, across all three categories of seriousness. The 50-year-old also admitted having 21 pictures and movies featuring extreme pornography and two prohibited images of children. The court heard over 300,000 other images found on the devices were not examined. Brian Hegarty, defending, told the court: "He accepts he has accessed this type of material for a number of years now. "It was a long established and unattractive habit." Mr Hegarty said the police arrival was what Passmore needed to "jolt him out of a long established rut he was in" and he has co-operated fully with theauthorities, while accepting "he needs to change". The court heard Passmore's home became a target when news spread about his offending and his windows were smashed. Mr Hegarty said: "He has had to move out of that address and also lost the job he had held down for 30 years so his fall from grace is absolutely complete." Judge Stephen Earl sentenced Passmore to two years imprisonment, suspended for two years, with rehabilitation and programme requirements and 200 costs. Passmore, now of no fixed address, must sign the sex offenders register and abide by a sexual harm prevention order for ten years. The judge said the children who feature in such images are "severely victimised". Leading the investigation, Detective Constable Stephen Gillibrand, give a stark warning to those who download and share illegal content that police will take action. He said: "It is with thanks to the vigilance of our officers that Passmore will be strictly monitored under court order and I hope this serves as a warning to others that downloading and sharing indecent material in any capacity is a crime and you cannot hide behind a screen or fake profile, we will still find you.

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A perverted former nursing assistant collapsed when confronted by paedophile hunters for trying to have sex chats with a 12-year-old on Facebook.

John Gibson befriended what he believed to be a real child online, not realising it was a decoy account set up by vigilantes.

Gibson, who spent 20 years working in psychiatric hospitals until he was sacked for sending sexual images to an adult, engaged in the illicit chats last February.

Newcastle Crown Court heard during conversations over Facebook Messenger, Gibson and the "girl" spoke about "pets and tattoos".

Then, despite being repeatedly told he was talking to a 12-year-old child, the 50-year-old started to talk about sex, said he could be her "first boyfriend", sent a graphic picture and videos and requested the same in return.

Christopher Rose, prosecuting, told the court: "On one occasion he suggested that they get a hotel room in Basingstoke so she could stay with him and he could be her first boyfriend."

The court heard the group behind the fake profile, which was based in the south of England, contacted a similar organisation in the North East and Gibson was lured to a date with an adult, where the police were called.

Mr Rose said: "The defendant collapsed on the floor, complaining of chest pains and he was taken by ambulance.

"During that ambulance journey he admitted messaging a 12-year-old girl on Facebook, saying she wanted to come and meet him and he said no."

Gibson, of Hastings Street, Sunderland, admitted attempting to cause a child under 13 to engage in sexual activity, attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child and attempting to cause a child under 13 to watch a sexual act.

Judge Robert Adams sentenced him to three years and two months behind bars.

Gibson must sign the sex offenders register for life and abide by a sexual harm prevention order for ten years.

Judge Adams told him: "It is very clear you knew and understood she was 12 and you didn't seem to care.

"There is no doubt whatsoever what you were talking about while talking about the hotel."

The court heard Gibson's alcohol abuse was a contributing factor to his offending and he came across the profile by chance "while looking for friends to talk to".

Fiona Lamb, defending, said Gibson has never been in trouble before and has been candid when questioned.

Miss Lamb said: "He accepts, unusually, that the offending behaviour was motivated by sexual gratification."

Miss Lamb said Gibson is "at a loss" to explain why he was attracted to a child profile but is willing to address his behaviour.

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A SEX offender put himself at risk of a third spell behind bars in less than ten years after flying to Poland to visit a girlfriend without informing police. Frank Smith also breached a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) and his notification requirements by changing his bank details and adopting aliases while using the internet, again without telling a police monitoring officer. The now 37-year-old served a three-year prison sentence, imposed at Teesside Crown Court, in May 2012, for grooming and having sexual activity with a 15-year-old girl, as well as for downloading indecent images of children. He was also made subject to lifetime registration as a sex offender and an indefinite Sexual Harm Prevention Order. Within months, however, he moved from the family home in Blackhall Colliery, County Durham, to Town End Farm, Sunderland, after finding work at the nearby Nissan motor manufacturing works, but failed to tell monitoring officers. He also uploaded 17 indecent images of children to be viewed by internet chat room site users. In conversations with those users, recovered by police, Smith boasted of having had sexual relations with girls aged 13 and 15, the latter being the reason for his 2012 prison sentence. Smith was jailed for 32 months for those offences at Durham Crown Court, in November 2016. Laura Doherty, prosecuting, told Newcastle Crown Court, police became aware he had travelled to Gdansk, in Poland, in October 2020, without notifying police. It was also discovered he had used online alias names, one for an Xbox profile, and changed his bank account. When interviewed he admitted having visited his girlfriend in Poland and said he had not used any of the aliases for more than three days but conceded he had not informed police of any of them. Smith, of High Street East, Sunderland, admitted three counts of failing to comply with a SHPO. Barry Robson, for Smith, said a probation report recommended the defendant should be subject to a rehabilitative course, which would serve the public better than a short prison sentence, during which he would not receive the same assistance. Recorder Richard Wright QC agreed, saying the alternative would be a short custodial sentence. He told Smith: The effect is I couldnt order you to do the work that I can on a community sentence. Imposing the 18-month order, he said Smith should undergo a 40-day programme with the Probation Service. But he told the defendant: I make this clear. I have, effectively, given you an opportunity because I consider it in the best interests of the public to deal with you in this way. Should you fail to comply, there wont be any further chances.

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A CONVICTED sex offender has appeared in court after having unauthorised contact with young children. Matthew McCormick admitted breaching the terms of his sexual harm prevention order (SHPO) after repeatedly visiting his step-sister when her children were present. The 25-year-old failed to notify the relevant authorities that he was regularly visiting her over a three-month period. Teesside Crown Court heard how McCormick attended her home on numerous occasions between November 1 last year and January 31. Robin Turton, prosecuting, said the defendant was made subject of a five-year SHPO following his conviction for sexual assault in 2015. He said McCormick had breached his order on two previous occasions in 2016 and January last year. Mr Turton added: "On a number of occasions, he visited the address of his step-sister and her two young children and he said she was aware of his conviction." McCormick, of Ridley Terrace, Sunderland, pleaded guilty to breach of his SHPO when he appeared at magistrates's court. In mitigation, Martin Scarborough, said his client had always maintained that his step-sister knew about his conviction despite her initially denying the fact. Mr Scarborough said McCormick was always supervised during the visits and his pregnant girlfriend attended with him on occasion. He added: "There was no risk of him offending because his step-sister was aware of the order and he was supervised at all times." McCormick spent ten weeks on remand, the equivalent of a 20-week prison sentence, he added. Judge Deborah Sherwin passed a six-month prison sentence, suspended for two years. He was also made subject to a new five-year SHPO order. As a 19-year-old he kissed a 12-year-old girl while they were on a playing field in Hartlepool in front of her brother and sister and his own brother last year. McCormick was found guilty of sexual assault after a four-day trial at Teesside Crown Court in April, 2015. He was given a 12-month community order with supervision and banned from having contact with under-16s for five years. The court heard McCormick, formerly of West View Road, Hartlepool, suffers from Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).