March 2015 Glan Conwy man given sex offenders prevention order A SEXUAL Offences Prevention Order has been granted to stop a man of 48 from giving lifts in his car to unaccompanied young females. District Judge Gwyn Jones said at Caernarfon magistrates’ court last Wednesday it was “to ensure members of the public are protected from serious sexual harm”. Barry Hill, of Glan Conwy, who already has a conviction for sexually abusing an under-age girl did not attend the hearing to oppose the order but it continued in his absence and he must pay £710 costs to North Wales Police, who brought the case. “It’s clear there’s a pattern of behaviour in this case which indicates that the respondent has been using his car and approaching lone females and then offering to provide lifts for them,” remarked the judge. That of itself was of concern but a greater worry was that the lifts to vulnerable females led “to sexualised conduct and discussions, albeit no touching”. Judge Jones said Hill had accepted stopping to give a lift but “maintained his behaviour is not sexualised or inappropriate.” Gill Jones, for the police, said an interim order had been made in January, and that Hill had claimed people had “misinterpreted how he had behaved towards them.” PC Mike Butlin, who had collated evidence, said last autumn Hill appeared to be “increasingly bold in his behaviour.” He added : “Since the order was made he hasn’t come to notice.” The court heard that in 1995 he’d been jailed for nine months for indecent assault on a girl under 16, and the same year there were convictions for causing actual bodily harm. A previous hearing had been told that a Skoda Octavia estate care was involved. Police had received numerous reports last September that Hill was offering rides to lone females. There had been an alleged incident involving a girl of 14 at Old Colwyn, another in which a young woman was followed while she walked there, and at Bangor two university students had been handed a business card stating “In Safe Hands”. Hill had told police this referred to a massage business. Hill had stated that at Bangor seven police cars and a helicopter were involved and that a knife used for work had been discovered. In December he got a suspended sentence for having the knife. Yesterday when he imposed the five year order, which includes a ban on following or intimidating females, Judge Jones said : “I’m satisfied that the order is both necessary and proportionate and ensures members of the public are protected from serious sexual harm.”