ANTONY BAILEY AND SHOCKING SEX OFFENDER BREACHES IN STAFFORDSHIRE
A convicted sex offender, Antony Bailey, who previously groomed and seduced a schoolgirl, has been found living in the same household as children in Staffordshire, despite strict legal restrictions.Bailey, aged 27 and residing on Albert Terrace in Wolstanton, was sentenced to nearly nine years in prison in 2017 after engaging in multiple sexual encounters with a 13-year-old girl.
During that case, court proceedings revealed that Bailey had supplied the young girl with vodka and persuaded her to go to bed with him.
He admitted to charges including engaging in sexual activity with a minor and inciting prostitution or pornography involving a child.
Following his conviction, Bailey was subjected to a lengthy prison sentence of seven years and nine months.
Additionally, he was placed on the sex offenders' register and was subject to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO).
This order explicitly prohibited him from accessing the internet without prior notification to authorities.
Despite these legal restrictions, Bailey breached the conditions of his SHPO by residing at his partner’s home in Abbey Hulton with her children and by using Snapchat, a social media platform, without informing the authorities.
The breach came to light when police, accompanied by an offender manager, conducted an unannounced visit to Bailey’s residence in Wolstanton on September 19 of this year.
During the visit, officers requested Bailey to provide any internet-enabled devices.
He handed over a mobile phone, which was subsequently examined.
The investigation revealed that Bailey had been shopping for women’s clothing online, and he disclosed that he was in a relationship with a Polish woman who had two sons.
Bailey had been staying at her house, and the police found evidence on an iPhone indicating he had been using a username that he had not reported to the authorities.
Furthermore, it was discovered that he had been accessing Snapchat, a platform he was explicitly banned from using without notifying the police.
The investigation also uncovered that Bailey’s partner was unaware of the full extent of his criminal convictions.
Records showed that as of June 2022, Bailey had been staying at her house five nights a week, and by July, he had effectively moved in there, even while the children were still living in the household.
Bailey admitted that he had not informed the police about his use of the phone or his Snapchat username, acknowledging that he should have done so.
He expressed remorse for his actions and admitted to feeling angry with himself.
The breaches committed by Bailey included using an iPhone to access Snapchat, which he was prohibited from doing because the platform does not retain internet history, and failing to make available two other devices, an iPhone and an Xbox, when requested by police.
He also failed to notify authorities that he had stayed at his partner’s house for more than seven days, spent over 12 hours with a child under 18, and did not report his Snapchat username within the required three-day period.
Bailey pleaded guilty to multiple charges, including three counts of breaching the Sexual Harm Prevention Order and three counts of failing to comply with notification requirements under the sex offenders’ register.
His legal representative, Anis Ali, argued that Bailey had been recalled to prison on licence, with his earliest possible release date set for 2025.
Ali emphasized Bailey’s compliance efforts and his guilty pleas, asking the court to consider these factors.
Judge Graeme Smith addressed the court, stating, “You were candid in your interview.
You knew about the restraints that you had to comply with and you failed to do so.” The judge acknowledged the significant risk Bailey posed to children but noted that there was no evidence of any harm caused.
The case was further aggravated by Bailey’s status on licence at the time of the breaches and his previous convictions.
As part of the sentencing, the court ordered the deprivation of Bailey’s phone, emphasizing the importance of restricting his access to communication devices that could facilitate further breaches or harm.
Bailey was subsequently sentenced to 18 months in prison for the breaches, highlighting the ongoing concerns regarding his compliance with legal restrictions and the safety of the community in Staffordshire.
