Lee Savage 43

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A convicted child sex offender from Devon moved in with a woman shortly after leaving prison but did not tell her the truth about his criminal past. Lee Savage, 41, behaved like he was part of the family and spent most of his time in Taunton, Exeter Crown Court heard.

He was banned from contact with children by a Sexual Harm Prevention Order but ignored its restrictions and did not tell police or probation that he was not living full-time at his registered address in Plymouth.

His lies were discovered when a suspicious family member Googled his name and discovered he was a registered sex offender with a history of grooming children. Savage swiftly left the property but was arrested by police and brought back to court.

The defendant, previously of Keyham Road in Plymouth, has been jailed for two years. He admitted breaching his SHPO and two offences of failing to comply with notification requirements.

Prosecutor Mr James Adam said Savage was released on licence from a jail sentence, imposed for attempting to meet a girl under 16 following grooming, in 2020. Instead of living at the Plymouth address he entered into a relationship with a mum-of-two in Taunton.

He moved into the family home and before his arrest in November spent 101 days in the Taunton area. He was never alone with her children in private and did not commit any sexual offences. Savage did offer to look after the children and gave the impression they were a family, said the prosecutor.

The relationship ended when his partner's sister searched his name on Google and found details of the 2017 conviction which involved him being caught by paedophile hunters. The sister posted details online and police investigated.

Savage failed to tell police he had moved address, putting him in breach of the notification requirements. By having contact with children without their parent's full and informed consent he breached his SHPO.

His now ex-partner said she felt angry with herself and feels as if she was groomed by letting Savage into her life. The defendant also has previous convictions, dating back to 2010, for sexual activity with a female child under 16 and possessing indecent photos of children. He also has a previous breach of his lifetime SHPO on his record.

Ms Evie Dean, defending, said Savage had a difficult childhood. He was released from jail at the height of the Covid pandemic and felt as if he had no stability. He accepts what he did and is sorry.

Judge Anna Richardson said: "Although you told police about your Plymouth address you in fact spent little time there and fully involved yourself in family life." She said it had been a persistent breach, he has a history of ignoring orders and begged for police not to be told.

She imposed a 10-year restraining order for him not to contact the family.