Locations
Crewkerne, Somerset, TA18
Description
A paedophile failed to tell his new partner he was a sex offender despite spending three nights in the same house as her children.
Jamie Goodchild, 26, of Crewkerne, appeared via video link at Taunton Crown Court on Friday (July 26).
He previously pleaded guilty to four breaches of a sexual harm prevention order after he was in the same house as three children under the age of 16 for three nights.
This was in breach of the court order imposed by Chelmsford Crown Court in 2016.
Prosecuting, Mr Russell, explained to the court that "he is prevented from speaking to anyone under the age of 16 without prior agreement of police".
He added Goodchild has been a registered sex offender since 2014.
Goodchild met the woman on dating website Plenty of Fish in early 2019.
Mr Russell said: "They appear to have started a relationship with him in 2019.
"He started the relationship and didn't visit her home until June 8 and stayed until June 11. She has three children of varying ages.
"His status on the register came to light on social media and he was challenged by his partner. After this, he left the property.
"In an interview to the police, he gave a statement that he had been seeing her for five months but denied he had been at her home."
Goodchild was previously sentenced to 20 months in prison for meeting a child after sexual grooming and two breaches of a previous court order in 2017.
Defending, Harry Ahjua, noted Goodchild "accepts there is no excuse of his abuse (of the court order) on this occasion".
He said: "The background to this case is that the defendant met the mother of those children on that website.
"He is allowed to lead a law abiding life in accordance to court.
"When he came to release, the lady he was dating had children and he should have told her about his court order. But he didn't."
"He will from now on fully and wholly abide by court orders."
Mr Ahjua added Goodchild struggles with his Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and "forgetfulness".
The court also heard how Goodchild moved to Somerset to "better himself" but noted how his family "disowned him" due to his crimes.
Sentencing, Judge David Ticehurst, listened to Mr Ahuja's request for a suspended prison sentence but was troubled by several "concerns" raised in a probation report, including Goodchild's interests in younger children.
He said: "You chose to deal with younger females and are known to expose yourself to young females for your own sexual needs.
"In 2016, you were in breach of the court order. In 2017, you breached the order. In 2018, you breached the order.
"In four conservative years, you have made a further breach of the order.
"There have been persistent breaches of the order and it is of serious aggravation by your frequent breaches of the order."
Goodchild was ordered to spend two years in prison, pay 140 in costs and his sexual harm prevention order was ordered to stand until 2026.
Judge Ticehurst continued: "If you behave yourself, you will serve half of that. If you carry on breaching the order, you will go to the prison for longer."