JACK WHITFIELD-GASH, SEX OFFENDER FROM DURHAM, CONTINUES TO BREACH NOTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS
A sex offender who repeatedly failed to adhere to notification conditions after his release from prison has been returned to custody for his latest violations.Jack Whitfield-Gash, then 20 years old, was sentenced to 16 months at Durham Crown Court in August 2017 after being convicted of engaging in sexual activity with a person under 16, an offense committed when he was reportedly 18.
He was also subject to a five-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) and required to register as a sex offender for ten years.
Despite these restrictions, Whitfield-Gash made his first breach shortly after his release, resulting in an initial ten-day jail sentence.
He appeared before magistrates in Newton Aycliffe in early March and was committed back to crown court for sentencing after admitting to two failures to comply with notification requirements and three breaches of his SHPO.
Court proceedings revealed that he failed to inform police about living at a woman's house with a young daughter just days after being released from Durham Prison, on January 18 of this year.
Durham Crown Court also heard that he engaged in conversations with two underage girls at a bus stop, during which he admitted to being stoned and exchanged phone numbers.
One girl later messaged him, asking if he was still high.
Prosecutor Tabitha Buck explained that Whitfield-Gash’s phone was confiscated after he disclosed an address on February 28, which allegedly showed contact with the two girls.
The parents of the girl who texted him were unaware of their daughter’s communication with Whitfield-Gash.
When questioned about his breaches, Whitfield-Gash characterized them as "one big game" and dismissed police concerns as "stupid little things." He also became agitated during the interview, threatening to spit at the officer.
Currently 24 years old and residing at no fixed address, Whitfield-Gash has been held in Durham Prison since his arrest in late February.
He has accumulated 30 convictions for 50 offenses, including 13 related to sexual offenses, with 11 previous incidents of failing to follow notification orders.
The court learned that Whitfield-Gash has connections across the North East and that his recent breaches appeared to be deliberate attempts to avoid detection, especially since he is aware of the stipulations of his orders due to his recent history of violations.
In mitigation, Jane Waugh stated that all offenses stem from his homelessness, explaining that those he could contact live more than two hours away by bus from the police stations where he must register.
She emphasized there was no intention to evade police or any sexual motive during his brief contact with the girls at the bus stop.
Judge Ray Singh dismissed Whitfield-Gash’s claim that the breaches were trivial.
He remarked, "You, more than anyone else, know the serious nature of the orders against you.
Because you are aware of this, you have appeared before the courts for 11 previous breaches.
This is not an isolated offense.
These are deliberate, persistent, prolonged breaches over years, such as not informing police of your whereabouts, making monitoring difficult.
I am afraid the lessons are not sinking in." The judge sentenced Whitfield-Gash to two years in prison.
The police were advised to seek extensions to the SHPO, which is set to expire in August.
