GAVIN SHAW, PREDATORY PAEDOPHILE FROM BLACKPOOL AND NELSON, JAILED AGAIN

In May 2014, Gavin Shaw, a 54-year-old convicted paedophile from Nelson, Lancashire, was sentenced to 18 months in prison after breaching a Sexual Offences Prevention Order (SOPO) and attempting to cause harm to police officers. Shaw, who has a documented history of child abuse spanning nearly 40 years and previous convictions that total over 40 years of jail time, was caught deceiving multiple shop employers to gain access to children.

Police had previously tried to keep Shaw’s identity secret amid fears he would be targeted for vigilante attacks, a request that was ultimately denied by the court. Shaw's criminal record includes convictions dating back to 1975 for sex offences, and he has been prisoned seven times. Despite these warnings, he continued to move from town to town, working clandestinely in shops to meet young children.

While volunteering at a shop in Nelson, Shaw’s inappropriate conduct was witnessed when he gave a young girl a toy and money, sat her on his knee, and later befriended a boy. His arrest followed a routine police visit to his home during a risk assessment, where officers discovered his employment and became aware of his criminal past. During his arrest, Shaw damaged his computer and threw a canister of illegal CS gas at officers, remarking, 'You might as well lock me up for that as well.'

Unaware shopkeepers of Shaw’s background, including the one who hired him in Nelson, had no idea of his criminal history. Prosecutors revealed that Shaw’s convictions include offences such as gross indecency, indecent assault, and attempted serious sexual offences. Notably, four years prior to his latest sentence, Shaw was subject to a ten-year SOPO after he was found impersonating a council worker, dressing in a high-visibility jacket with his name to gain children’s trust.

In 2012, Shaw was arrested in Morecambe after being seen persuading children to get into his van. A support worker reported him to police after observing children entering his vehicle. Shaw admitted to taking the children in the van, claiming he was giving them a lift, and also took a child to the beach, buying him a Manchester United money box and taking photos. He was jailed for 16 months but later moved to Nelson, where he again concealed his criminal background from new employers.

Prosecution argued that Shaw’s conduct involved grooming behaviors. Defense lawyer Robert Elias claimed Shaw had not been convicted of molesting a child in over ten years and suggested his interactions for companionship rather than sexual motive, noting that Shaw had shifted his focus from adolescent boys to gay men. However, the court, led by Judge Jonathan Gibson, described Shaw as ‘high-risk’ and emphasized that court orders like the SOPO are designed to protect children.

Shaw’s extensive criminal history led to his recent sentence, which includes breaching the SOPO and possessing a prohibited weapon meant for releasing noxious gases. His prior incarcerations include sentences of seven, six, four, and 41 months, and the court made clear that violations of the court orders would not be tolerated. The judge reaffirmed the importance of obeying such orders, stating, ‘The sexual offences prevention order is there to protect children.’