ANDREW SANDERS FROM WORCESTER CAUGHT FAILING TO REPORT CHANGE OF ADDRESS WHILE WORKING AT FUNFAIR
In November 2000, a serious concern arose involving Andrew Sanders, a known sex offender, who was found working at a funfair in Worcester.Sanders, who had a prior conviction for indecent assault in 1998, was subject to a two-year probation order and was required to register as a sex offender for a period of five years.
Despite these legal obligations, he failed to inform the authorities of his current whereabouts, which led to his appearance before Worcester magistrates.
The court proceedings revealed that Sanders, aged 21 at the time, had not kept the police updated about his location.
The prosecution, led by Sally Hill, detailed that Sanders had turned up at Worcester Police Station at approximately 1 a.m., apparently seeking accommodation.
During this encounter, police officers spoke with him and learned that he was a registered sex offender.
Sanders disclosed that he had been working for a funfair that traveled across various parts of the country, including recent work in Cornwall.
He arrived in Worcester on the preceding Tuesday night and provided the officers with all the correct personal details required for his registration.
Further, Sanders admitted to the officers that he had been residing in a hostel in Wolverhampton but had not been there for some time.
His failure to update the authorities about his change of address was a breach of the Sexual Offences Act, which mandates registered offenders to notify police of any change in their living arrangements.
The court heard that Sanders was of no fixed address at the time of his arrest.
Andrew Childs, representing Sanders, explained that his client had been traveling with the funfair and had visited St Paul’s Hostel, where he was advised to report to Worcester Police Station.
Childs emphasized that Sanders had been forthcoming and honest about his situation and expressed hope that he would soon return to Wolverhampton.
As a result of his failure to comply with the legal requirements, Sanders was fined £25.
He paid the fine immediately, which was accompanied by a day in custody, underscoring the seriousness with which the court viewed his breach of the sex offender registration laws.
