January 2011 Placed on sex offenders’ register for ten years A YOUNG man from west Penwith has been ordered to sign the sex offenders’ register after a string of offences. Andrew Tonkin, who has learning difficulties, has been ordered to abide by the terms of a sexual offences prevention order for the next ten years. The 25-year-old, from St Buryan, was ordered to stay away from children as part of the order handed down by magistrates in Truro on Friday. Tonkin did not oppose the order, which was sparked by a recent incident in which he sent lewd messages to an 11-year-old girl on Facebook. He admitted making the “sexual communication” via the social networking site. The court heard that this was his third offence in the past five years – the others took place in 2005 and 2009. David Campbell, prosecuting, said the order should be made “to protect the public from serious sexual harm”. Under its terms, Tonkin is banned from contacting any child or young person aged under 16 without proper supervision, apart from through his work. He will also have to keep the police informed of his whereabouts at all times, and let them know if he moves house or goes abroad in the next decade. If he breaks these terms, he could face a fine, or a jail term. Sentencing, Judge Kathy Furze told Tonkin: “You have committed sexual offences and it is necessary to protect the public from serious harm from you. Because of the pattern of offending, the order should last for ten years to protect vulnerable members of the public.” Robert Eccleston, defending, told the court Tonkin, who has a full-time live-in carer, was receiving help and support from Social Services to “help him understand the world in which he lives”.