Locations
Queenborough Road, Halfway, Sheerness, Kent, ME12
Description
A registered sex offender from the Isle of Sheppey has been jailed for targeting young girls and multiple breaches of a court order.
In 2021, Paul Knight pleaded guilty to sexual offences involving children and became subject to strict conditions on his conduct.
A 10-year sexual harm prevention order (SHPO) along with sex offender notification requirements (SONR) included restrictions around his interaction with young people, use of the internet and phones, and possession of bank cards.
Knight was also required to install monitoring software on his internet-enabled devices.
Unannounced inspection
On 10 November 2023, investigators made an unannounced visit to Knight’s home address and there was a delay before he answered his door. He then handed over his mobile phone for inspection, stating it was his only device.
Suspecting Knight had bypassed the monitoring software on this phone, he was arrested.
The officers then searched his property and recovered an iPhone hidden inside a wardrobe. It was locked and Knight said it did not belong to him. They also found he had bank cards he had not declared to the police.
On the following day, Knight, of Queenborough Road, Minster-on-Sea, was charged with five breaches of his SHPO, three breaches of his SONR, and possessing indecent images of a child.
He was remanded in custody and his two phones were then sent for further digital forensic examination.
Targeting children
When investigators gained access to his iPhone, they found Knight had been communicating with multiple young girls online for several months. He had been engaging in sexually explicit conversations and had sent indecent photos of himself whilst asking for illegal ones in return.
His phones also contained a total of 129 indecent images of children including one of the most serious category.
Knight was further charged with 13 counts of causing and attempting to cause a child to engage in sexual activity, and three counts of making indecent images of children.
Guilty
He pleaded guilty to all the indictments at Maidstone Crown Court. On Monday 9 June 2025, the 61-year-old received an extended sentence with a total of eight years and three months' imprisonment.
On his release he will be required to complete an additional four years on licence. Knight will also be subject to an indefinite sexual harm prevention order.