Liam Proudman 25

Description

A sex offender who was jailed for grooming teenage girls has been back in court for breaking rules imposed on his release. Liam Proudman was sentenced to three years in a young offenders institution in 2018 for having sexual online chats with the three victims - and subsequently warning one girl to 'drop the charges' against him.

Having been released, he set up six social media accounts in false names and sent unwanted sexual videos and photos of his genitals to a male 'acquaintance' on Snapchat.

Proudman, now aged 23, also started a new relationship without telling police, which brought him into contact with a three-year-old girl. He is banned from doing either under the restrictions placed on him following his previous conviction.

Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court heard Proudman sent sexual photos and videos after contacting an acquaintance on Facebook. Prosecutor Rosemary Proctor said: "The defendant contacted the male using an account in the name of Liam Smith. The two exchanged messages.

"The conversation moved to Snapchat. The defendant started to send masturbation videos and photos of his penis. It was reported to the police."

In October, police carried out a check at Proudman's home and found he had two mobile phones. Miss Proctor said: "He told police a Sony phone was his girlfriend's. It transpired he had been in a relationship for a week.

"He had attended a meal with her and her family at a pub restaurant and a three-year-old female relative had been present. The defendant had not notified the police that he had entered into a relationship."

Proudman, of Yarnbrook Grove, Norton, pleaded guilty to two breached of his Sexual Harm Prevention Order and failing to comply with the notification requirements of the Sex Offenders Register.

Stuart Muldoon, mitigating, said: "The defendant wants to comply with the orders and be clear of offending. They are causing issues where he lives. He has already served the equivalent of a 14-month sentence on remand."

Due to the length of time Proudman has been in custody on remand, Recorder Francesca Levett decided to sentence him to a community order. She said: "There was a clear and deceitful attempt to breach your notification requirements. The fact you had six Facebook accounts in false names is clearly an aggravating factor.

"You have served longer in prison than you would have done had you been sentenced in November. I'm sorry that matters could not be dealt with sooner.

"If I were to impose a suspended sentence on you today, the most I could impose would be 24 weeks. You have already served that, so there's no benefit in you having that hanging over your head.

"The most important thing is to give you some structure. It will make the community a safer place and hopefully you and your family can put this behind you."

Proudman was handed an 18-month community order with a six-month monitoring requirement and a 30-day rehabilitation activity requirement.