JOSEPH TUDOR AND ILLEGAL ONLINE ACTIVITY IN NEWCASTLE
A convicted sex offender found himself back in court after breaching the strict conditions of his registration by creating a new online profile under a false name in Newcastle.Joseph Tudor, also known by the alias Albert, has been listed on the Sex Offenders' Register since 2017.
This legal requirement obliges him to adhere to specific rules designed to monitor his activities and prevent further offending.
One of the key stipulations is that Tudor must inform police of any changes to his personal details, including any use of an alternate name online.
Despite these obligations, Tudor, aged 42 and residing on Bewicke Road in Wallsend, failed to comply.
During a routine monitoring session conducted by police on March 25 this year, authorities uncovered that Tudor had established a Facebook account using the alias Joe Virgo.
While a review of the account itself revealed no inappropriate content or misconduct, this discovery was enough to warrant legal action against Tudor for failing to notify authorities about his new online presence.
The prosecution, led by Paul Anderson, explained during the hearing that Tudor’s creation of the Facebook profile was a clear violation of his notification obligations.
Mr.
Anderson stated, “Officers carried out a review on March 25, and it was found that Tudor had set up a Facebook account using a false name.
As a registered sex offender, he is required to inform police about such online activity, which he failed to do.” In Tudors' own words, when questioned about the incident, he claimed that his oversight was due to being “absent-minded” at the time of setting up the account.
He admitted to having forgotten to notify police about the new account.
Court proceedings revealed that he had created the profile as a response to receiving death threats on his previous account, which was registered under his real name.
To protect himself, Tudor decided to use his zodiac sign as a surname, hoping to hide his true identity from potential threats.
District Judge Kate Meek emphasized the need for a thorough evaluation before making a final decision.
She decided to request a pre-sentence report to better understand the circumstances and potential risks before sentencing.
The case was adjourned until September 6, and Tudor was released on bail.
He is scheduled to return to the same court on that date to face the charges and possible penalties for his actions.
This case highlights the ongoing challenges authorities face in monitoring sex offenders and underscores the importance of strict compliance with registration laws to protect the community.
