Colchester 2026-11-04
Paul Newman 29
Sex offender repeatedly breaching court orders.
Locations
No fixed address.
Description
Paul Newman, 29, of no fixed abode in Colchester, received a suspended prison sentence after admitting multiple breaches of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) and sex offender notification requirements.
Newman was convicted in 2024 of attempting to engage in sexual communications with a child. His SHPO required him to register new bank cards, mobile phones, and changes of whereabouts with police within set timescales.
Ipswich Crown Court heard he was arrested in February after registering a Monzo bank card several weeks late, beyond the three-day limit. He also failed to notify police he had become homeless following eviction from the Riverside Hotel in North Station Road, Colchester.
In July he opened the Snapchat app (which automatically deletes messages) on his girlfriend’s phone. In August he was arrested after being reported as a high-risk missing person and handed over an unregistered mobile phone.
Newman admitted three counts of breaching the SHPO and two counts of failing to comply with notification requirements. Prosecutor Lauren Holmes outlined the breaches.
Mitigating, Benedict Peers said the offences arose because Newman was homeless and were not deliberate. “He had a difficult childhood, to put it neutrally – he has a history of learning difficulties and poor mental health which appears to be triggered by relationship problems,” Peers said. He added that Newman had informed other professional services of his homelessness (though not police within three days) and, on the Snapchat use: “This was a phone supplied to him by his partner – it already contained the application Snapchat. He logged into that application to see what his partner was posting on Snapchat.”
Newman’s former foster carer told the court he had completed a catering course and secured a job, despite a social worker previously saying this was unlikely.
Judge David Pugh sentenced Newman to 16 months’ imprisonment, suspended for two years. He must also complete 180 hours of unpaid work and pay a £187 victim surcharge.