DAVID GRIFFITHS IN WAVERTREE GETS WARNING AFTER BREACHING SEX OFFENDER CONDITIONS
A convicted sex offender, David Griffiths, 31, who was caught with a schoolgirl in his car, has avoided jail time following a court hearing.Griffiths is subject to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO), which prohibits him from having unsupervised contact with children.
The order was issued after he was convicted in September 2017 of causing or inciting a child to partake in sexual activity and creating indecent images of children.
In addition, he was ordered to register on the Sex Offenders Register and received a two-year prison sentence, suspended for two years.
Despite these restrictions, Griffiths breached both the SHPO and notification requirements when police stopped his red Land Rover Discovery at high speed in Wavertree around 7:30 pm on September 7 last year.
Prosecutor Martyn Walsh explained, "Officers stopped the vehicle in Wavertree, and at the time, Griffiths was found at the wheel with a young girl, aged 15, wearing a school uniform, sitting in the front passenger seat." Liverpool Crown Court heard that the girl was related to a young woman who was the foster daughter of Griffiths' brother.
While speaking to Griffiths about his driving, officers became aware that he was subject to the SHPO.
They subsequently searched Griffiths’ residence and recovered two mobile phones, which were also under the restrictions of the SHPO.
Mr.
Walsh noted that the phones had not undergone forensic examination at the time, but the court was told there were issues with PIN codes and phone identities, though the judge, Recorder Ian Harris, remarked, "There were difficulties with the PINs and identities.
A curious tale, but I cannot make any adverse finding in relation to the use of those phones." Griffiths admitted to failing to inform police of his new address at Bannerman Street on September 5 and acknowledged three breaches of his SHPO: having unsupervised contact with the 15-year-old girl, failing to provide police with access to the mobile phones, and possessing the devices.
He explained that he had met the girl at nearby shops to collect items for a family member, and although he told her not to get into his car, she did so anyway.
He claimed she was in the vehicle for only about 10 minutes before he returned her to his street.
He described his driving as "erratic" and at high speed, due to awareness that the girl shouldn’t be alone in his car.
Griffiths stated that the phones belonged to his brother’s foster daughter, who had given him permission to use them, and he was unaware he should have reported this to his offender manager.
His criminal record includes four previous convictions for six offences, including possession of cannabis with intent to supply in February 2018, which earned him an 18-month community order.
Defence lawyer Frank Dillon suggested that Griffiths’ breaches stemmed from "insouciance"—a casual disregard for the rules—rather than deliberate intent.
Recorder Harris noted that a pre-sentence report from 2017 revealed Griffiths has an IQ of 65, with literacy and numeracy challenges, leading to a limited capacity for self-regulation of social behaviour.
The judge commented, "I think that has an effect on the degree of culpability." Dillon also pointed out that Griffiths had served the equivalent of a short prison sentence while on a home curfew.
The judge warned Griffiths that he was "sailing close to the wind" after having avoided prison for previous sexual offences and drug offences.
A pre-sentence report indicated that Griffiths’ recent offending demonstrated a lack of awareness or disregard for his sex offender registration responsibilities, suggesting he was willing to ignore preventative measures designed to reduce the risks he posed.
The report also highlighted deficits in his thinking and behaviour, indicating he either hadn’t considered or had deliberately ignored the consequences of his actions.
Speaking to Griffiths, the judge said, "If any of these offences had been linked with a more serious issue, I wouldn't have been able to suspend the sentence I am about to impose." A psychiatric assessment placed Griffiths in the "extremely low" intelligence range, and a GP letter mentioned that he cared for his unwell mother.
Ultimately, Recorder Harris sentenced Griffiths to 12 months in prison, suspended for two years.
The sentence included a 25-day Rehabilitation Activity Requirement offering intensive support, along with 100 hours of unpaid work.
Griffiths was also ordered to pay £250 towards court costs.
