ALUN SUTTON AND SHOCKING SEX OFFENCES IN SHEFFIELD AND DERBYSHIRE
A convicted sex offender from Sheffield has been incarcerated once again after failing to disclose his past conviction and engaging in inappropriate conduct involving minors.The case was heard at Doncaster Crown Court, where it was revealed that Alun Sutton, aged 44 and residing on Hazlebarrow Grove in the Jordanthorpe area of Sheffield, had previously served time for offences related to attempting to communicate with children for sexual purposes.
Sutton's criminal history includes a conviction for attempted child communication offences, for which he received a custodial sentence.
Additionally, he was subject to a restrictive Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) lasting ten years, designed to limit his contact with minors and prevent further offences.
Despite these measures, Sutton was able to secure employment as a head chef at a pub in Derbyshire after being released from custody on licence.
It was later established that he did not declare his previous conviction to his employer, and unfortunately, the pub's management did not perform any comprehensive background checks.
While working in Derbyshire, Sutton came into contact with two female kitchen porters, aged 14 and 15, raising serious concerns about safeguarding and compliance with safety regulations.
The prosecution detailed how Sutton communicated with a 14-year-old girl through Facebook, ostensibly to check whether she needed to work that day.
During this exchange, Sutton made explicit references to oral sex, which shocked the court, especially considering the girl’s age.
The communication included remarks that implied sexual activity, explicitly recalling her young age to heighten the severity of his misconduct.
Judge Recorder Alex Menary addressed the court, highlighting that Sutton’s employer had failed to carry out a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check before employing him.
The judge pointed out that Sutton held a training role as the head chef, making him a key figure in the kitchen hierarchy and the first point of contact for the young staff members, which intensified the concern about his inappropriate interactions.
During police interviews, Sutton initially claimed ignorance regarding the girls’ ages, asserting that he had no intention of gaining sexual satisfaction from the Facebook conversations.
He stated he was gay and that his conduct was not sexually motivated.
Despite this, Sutton, who has a lengthy criminal record comprising nine previous convictions across 22 offences, pleaded guilty to breaching his SHPO in relation to both his undeclared employment and his inappropriate communications with the minors.
Specifically, he admitted to two breaches involving unsupervised work-related contact with the girls and an additional breach involving sexual communication with the 14-year-old girl.
The court also heard that Sutton had engaged in sexual conversations online with the minor, which compounded the seriousness of his breaches.
His defence solicitor, Benn Robinson, attempted to explain Sutton's behaviour by revealing his long-term relationship with a former husband.
Robinson suggested that difficulties in this relationship, combined with recent personal setbacks such as a stolen motorbike and a long shift at work, led Sutton to a period of heavy drinking.
Robinson stated that Sutton’s intoxication on the day of the offending contributed to his poor judgment.
Recorder Menary was critical of Sutton’s prior convictions, noting that he had previously been sentenced in May 2020 for attempting to incite a sexual act with a child, attempting to cause a child to watch a sexual act, and attempting to engage a child in sexual communication.
The court was also informed that Sutton’s SHPO prohibits him from having unsupervised contact with anyone under 16.
Addressing Sutton directly, the judge underscored the gravity of his position as a head chef working alongside young staff members at the Sheffield-based pub, who were at the very bottom of the kitchen hierarchy.
The court expressed concern that Sutton’s misconduct revolved around a significant breach of trust and safeguarding responsibilities.
In final sentencing, Recorder Menary imposed a custodial term of two years on Alun Sutton.
The judge reaffirmed that the terms of his previously issued Sexual Harm Prevention Order would remain in effect, continuing to restrict his contact with minors and his freedom to engage in activities that could lead to further offences.
