Sex offender jailed for ignoring prevention order

A convicted sex offender has been sentenced to prison after ignoring measures imposed by the courts to prevent him from reoffending.

Sean Royle, 38 and of Claremont Road, Maidstone, breached a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) and secretly used a mobile phone in attempts to groom a 13-year-old girl, Kent Police said.

In July 2023, checks by police established Royle was in a relationship with a child.

Royle has used a snapchat account on a different phone to contact a 13-year-old girl.

This was a breach of a previous SHPO previously given to him.

He asked her to be his girlfriend and sent a picture to the child showing his face and naked upper torso which had a distinctive tattoo.

The victim told her father who contacted the police.

He was arrested on 29 November 2023, when officers were able to locate and seize the phone.

When the device was analysed it was found to contain almost 200 illegal videos and images, many of which showed unknown children being sexually abused.

He was charged with multiple offences, including engaging in sexual communication with a child, repeated breaches of a sexual harm prevention order and making indecent images of children.

Royle pleaded guilty and on 21 November, he was sentenced at Maidstone Crown Court to three years and eight months in prison and made subject of a new ten-year SHPO.

PC Dan McNary said: "He has been unable to adhere to these restrictions and has demonstrated a clear determination to access the internet, in order to contact and abuse children."

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