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A sex offender who spent four years in prison has pleaded guilty to 'misleading police' one year after being let out.
Stephen Thorpe, of no fixed address, introduced himself to Swindon Magistrates' Court on July 23 as his new alias Herbert Hudson, as he pleaded guilty to not complying with sex offender notification requirements.
By law, sexual offenders who do not have a fixed address are required to update police with their whereabouts every seven days.
But while Thorpe had been telling Swindon police every seven days that he was homeless, he failed to mention that he was in fact staying with a vulnerable woman.
“This is a serious charge," said prosecutor Adam Cooper.
"Mr Thorpe/Hudson is a previous sex offender with five convictions and eight offences across a period of more time.
“Thorpe has been living with a very vulnerable individual since Christmas 2023.
"She, in her witness statement, said she has a schizoaffective disorder which leaves her with paranoia and stress, and unable to judge people properly.
“In that time the defendant has repeatedly told police he is of no fixed abode. They then found him at this property.
“This man does pose a danger and a risk of further offending. He has knowingly misled police as to where he lives."
Thorpe's most recent sexual offence in 2019 was deemed so serious he spent four years in prison and served the whole term before being released in 2023.
But his defence lawyer Mark Glendenning pointed out that despite secretly staying with a vulnerable female in Swindon: "His previous convictions are sexual offences against males, not females."
“He accepts that he has been at that address for the time period that he has known this lady.
"He hasn't told this lady about his previous history and he considers himself as of no fixed abode."
Chair of the bench Peter Searle told Thorpe that due to his previous convictions, this offence was too serious to be dealt with in by magistrates and must be sent to Swindon Crown Court.
Thorpe has now been released on conditional bail with the condition that he does not make any contact, whether in person or online, with the vulnerable woman he had been living with.
He will reappear at crown court on August 30, and a pre-sentence report will also be ordered.