Ellis Cunningham 27

Description

A sex offender's last minute trip to Amsterdam nearly landed him in prison.

Ellis Cunningham is a convicted rapist who sexually abused a girl he met on Facebook. Despite repeatedly and regularly flouting conditions which have been imposed upon him in order to protect the public, a judge today gave him "one last chance".

Liverpool Crown Court heard on Friday that the 26-year-old was convicted of rape in 2016 after having sexual activity with a 12-year-old girl following contact on the social media network. Joshua Sanderson-Kirk, prosecuting, described how Ellis was handed a 24-month imprisonment suspended for 10 years, as well as a 10-year sexual harm prevention order and a notification requirement last the same period.

The latter order requires him to notify police of any foreign travel at least a week prior to departure. But the force was alerted that he had re-entered the country on February 13 this year after spending four days in Amsterdam.

Cunningham, of Burley Close in Kirkby, later made a "full and frank admission" after voluntarily attending a police station. He has eight previous convictions for nine offences, including breaching the requirements of the sex offenders' register on six occasions in 2017, 2018, and 2021 which have seen him serve short prison sentences on several occasions.

The court was told that he had obtained his passport only five weeks before his visit to the Netherlands, and that the defendant claimed he had only been invited onto the trip abroad at five days' notice. Charles Lander, defending, conceded that his client had "unimpressive antecedents for similar offences" but highlight his full-time, self-employed role as a specialist groundworker providing services in relation to BT's WiFi coverage.

He added: "He can be and is a viable member of society. He understands his stupidity."

Cunningham admitted failing to comply with the sex offenders' register. He was handed a 12-month imprisonment suspended for 18 months plus 80 hours of unpaid work and a rehabilitation activity requirement of up to 10 days.

Sentencing, Judge Stuart Driver KC said: "It is a matter of public concern that a man subject to notification requirements travels to another country where he is not subject to any supervision. This is a serious and deliberate breach and there are no excuses.

"You knew exactly what you were doing. With your experience with the courts, you knew what the consequences could be.

"Letters from your family speak of the progress you have made and your good employment. With hesitation, I am going to give you one last chance, but I mean last.

"If I see you again, you are going through that door. I am not convinced by you. I won't be the slightest bit surprised if I see you again in the next 18 months. If I do, you are getting that full sentence immediately."