Scott Simpson 32

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Sex offender Scott Simpson is back behind bars after he met a woman with two children on two occasions. The 30-year-old was made the subject of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) in 2014 after he engaged in sexual activity in the presence of a child.

But he breached the order by meeting up with a woman and her two young daughters, aged six and three, on two occasions. And he hid his internet enabled mobile phone and failed to present it to police for inspection.

Now Simpson has been jailed for 23 months at Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court. Prosecutor Antony Longworth said the defendant and his partner became friends with a woman who had two daughters, aged six and three.

They met up on February 12 and the woman and her children went back to Simpson's home. Mr Longworth said: "They had a pleasant time."

The defendant left his bag in her car and she arranged to return it to his home on February 19. Mr Longworth said: "He was engaging and played with the children. She was not made aware of his sexual offences or the existence of the SHPO or she would not have had anything to do with the defendant."

Police visited the defendant's home on March 31. Mr Longworth said: "He told them he did not have a mobile phone but used his partner's phone. An officer called the number and it went to the voicemail of Scott Simpson. He was asked where the phone was. He disclosed that the phone was in the bin area. The police found the phone in the bin area."

Simpson, of Hartshill Road, Hartshill, pleaded guilty to three charges of breaching a SHPO.

Martin Bloor, mitigating, said the defendant was not forthcoming with the police about the phone or with the woman about his past. But he said Simpson did not offend between 2014 and 2019 and has proved he can remain offence free and make progress.

Mr Bloor added: "He accepts he has underlying issues. A short prison sentence would not deal with those issues. They may be better managed and dealt with in the community."

But Judge Graeme Smith jailed Simpson telling him: "You are a high risk of re-offending, a high risk of causing serious harm and you have responded poorly to previous supervision."