Anthony Callander 55

Description

A Cleator Moor man who once tried to meet a 14-year-old girl for sex has been jailed for breaching a court order aimed at reducing his risk.

Anthony Callander, 55, violated his Sex Offender Register terms by moving in with a friend in Brampton without notifying police, using an undeclared mobile phone, and not disclosing a new bank card. He admitted the three offenses.

Prosecutor Matthew Hopkins told Carlisle Crown Court that telecoms data revealed Callander had swapped his SIM from a declared Nokia to an undeclared Motorola handset.

“The police also received information that he had been staying at an address in Brampton for seven or more days and he had not told the police about this,” said Mr Hopkins. Callander lived there from June 15 to July 6.

The sexual harm prevention order was imposed in 2023 for attempted sexual communication with a child. Callander has 112 prior offenses and denied wrongdoing when questioned. The Motorola phone was never found.

Defending, Lucy Moran said Callander, of Queen Street, Cleator Moor, cares for his mother, who has COPD, dementia, and a recent terminal diagnosis. A report indicated the undeclared phone belonged to his Brampton friend and was used to resolve benefits issues.

Callander's father had died, his brother committed suicide years ago, and he lost a stillborn child, added Miss Moran.

Judge Michael Fanning, who recalled sentencing Callander in 2023, noted he had arranged to meet someone he believed was a 14-year-old girl in Cleator Moor Square with a bottle of wine, planning sex.

Though no evidence showed repeats, the judge said undeclared items could have enabled undetected offenses. A Probation Service report stated Callander minimizes his offending, shifts blame, and cannot be safely managed in the community.

Judge Fanning jailed him for one year.