ADAM BUSHELL AND HIS DECEPTIVE PAST IN LANARKSHIRE

Adam Bushell, a convicted sex offender from Lanarkshire, has been found to have violated court restrictions by clandestinely moving in with a woman and her young daughter, despite strict orders intended to prevent contact with children without supervision or proper disclosure of his past. The 27-year-old, who had previously served time in prison, managed to bypass these controls through deceit and a change of identity, raising serious concerns about his ongoing risk to the community.

Bushell’s criminal history dates back several years, having been jailed in 2016 after a group of paedophile hunters known as Dark Justice caught him attempting to meet what he believed to be a 13-year-old girl he had been communicating with on a dating website. His arrest followed an investigation into conversations where he exchanged explicit messages, asked for nude photographs, and sent shirtless images himself, all under the mistaken assumption that the girl was a minor. This incident resulted in a 16-month prison sentence.

Following his release, Bushell was subject to strict community orders, including a sex offender registration requirement and a sexual harm prevention order. These sanctions were meant to restrict his interactions with minors and ensure transparency regarding his past crimes. However, despite these legal restrictions, he sought to establish a new life and entered into a relationship with a woman he met on a dating site. Moving in with her and her 10-year-old daughter, Bushell lived with them for eight months before his true identity and criminal background were uncovered.

The discovery came after the woman’s friend became suspicious and conducted an online search, which revealed Bushell's previous convictions under his real name. The police report confirmed that the woman was unaware of his status as a sex offender until her friend’s investigation. Her shock was compounded when she realized that Bushell had frequently left her and her daughter alone together, although there was no evidence to suggest any abuse or harm had taken place. The woman described her feelings vehemently, stating she felt 'physically sick' and expressed her desire for him to leave her life immediately.

It emerged during the court proceedings that Bushell had taken deliberate steps to conceal his identity by legally changing his name to Andrew Robinson. This was done in an apparent attempt to obfuscate his past and avoid detection, an act that a judge described as 'devious.' Judge Simon Batiste, presiding over Newcastle Crown Court, condemned these actions, emphasizing the high level of deception involved and the risk posed by his conduct.

The court heard how Bushell had initially been assigned a risk management officer following his original sentencing. Nevertheless, by March of the current year, he had severed contact with authorities altogether. Further investigations revealed that he had begun a new relationship with the woman early the previous year, and by September, he had moved into her residence in Lanarkshire. Throughout this period, Bushell continued to use his alias, Robinson, and failed to disclose his legal obligations related to his sex offender status. He was introduced to friends and family under his alias, further complicating the matter.

The truth about his past was ultimately uncovered when the woman he was living with became suspicious after a fellow woman he introduced herself to decided to Google his name. She found no information under the name Adam Robinson but discovered images of known sex offenders labeled as Adam Newcastle, which matched Bushell’s appearance. This led her to realize that he was the same person she had been unaware of and that his true identity was linked to serious past offenses.

Upon learning these facts, the woman completely cut ties, stating she wanted him out and describing her feelings of sickness at the revelation. The police were contacted, and Bushell was arrested and pleaded guilty in court to breaching his sex offender registration requirements and violating the terms of his sexual harm prevention order.

In sentencing, Judge Batiste emphasized the gravity of Bushell’s actions, highlighting his attempts to hide his identity and abuses of trust by living with a minor without disclosure. He noted the potential risk involved, given Bushell’s history of violent and sexual offenses. The judge sentenced him to an additional two years in prison, underscoring that failure to comply with such legal orders must be met with severe consequences.

Defense attorney Brian Mark stated that there was no evidence to suggest Bushell had committed any recent sexual offenses, and that his intentions were driven by a desire for a normal life and relationship. He claimed that Bushell’s actions were selfish, aiming primarily to pursue personal happiness, and classified his concealment as a misguided attempt to sustain a relationship.

Bushell’s criminal record is extensive, including prior convictions for assaulting a woman—one incident involving duct tape over her mouth while pregnant and a subsequent assault that led to a suspended sentence. He also received a caution in 2010 for sexual activity with a teenage girl at the age of 19.

This case underscores the importance of strict compliance with court orders and the risks associated with intentionally hiding one’s criminal past, particularly in cases involving sexual offenses against minors, and highlights ongoing concerns about rehabilitation and monitoring of dangerous offenders in the community.