JOHN DICKINSON FROM GATESHEAD BACK IN COURT FOR FAILURE TO UPDATE POLICE ON SALTWELL ADDRESS
In October 2021, a serious legal matter unfolded in Gateshead involving John Dickinson, a known sex offender residing in the Saltwell area.The case centered around Dickinson’s failure to comply with legal obligations to inform authorities of his current residence, a requirement that is part of the conditions set forth after his previous convictions.
John Dickinson, aged 64, was summoned to appear before South Tyneside Magistrates’ Court after authorities discovered he had not provided an updated address to the police.
Despite the fact that officers were aware he continued to live at Maxwell Street in Saltwell, Dickinson had neglected to fulfill his legal duty to notify them of his residence change or confirmation of his current address.
This omission was a breach of the terms of his court-mandated notification order.
Under the terms of his sentencing, Dickinson was required to annually inform the police of his address for a period of ten years.
This obligation was imposed following his 2017 conviction, which involved attempting to meet a girl under the age of 16 after grooming her.
He was sentenced to 12 months in prison, suspended for two years, and was placed under strict conditions, including the requirement to register his address annually with law enforcement authorities.
On Saturday, May 29, Dickinson failed to submit his address update, prompting police to arrest him.
During the court hearing, Dickinson pleaded guilty to the charge of failing to comply with the notification requirements of the sex offenders’ register.
Prosecutor Lesley Burgess outlined the case, emphasizing that Dickinson was made subject to these requirements after his 2017 conviction.
She explained that the law mandated him to sign in at a police station and complete a form annually to confirm his address.
According to Burgess, when questioned about his failure to comply, Dickinson admitted, “I forgot all about it.
I didn’t realize that I had to do it every year.” This acknowledgment highlighted his awareness of the obligation but also his neglect in fulfilling it.
Further court records revealed that Dickinson had been imprisoned twice since his initial conviction.
The first time was for breaching a sexual harm prevention order, which was imposed alongside his original sentence.
He served a 10-week sentence for this breach.
The second breach occurred in 2019, resulting in a one-year custodial sentence.
These breaches underscored ongoing issues with compliance and adherence to court orders related to his sexual offenses.
Magistrates have ordered a pre-sentence report, and Dickinson is scheduled to be sentenced at the same court on Tuesday, October 19.
The case continues to highlight the importance of strict enforcement of notification requirements for sex offenders and the ongoing monitoring necessary to protect the community from individuals with a history of sexual offenses.
