Andrew Boatwright 25

Description

A sex offender given a chance to reform breached his court order within weeks by hiding a tablet containing over 200 child abuse images.

Andrew Boatwright, 25, of Sorrel Close, Stockton, had received a 20-month suspended sentence for two years in April for possessing indecent images of children, prohibited images, and extreme pornography. He was also required to sign the sex offenders’ register and comply with a sexual harm prevention order.

Prosecutor Caroline McGurk said Boatwright used an alias on his Xbox and an incognito browser on the unregistered Samsung tablet, found hidden under his mattress. She added: “He failed to volunteer the existence of the Samsung tablet; they later found it hidden under his mattress and indecent images were recovered from it at a later date.”

Boatwright pleaded guilty to downloading 38 Category A, 58 Category B, and 169 Category C indecent images of children; three breaches of his sexual harm prevention order; and breaching notification requirements between May 10 and September 18.

Mitigator Eleanor Bohill cited his “disturbed and troubled background” and history of illicit substance abuse from a young age.

Judge Jonathan Carroll activated 14 months of the suspended sentence and added 20 months for the new offenses, totaling two years and ten months in custody.

“You were only 73 days into that order when you committed these offences,” the judge said. “I am certain that you knew full well that you should have disclosed the Samsung tablet to the police otherwise you wouldn’t have needed to hide it under your mattress or failed to disclose it to the police.”

He added: “I have no doubt at all that the court’s primary concern in April was to give you a chance to engage with probation service to help you get back on track and help you deal with your innate sexual desires and emotions. You only get one chance at that and you have squandered it.”