WISBECH SEX OFFENDER CRAIG DURRANT SENTENCED FOR BREACHING CONDITIONS AND HIDING INFO

In August 2020, law enforcement officials in Wisbech took action against Craig Durrant, a 27-year-old man with a troubling criminal history related to sexual offences against a child. Durrant, who had been placed on the Sex Offenders Register in 2016 following a conviction for sexual misconduct involving a minor, was found to have violated multiple court-imposed restrictions and failed to comply with legal notification requirements.

He was arrested in Wisbech after suspicion arose that he had breached a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO), which was designed to restrict his interactions with minors and regulate his use of electronic devices. The conditions of his SHPO explicitly prohibited him from having unsupervised contact with female children under the age of 16 unless prior consent was obtained from the child's parent or guardian, who was aware of Durrant’s criminal history. Additionally, he was barred from residing in the same household as a female child under 16 without social services' approval, and from contacting any female under 16 through any means, including social media, text messaging, or phone calls.

Further restrictions included a ban on possessing or using electronic devices capable of internet access unless they could retain and display browsing history, and only with prior police notification of their location. Durrant was also required to inform authorities within three days if he stayed at a residence with a child for more than 12 hours, and to report any change of address, contact details, or access to financial accounts.

On July 10, 2020, a police officer from the Public Protection Unit, responsible for monitoring registered sex offenders, conducted an unannounced visit to Durrant’s residence. Although Durrant was not present at the time, a housemate provided the officer with a phone number to contact him. This number was not registered with police records for Durrant. Subsequent investigations revealed that Durrant had been using a smartphone to communicate via WhatsApp, which allowed police to locate an address where he had been staying without informing authorities. It was also discovered that he had been using an email address and bank card that were not registered with the police.

It emerged that Durrant had been living with a woman and her two children for nearly a year, during which time the woman was unaware of his previous convictions. The couple was expecting a baby, adding to the seriousness of his breaches. Durrant’s failure to disclose his whereabouts and his use of unregistered electronic devices constituted multiple violations of his court orders.

He admitted to three counts of breaching the conditions of his Sexual Harm Prevention Order and three counts of failing to comply with the notification requirements mandated by the Sex Offenders Register. His case was brought before Peterborough Crown Court on Wednesday, October 21, 2020, where he was sentenced to a total of one year and three months in prison. The sentence reflects the gravity of his violations and the ongoing concerns regarding his compliance with legal restrictions meant to protect the community from potential harm.