Locations
Marsh Street North, Stoke-On-Trent, ST1
Description
A convicted sex offender in the Midlands was caught babysitting two children while their mother was at a court hearing.
Wayne Sandford was made the subject of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order in 2012 which prohibited him engaging with a child.
But Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court heard the 35-year-old started a relationship with a mum-of-two last December.
And on May 17 the defendant attended Stoke-on-Trent Family Court where the woman was involved in a hearing, reports StokeonTrentLive .
CCTV caught the defendant with the womans children.
Prosecutor Robert Price said: Essentially he was babysitting the children.
Sandford, of Marsh Street North, Hanley, admitted breaching a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO).
Jason Holt, mitigating, said: He indicates he was not aware the children were coming to court.
He is trying his best to deal with life under the order and is trying to stay out of trouble.
Sandford was handed a 12-month conditional discharge after he admitted communicating with a child.
Judge Paul Glenn said: You were aware of the terms of the order but you continued to breach the requirements.
"The order is to protect children and the prosecution are quite right to bring this matter to court.
"But it seems to me this is very much at the lower end.
The offence occurred in this building. You formed a relationship with a woman who had two children.
"You attended the family court and you interacted with her two children.
Your role seems to have been babysitter.
It is not suggested you were alone with the children or you behaved in a way that was inappropriate.
"There is no suggestion of any harm or distress being caused.