JAMES CARTWRIGHT AND SHOCKING CHILD SEX OFFENCES IN NEWCASTLE AND STOKE-ON-TRENT
James Cartwright, a 21-year-old man from Newcastle, has once again been embroiled in serious legal troubles related to his past offences and recent breaches of court orders.His criminal record is extensive, including charges concerning the creation and distribution of child abuse images, acts of sexual touching, and involvement in sharing indecent images.
His disturbing communications with other paedophiles revealed a troubling fixation; in messages, he referred to sex attack videos as 'awesome' and expressed a particular love for little boys.
Authorities have assessed him as a high risk for causing serious harm to both male and female children.
His latest appearance in court came at Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court, where he faced charges related to violations of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) and the obligation to notify the police of social media activity under the sex offenders' register.
Cartwright pleaded guilty to three offences, resulting in a prison sentence of 27 months.
This sentence follows a previous 21-month term handed down in September of the previous year for similar breaches of the SHPO.
According to court reports, the recent breaches included him using a virtual private network (VPN) to mask his online activity, deleting information from Snapchat, and contacting a child he knew or believed to be under the age of 16.
Further violations involved his failure to inform law enforcement authorities about his social media usernames and aliases, a clear breach of his legal obligations under the sex offenders' register.
During the hearing, Stuart Muldoon, the defendant's legal representative, acknowledged that Cartwright, of Albert Street, Newcastle—formerly residing in Burslem—admitted during police interviews to possessing items on his phone that he was legally prohibited from having.
Muldoon emphasized that the young man recognizes issues related to his conduct, stating, "He is still only 21.
He recognises he has issues in relation to the way he conducts himself." However, he noted that Cartwright has not yet undertaken any approved rehabilitation programs or courses designed to address these concerns.
Judge Graeme Smith expressed grave concern over the case, highlighting the seriousness of the breaches and the defendant’s age.
“This is a worrying case because at a relatively young age you have already amassed a number of convictions for very similar offences,” the judge remarked.
He highlighted the recent breaches—using a VPN, attempting to delete information via Snapchat, contacting a minor, and failing to update police about social media accounts—as evidence of continued non-compliance with court orders and statutory obligations.
The judge emphasized that police have the authority to conduct unannounced checks to verify compliance, considering Cartwright’s history of custodial breaches.
Despite his youth, the judge noted that he has not yet had the opportunity to participate in registered sex offender programs, but expressed hope that he would undertake such courses in the future to improve his conduct.
As part of his sentence, Cartwright will serve half the term in custody, with the remainder served on licence, reflecting the severity of his repeated violations and the ongoing risk he poses to society.
