Description
A convicted sex offender who used to be a chef cooked up a whole load of trouble for himself when he failed to tell police where he was living as part of his annual registration requirements.
Mark Sheffield was five days over the strict time limit for registering his details every year but he cheerily claimed in court that everything was now "all good" with the police and that it had all been sorted out. He had even already put an all-important reminder note on his calendar for next time to make sure there were no more blunders, Hull Crown Court heard.
Sheffield, 29, who lives off Beverley Road, Hull, admitted failing to register his details as a sex offender under his obligations to do so after a previous sexual offences conviction in 2015.
Hannah Turner, prosecuting, said that, because of his previous conviction, Sheffield had to register his details under the sex offenders' register every 12 months. He was required to attend Clough Road police station, Hull, on August 3 last year but he failed to do so.
Sheffield was telephoned and was reminded about what he should have done. He apologised and went there the same day to complete his annual notification. He was five days outside the time limit for complying.
He admitted during police interview that he was aware of the requirements but he claimed that it simply slipped his mind.
Sheffield had convictions for 14 previous offences, including two offences of sexual activity with a girl under 15 in November 2015 and breaching a sexual harm prevention order in October 2016.
Sheffield told the court: "I completely forgot. Now I have put it on my calendar when I have to register. I have a good relationship with the police.
"I speak to my officer every week, which is a good thing for me. I have no problem with him. I have had a decent person ever since I moved to Hull.
"He has no problems with me. It's all good with the police officer that I have got. I have no problems with him at all."
Sheffield said that he had previously been homeless and he had worked in the past as a chef and doing agency work. He was now working in a kitchen but he hoped to become a chef again. "I used to be a chef," he said.
Judge Alexander Menary said: "After five days, you were outside the time limit of notifying the police of your whereabouts but, when you were told about it, you came in the same day and notified the police."
It was an oversight rather than a deliberate attempt to evade the police but Sheffield was warned that he could he jailed if he breached the order again. "It could be immediate custody," said Judge Menary.
Sheffield was given 20 days' rehabilitation and he was ordered to pay £100 costs.