ANDREW HUMM FROM COLCHESTER ESCAPES JAIL DESPITE SEX OFFENDER RULE BREACHES IN ESSEX
In a case that has raised concerns about the monitoring and management of convicted sex offenders, Andrew Humm, a resident of Colchester, has narrowly avoided imprisonment after admitting to breaching multiple conditions linked to his previous convictions.Humm, now aged 51, was first convicted in 2005 for engaging in sexual activity with a girl under the age of 13.
He served a prison sentence of two and a half years for that offense.
Following his release, he was placed under a lifetime notification order, which is designed to keep track of sex offenders and restrict their contact with minors and their internet activity.
Despite these restrictions, Humm was found to have violated the order multiple times.
The first breach occurred in 2012 when he failed to inform authorities of a change in his address, a requirement under the notification scheme.
Later, in 2014, he was convicted again, this time for possessing indecent images of children, further complicating his legal situation.
As part of his sentencing, Humm was subjected to a sexual harm prevention order, which aimed to limit his interactions with minors and regulate his online behavior.
However, during a routine police visit in July, officers discovered that Humm had uninstalled the internet monitoring software known as Nanny Net from his iPhone following an update.
The officers also found that he had deleted some of his internet browsing history, which is a breach of the conditions set by the order.
Additionally, Humm was found to possess a credit card that he had not declared to authorities for approximately 18 months, despite being legally obliged to do so.
Although police traced the deleted searches and found no illegal content, the breaches raised serious concerns about his compliance with the restrictions.
During the hearing at Chelmsford Crown Court, Humm’s legal representative, Stephen Levy, argued that the searches he conducted were benign, citing that the most explicit search was for Ann Summers, a retail store.
Levy emphasized that there was no evidence to suggest any illegal activity related to children or otherwise.
Despite admitting to breaching his notification requirements and the sexual harm prevention order, Humm was not sentenced to jail.
Instead, he received a community order that includes a 12-month supervision period, 30 days of rehabilitation activities, and 80 hours of unpaid work.
He was also ordered to pay £365 in court costs.
These developments follow a series of legal issues faced by Humm, who has a history of sexual offenses.
In March 2019, he was again in court for sleeping with a 13-year-old girl, a case that underscored his ongoing risk to the community.
The authorities have expressed concern over his repeated breaches and the potential danger he poses, especially given his history of collecting indecent images and engaging in illegal sexual activity with minors.
The case continues to draw attention to the challenges faced by law enforcement in monitoring and managing convicted sex offenders, particularly those with a history of non-compliance and breaches of court orders.
