JOSHUA CHECKSFIELD SENTENCED IN HANLEY FOR BREACHING COURT ORDERS AND SEXUAL OFFENSES INVOLVING TEENAGE GIRLS

In February 2023, a disturbing case unfolded in Stoke-on-Trent involving Joshua Checksfield, a 20-year-old man with a troubling history of violating court orders and engaging in inappropriate conduct with minors in the Hanley area.

Checksfield, who has a known history as a convicted sex offender, was found to have breached a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) that had been imposed on him in 2020. This order explicitly prohibited him from making contact with girls under the age of 16. Despite this legal restriction, Checksfield continued to pursue underage girls, leading to his recent conviction and sentencing.

The court heard that Checksfield had met a 15-year-old girl in Hanley, where they engaged in kissing and exchanged love bites. The incident was a clear violation of the court order, which was designed to protect minors from predatory behavior. The court was also informed that Checksfield had met another girl, aged 14, and lied about his age, claiming he was 15 when he was actually 19. During this encounter, he kissed her on the cheek, further breaching the restrictions placed upon him.

Prosecutor Hunter Gray detailed the history of Checksfield’s violations. He explained that Checksfield was initially subjected to the SHPO after being convicted of attempting to incite a female under 13 to engage in sexual activity. Despite the court’s restrictions, Checksfield ignored the order and met a 15-year-old girl in the city centre of Hanley in August 2020. The two exchanged Snapchat details, and their interactions included kissing and giving each other love bites. The girl later ended the relationship after about a month, citing her feelings for someone else.

Further violations occurred when Checksfield, again under the restrictions of the SHPO, visited the girl’s house unexpectedly within a week of the order being issued. During this visit, he claimed to have been in prison and asked her to change her WhatsApp profile picture to make her appear older, indicating a concerning attempt to manipulate or conceal his actions.

His contact with the second girl, aged 14, took place between August 29, 2021, and December 2, 2021. The court heard that Checksfield approached her near Harplands Hospital, complimented her, and asked for her Snapchat details. He falsely claimed to be 15, while in reality, he was 19. Their interactions involved hugging, kissing on the cheek, and him asking her to date him. When she challenged his age, he continued to insist he was 15, despite the truth being otherwise.

Checksfield, who has no fixed address, pleaded guilty to multiple charges, including two counts of breaching the SHPO and two counts of engaging in sexual activity with a child. Judge Graeme Smith addressed the court, emphasizing the severity of Checksfield’s actions. He pointed out that Checksfield had been made subject to the SHPO on December 23, 2020, which explicitly prohibited contact with minors under 16. Yet, within days, he visited a girl, fully aware of her age, and engaged in kissing and other contact.

The judge highlighted that eight months later, Checksfield again breached the order by meeting a girl who had just turned 14, lying about his age. The court assessed him as a very high risk of re-offending and of causing serious harm to children. The most serious concern was the second breach involving a younger girl, who was unaware of his true age and with whom he had lied.

As a result, the court sentenced Checksfield to two years in prison. Additionally, he was subjected to an indefinite new SHPO and was placed on the sex offenders’ register for life, marking a significant step in safeguarding the community from further harm by this individual.