Richard Mason 36

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A man who breached a sexual harm prevention order by assisting families with young children at a fairground ride has been jailed for nine months.

Richard Mason, 35, pleaded guilty to the breach and to obstructing a police officer at a hearing on May 9.

Mason, of Church Terrace, Darwen, was not to have any contact with children under the age of 18 per the terms of his order, which was amended to include that restriction in 2019.

This was the sixth time Mason had breached the order, originally imposed following a conviction for sexual offences in 2005.

Prosecuting at Preston Crown Court, Beth Pilling said: “Police received an anonymous phone call on April 8 this year informing them the defendant was working at Witton Park in Blackburn.

“They attended at around 4.15pm and observed him working on one of the rides for around 13 minutes, seating families and locking the overhead equipment into place.

“On speaking to him, he informed the police he was going home. He collected his items from by the ticket stall and walked off.”

The police decided to take Mason to one side to speak to him, but he pushed an officer’s arm away and ran off. He was located an hour later on a nearby street.

He informed officers he was only there to go on the rides and that he had not been working there, just assisting a friend who was working.

Mitigating, Holly Nelson said Mason maintains he was not paid to be there and he attended the fairground to meet a friend working there who had asked for help.

“He should not have been doing it and he accepts that,” Ms Nelson added.

Sentencing, Recorder David Temkin said: “On April 8 this year police were anonymously called to say you were working at a funfair in Witton Park.

“You were observed for a little under a quarter of an hour assisting your friend. You certainly assisted and operated machinery.

“What you did brought you into contact with families, including children, in direct contradiction to your Sexual Harm Prevention Order, and you knew it.

“Police officers viewed some families had young children appearing to be under 13. One police officer saw you lifting a seven-year-old child into a carriage.

“You told the police officers you were only there to go on some rides. That was patently untrue.”

Passing sentence, Recorder Temkin said Mason presented a risk and a danger to the public and an appropriate punishment can only be achieved by immediate custody.

Mason was sentenced to nine months in prison, with no separate penalty for the obstruction of an officer.