ELLIOTT HILLS, GUISBOROUGH, COURT QUESTIONS USE OF WHATSAPP ALIAS IN SEX OFFENDER CASE

In February 2017, a courtroom in Teesside grappled with a puzzling issue involving Elliott Hills, a 26-year-old sex offender, and his use of WhatsApp under an alias. The judge expressed uncertainty about how Hills could have violated his court order by using the messaging platform. Hills denied the charge, asserting that nothing in his restriction explicitly forbade him from using WhatsApp.

Hills, who is registered as a sex offender and has signed the sex offenders register, appeared before Teesside Magistrates’ Court. However, no details about his previous convictions or the reasons for his registration were disclosed during the hearing.

He faced a charge of failing to comply with a court order on July 26 of the previous year in Guisborough. The allegation was that he did not provide police with information about an alias he used, specifically an alias related to the term ‘Ells’ on WhatsApp. WhatsApp is a mobile messaging service that enables users to send text messages, images, and videos.

His defense solicitor, Craig Bartram, argued that WhatsApp does not employ aliases or screen names because messages can only be sent if both users have each other’s mobile numbers. The prosecution disagreed, noting that Hills admitted to the breach during a police interview.

Prosecutor Alan Davison explained that Hills’ court order prohibits him from creating aliases or usernames online and that he had engaged in conversations with women through WhatsApp.

In response, Mr. Bartram claimed that Hills felt “pressured” during the police interview and had since reviewed the terms of his court order, which he believed showed he had not acted wrongly. Regarding the alleged breach, Mr. Bartram stated, “The ‘alias’ is simply a shortened version of his own name. It is an app that he needs to use his own name, and he needs to put his own mobile number into it. If he was using another name, that would make a difference.”

Judge Kristina Harrison requested further clarifications from the prosecution regarding the specifics of the alleged offence. She remarked, “I don’t know how we can proceed without it.” She added, “As far as I’m aware, WhatsApp uses your mobile phone number. The name that someone else will see will just be whatever they have saved that number as in their contacts book on the phone.”

Hills was granted unconditional bail until his next hearing scheduled for March 17. A formal trial date has not yet been set. Hills maintained a plea of not guilty to the charge of failing to comply with the notification requirements of the sex offenders register.