Description
A sex offender arrested for spying on mums changing babies' nappies in a supermarket has been jailed. Pervert Paul Thomas was made the subject of an indefinite Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) after grooming and meeting a child.
But, as reported by StokeonTrentLive, the 41-year-old was then arrested in October 2020 after watching parents in the baby changing area clean up their children for his own sexual gratification.
And during police interview, he disclosed that he had been in a relationship with a woman who had three children, including two under the age of 16. As a result, he breached the order by staying overnight at her address without informing the authorities.
Prosecutor Harinderpal Dhami told Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court how Thomas disclosed he had been in a relationship with the mum who had no idea of his offending history. On October 4 he handed his phone to police and he disclosed to his probation officer he had deleted messages received from the Plenty of Fish dating site.
Mr Dhami said: "His phone was analysed and there were 6,529 web entries that had been deleted. There was no suggestion that material being sought was indecent images of children.
"He also deleted WhatsApp messages. There were 507 internet search items deleted. It seemed to be indicative that the defendant searched for his own name and details."
Thomas, of no fixed address, admitted breaching a SHPO and two charges of failing to comply with notification requirements of the sex offenders' register. Stuart Muldoon, mitigating, said: "He is sorry for what he has done. The remorse is genuine.
"He did not wish there to be any interference by the authorities in that relationship. That is why he did not disclose it to the authorities."
Judge Sally Hancox jailed Thomas for two years. She said: "You formed a friendship with a woman who had three daughters, two were under 16 at the time. You stayed overnight with that woman at her home, she being in complete ignorance of your previous offending record.
"You failed to comply with the notification requirements in that you failed to tell those who monitor you that your address had changed. There was no wrongdoing on your part towards her or her family.
"You breached the SHPO by deleting your internet usage and search history on your mobile phone. You remain a risk. Thankfully, nothing found to be deleted was a concern. It was still a deliberate breach of your SHPO."
Speaking after the case, Police Constable Sarah Gifford said: Thomas thought he could lie and deceive police about his activities and cover his tracks. Im glad he has been handed a custodial sentence and hope it goes to show how we continue to monitor sexual offenders in order to bring them to justice.