Neil Bamber 67

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A CONVICTED sex offender who was ‘unwilling to comply with court orders’ has been jailed for failing to disclose details of an unregistered bank account to police.

Neil Bamber, of Emmanuel Court in Barrow, was ordered by a court to alert police to any financial changes in his life within three days, Preston Crown Court was told.

The 67-year-old pensioner was made the subject of a 20-month suspended sentence order in February 2021 for attempting to engage in sexual communications with a child and attempting to engage in sexual activity with a child.

The court heard Bamber had also been placed on a sexual harm prevention order (SHPO) for 10 years, as well as being required to comply with the notification requirements of the sex offenders register as part of the sentence.

Prosecutor Keira Shaw said the defendant had only ever declared a Natwest bank account to police.

She said officers received information that the defendant had been using another bank card registered to a HSBC account.

As a result, Ms Shaw said officers attended the defendant’s address on April 11 this year to conduct a routine home compliance check.

She told the court the defendant was offered the opportunity to disclose the account before signing a document detailing that he understood the terms of his SHPO.

However, Bamber was then subsequently arrested for failing to notify police of a change in his circumstances, the court was told.

The court heard he told officers he did not want to disclose the information as he believed he would lose all of his pension and savings. He conceded that the account had been open for 40 years.

Ms Shaw said Bamber was sentenced to another 16-week suspended sentence order in June last year for ‘waving at a child’ whilst outside a school, which put him in breach of the original order.

Bamber was sentenced on June 12 after conceding he had failed to comply with the notification requirements of the sex offenders register.

In mitigation, his barrister Tom Farr said: “He recognises this was a stupid decision not to declare his bank account. He was concerned for the security of his savings. He was paranoid about what might happen to his financial security and pension.

“He is the full time carer for his wife who suffers with dementia and Alzheimer’s. He receives payment from the government for this. There is no other care in place for his wife.

“It would be unjust to activate his suspended sentence in my respectful submission. He is at low risk of reconviction and does not commit persistent offences. I ask you to draw back from immediate custody today.”

However, Recorder Ayesha Siddiqi disagreed with the defence submissions and as a result jailed Bamber for 42 weeks.

Before passing sentence, Recorder Siddiqi said: “It was concerning behaviour.

“There was a long period of non-compliance here. You had been asked on four occasions to complete a form to disclose your bank details. You were then given the opportunity on the day you were arrested.

“There is no reason why declaring your account would have resulted in the loss of your savings.

“You were incapable or unwilling to comply with the requirements of the law.

“You have a history of poor compliance with court orders. Appropriate punishment can only be achieved by an immediate custodial sentence.”

Speaking after the sentencing, Detective Constable Dan Chadwick of Cumbria Constabulary said: “Neil Bamber has been non-compliant since his initial conviction for attempting to incite a child into sexual activity.

"This discovery of an undeclared bank account shows his continued level of non-compliance.

“I am pleased with the result, and I hope it sends the message out to the public that Cumbria Police proactively manage sex offenders.”