Jordan Hubbock 28

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Jordan Hubbock was released on licence while serving a sentence for raping three people, but cut off his electronic tag and went to ground in Essex for a month

A convicted rapist from Bushey, near Watford, considered "high risk" was at large in Essex for a month after he cut off his electronic tag following his release from prison.

Jordan Hubbock was put in jail after his conviction in 2014 for raping three people, one of whom was a child under the age of 16.

Hubbock, 26, committed the crimes between 2011 and 2013 and was released from prison on licence in 2021 and fitted with an electronic tag to track his movements, EssexLive reports.

He was also listed on the Sex Offenders' Register, requiring him to inform police of his address, telephone numbers, credit cards and social media accounts.

However, shortly after his release to the Basildon area in Essex, and later Barking, Hubbock cut off his tag.

Essex Police was informed that he was a "high risk" sexual offender and a manhunt was launched, which included appeals on social media.

Hubbock went to ground in February last year, and it was not until March 18 that he was found by police searching an address, where he had been hiding behind a sunbed.

Hubbock was sentenced at Basildon Crown Court on Wednesday (March 9) for breaching notification requirements.

Prosecuting, Mitchell Cohen said: "He had failed to notify police that he was using an application called Kik, and he had been using that in a different name by which he was generally known.

"The fourth breach relates to a credit card.

"It was a determined and long-lasting attempt to evade. It caused a great deal of harm when he was declared a high-risk offender."

Mr Cohen said police had located the broken electronic tag that had been dumped in a bin by Hubbock.

Mitigating, Chris Harper said Hubbock had taken full responsibility for his actions and admitted his guilt, but the use of a different name was not a "deliberate attempt" to evade and was actually his mother's maiden name.

He added: "He hasn't understood the requirements that he should have. That's no excuse, the obligation is on him but it does put this into context. He accepts his behaviour was wrong."

Mr Harper added Hubbock was undertaking a business economics degree from the Open University whilst in prison.

Judge Samantha Leigh told Hubbock: "It was a determined effort to evade detection. You were off the record for a month. You were eventually tracked by telephone data through your family."

Hubbock was jailed for 30 months, however, this will run alongside his recall to prison to serve the remainder of his original sentence, which is expected to last until at least January 2027.