JAMIE HART OF LIVERPOOL SENTENCED FOR FAILURE TO REGISTER AS SEX OFFENDER
Jamie Hart, a convicted rapist from Liverpool, has been re-incarcerated after deliberately refusing to disclose his address to police following his release from prison.Hart was legally obliged to inform authorities of his residence under the Sex Offenders Register notification laws.
However, he "persistently and deliberately ignored" these mandated responsibilities and police warnings.
Liverpool Crown Court was told that Hart, aged 36, was convicted of rape in November 2013, receiving a sentence of seven and a half years.
He was also required to sign the Sex Offenders Register for life.
Prosecutor Paul Blasbery explained that Hart’s notification duties included reporting to police within three days of any detention or release, providing details such as his home address.
Hart was released from prison on February 8 this year.
On February 11, an officer contacted Hart, who claimed he had attempted to visit Wavertree Road and Bootle police stations, but they were both closed.
He asserted he had called the police but was not given a log number and promised to return to complete his registration.
By February 14, when the officer checked whether Hart had followed through, he had not.
By February 17, Hart still had not notified police of his address.
When contacted again, Hart claimed to be hospitalized for an operation.
The officer provided a list of police stations he could visit.
The following day, Hart said he was en route to St Anne Street Police Station.
However, by February 21, he had not yet made contact.
Hart was arrested on March 16 after refusing to be interviewed; he still had not informed police of his whereabouts.
He, of no fixed address, admitted to failing to comply with his notification obligations.
Hart has an extensive criminal history with 24 prior convictions for 43 offences, including three previous breaches of his registration duties.
His first breach resulted in a 12-week suspended sentence, a second in October 2020 saw him jailed for 12 weeks, and a third in August 2021 led to a 26-week prison term.
He was released again in February.
During the hearing, his defense lawyer, David Birrell, said, "He does maintain on release he did initially make efforts to notify, going to two police stations, both of which were closed, and speaking to someone on a yellow telephone outside one station, but that doesn't excuse what followed.
He had ample opportunity to notify." Birrell added that Hart was supported by his family, with his mother present in court, and his father unable to attend due to ill health.
Judge Stuart Driver, QC, told Hart, "The facts are you persistently and deliberately, again and again, ignored police reminders and failed to notify the police officers of your address between February and March of this year." The judge highlighted that Hart’s previous convictions and prior breaches aggravated his case, but a guilty plea was taken into account, granting a one-third reduction in his sentence.
The judge noted that if he had considered guidelines regarding whether to imprison Hart initially, he would have focused on his history of non-compliance and determined that only an immediate custodial sentence could ensure proper punishment.
Consequently, Judge Driver sentenced Hart to eight months in prison.
As he was led away, Hart sighed loudly and nodded towards his mother in court.
