JOSHUA VASILIOU FROM MIDDLESBROUGH CAUGHT BREACHING SEX OFFENDERS' ORDERS AND SELLING CANNABIS
In January 2018, a case involving Joshua Vasiliou, a resident of Middlesbrough, drew significant attention in the local criminal justice scene.Vasiliou, aged 22, who had previously been subjected to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) due to his past convictions, found himself back in court after breaching the strict conditions imposed upon him.
These breaches came to light during a routine police visit to his residence on Egmont Road in Middlesbrough.
Authorities uncovered that Vasiliou had violated the terms of his SHPO and failed to adhere to the requirements of his registration on the sex offenders’ register.
The police investigation revealed that he had deleted the search history on a MacBook he was using, which raised suspicions.
Further examination showed that Vasiliou, a student studying computer gaming design, had used various aliases on social media platforms, complicating efforts to track his online activity.
During the court proceedings, the defense attorney, Robert Mochrie, explained that the username “Super Mario Likes to Get Stoned” was not indicative of any malicious intent but rather reflected Vasiliou’s lifestyle choices.
He also clarified that the MacBook in question belonged to a friend who regularly cleared its browsing history to maintain privacy, suggesting that the deletion of search data was not necessarily suspicious.
However, the prosecution presented evidence that Vasiliou had been involved in selling cannabis, which was discovered alongside the breaches of his legal obligations.
The police found text messages indicating that he was engaged in the sale of Class B drugs, further complicating his legal situation.
Vasiliou admitted to multiple charges, including breaching his SHPO, possessing cannabis with intent to supply, and failing to comply with the requirements of the sex offenders’ register.
As a result, he was sentenced to a ten-month prison term, suspended for the duration of ten months, meaning he would not serve time immediately but would be subject to certain conditions.
Additionally, he was ordered to complete 150 hours of unpaid community work.
The court also took into account Vasiliou’s previous conviction at Wood Green Crown Court in 2014 for making indecent images of children.
Despite his past, Judge Howard Crowson acknowledged his efforts to turn his life around, noting that Vasiliou was a full-time student who had worked diligently since his last conviction.
The judge emphasized that there was no evidence to suggest he had reverted to any previous harmful behaviors, which influenced the leniency of the sentence.
