COLIN WAKE FROM FLEET SENTENCED AFTER SECRETLY LIVING WITH CHILDREN IN FARNHAM

In a case that highlights ongoing concerns about the management and monitoring of convicted sex offenders, Colin Wake, a 56-year-old man from Fleet, was recently sentenced to prison after it was revealed that he had been living in secret with a woman and her two children in Farnham. Wake, who is on the sex offenders’ register due to a conviction from the year 2000, was found to have violated multiple conditions of his release and registration requirements.

According to Aldershot magistrates, Wake had married a woman last year and subsequently moved into her residence with her two children. This arrangement lasted for approximately six months before authorities uncovered the deception. Wake was brought before the court and sentenced to 12 weeks in prison after he admitted to failing to inform police of his current address and living situation. The court emphasized that his failure to comply was not a minor oversight but a deliberate breach of the conditions set to protect the public.

It was noted that Wake’s criminal history includes a seven-year imprisonment following a conviction at Guildford Crown Court in 2000 for sexually abusing children during the mid-1980s. Since his release in 2007, Wake was under strict supervision, which mandated regular contact with specialist police officers. He was also required to sign the sex offenders’ register and inform authorities if he stayed at any new address for more than a week within a year.

However, during a police check earlier this month, officers discovered that Wake had not only married a divorcee but had also been living with her and her children in Farnham without informing the authorities. Prosecutor Serena Edwards pointed out that while Wake was legally permitted to remarry, his decision to conceal his new relationship and living arrangements demonstrated a significant level of deceit. She further revealed that Wake had lied to UK Border Agency officials last year, claiming he was traveling alone when, in fact, he was on a honeymoon trip to Spain with his new wife.

Ms. Edwards described Wake’s conduct as a “deliberate failure to comply with requirements” and highlighted that his non-compliance spanned several months, far exceeding the permissible seven-day stay limit at a new address. Evidence presented in court included police discovering a pair of Wake’s slippers at the family’s home, which further confirmed his residence there. During police interviews, Wake admitted to living with the family despite knowing that such arrangements were forbidden without prior approval from police public protection officers. He explained that he kept quiet about his living situation because he was serious about his new relationship and did not want to jeopardize it.

Defense lawyer Jack Beards argued that Wake’s failure to disclose his relationship was motivated by concern over his new wife’s settlement with her ex-husband following their divorce. He emphasized that there was no suggestion of any wrongdoing involving the children and that Wake had disclosed his criminal history to his partner at the outset of their relationship. Beards also noted that Wake’s deception lasted for a significant period but was not prolonged, and he expressed remorse for his actions.

After deliberation, magistrates made it clear that a custodial sentence was unavoidable given the severity of Wake’s breaches. Court chairman Jill Ede stated that the level of deception warranted a prison term to both punish Wake and protect the public. Wake’s sentence was set at 12 weeks, reduced from an initial 18 weeks due to his early guilty plea. The case underscores the importance of strict adherence to conditions imposed on sex offenders and the ongoing vigilance required by authorities to prevent such breaches from endangering the community.