Ian Collard 34

Description

A convicted Medway sex offender who breached the terms of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) has been jailed.

Ian Collard, formerly of Station Road, Gillingham, downloaded banned apps and set up online dating profiles despite being forbidden to do so.

Court order

Collard, 34, became the subject of a SHPO after pleading guilty to attempting to cause a girl to engage in sexual activity in 2018. The court order included conditions that he must not access the internet without informing the authorities and must make any devices available for inspection by officers when asked.

The SHPO also stipulated that the offender must not use any form of social media, dating apps or dating websites; install any app capable of automatically deleting messages or making messages disappear, or contact any person without their expressed consent.

Order breached

Following a routine visit by Kent Police officers, Collard was found to be in breach of the court order. An examination of his mobile phone uncovered prohibited activity, including that he had downloaded Snapchat and was using several different aliases for various dating app profiles.

Collard was arrested on 17 May 2024 and charged the same day with seven breaches of the SHPO and three breaches of the Sex Offenders’ Notification Requirements.

Jailed

He pleaded guilty and on Friday 14 March 2025 at Maidstone Crown Court, was sentenced to three years in prison.