David Draycott 70

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A sex offender given a chance to stay out of jail this summer squandered the opportunity by "deliberately" breaching a court order less than two months after it was imposed.

David Draycott, 70, of London Road, Davenham, received a two-year suspended sentence in September for amassing an "abominable" 50,000-strong collection of child sex abuse images.

He was also subjected to a sexual harm prevention order banning him from any household with children under 16.

But on November 15, Draycott attended a birthday party for a terminally ill friend, staying at least an hour in the presence of two children.

The paedophile appeared at Chester Crown Court on December 17 for sentencing after pleading guilty to the breach before Chester magistrates.

Judge Simon Berkson rejected Draycott's basis of plea for a reduced sentence, stating it was not an emergency and "he could have left and come back at another time."

He added: "It was exceptional circumstances, not emergency."

The prosecution said Draycott visited a neighboring property without disclosing his sex offender status. He greeted the parent and two young children but was not left unsupervised with them.

Draycott later told his probation officer he was at the party and "they were teenagers," which the crown described as a "deliberate breach."

Defense counsel argued: "He said he hadn’t thought of the implications of staying. This was the last party of a friend who died a few days after."

Judge Berkson deemed it a deliberate breach but accepted it was a "crowded room without attempts to talk to the children."

Jailing Draycott for 12 months, the judge said: "You saw there were children there but instead of leaving, you stayed for at least an hour in the presence of those children.

"You know that was a serious breach and deliberate because you know that order is in place to keep you away from children.

"But I do accept that you posed a low risk."