GRAHAM HAWKER OF TAUNTON BREACHES SEXUAL HARM PREVENTION ORDER AND CONTACTS TEEN ON FACEBOOK

In May 2019, Graham Hawker, a resident of Taunton, found himself at the center of serious legal proceedings after violating a court-imposed sexual harm prevention order. The case revealed troubling details about Hawker's activities, which included volunteering at a church toddler group and engaging in inappropriate communication with a minor.

Hawker, aged 29 and residing on Haydon Road in Taunton, was brought before the magistrates after it was established that he had attended a toddler group where children under the age of 16 were present. This occurred on a Wednesday in the previous week, and his presence there was a clear breach of the court order that had been previously issued.

The court proceedings disclosed that the sexual harm prevention order had been originally imposed at Taunton Crown Court in July of the previous year, as a result of Hawker's prior sexual offenses. Despite this, he continued to engage in activities that violated the restrictions set forth by the order.

Further evidence presented during the hearing indicated that Hawker had been exchanging messages via Facebook with a 14-year-old girl. These communications took place between March 6 and April 21 of the same year, and they were also in direct violation of the court's restrictions. The court heard that these interactions were inappropriate and constituted a breach of the conditions attached to his sexual harm prevention order.

In addition to these breaches, Hawker admitted to failing to register a Halifax bank account within the three-day period mandated by the Sexual Offences Act. This failure to comply with statutory registration requirements added to the list of offenses he faced.

Following his guilty pleas, Hawker was remanded into custody and was scheduled to appear before Taunton Crown Court for sentencing. The court also issued a restriction order that prevented the identification of any children involved in the case, emphasizing the sensitive nature of the proceedings and the importance of protecting the minors' privacy.