KENNETH PYBUS FROM SACRISTON JAILED FOR BREACHING SEXUAL HARM PREVENTION ORDER IN COUNTY DURHAM

In December 2022, a serious case unfolded involving Kenneth Pybus, a 75-year-old resident of Sacriston, who was convicted of child sexual offences and subsequently sentenced to prison. Pybus had previously been subjected to a five-year imprisonment term handed down in 2019 at Norwich Crown Court, where he was also placed under a stringent 10-year sexual harm prevention order. This order explicitly prohibited him from having any unsupervised contact with children, a measure designed to protect minors from potential harm stemming from his past offences.

Following his release from prison on licence in February of the same year, Pybus relocated to Sacriston, a village in County Durham. Despite the restrictions imposed by his previous conviction, he resumed interactions with children in the community. Reports indicate that he engaged in conversations with local children and attempted to establish relationships by offering sweets and dog treats, actions that raised immediate concerns among residents and authorities alike.

Authorities became aware of Pybus’s activities when police received reports of his interactions. In one instance, Pybus was observed speaking to an adult neighbour, and when a child greeted him in the street, police were informed. Later, police officers returned to the area and discovered that Pybus knew the names of two children living nearby. This prompted his arrest and recall to prison for breaching the terms of his sexual harm prevention order.

Further investigations revealed that in July, Pybus admitted to police that he had been speaking to children and claimed that the children had taken sweets from him, rather than him actively offering them. He also acknowledged giving dog treats to a child. The community was largely unaware of his previous convictions until police approached residents, who expressed concern about his frequent interactions with children and questioned his motives.

On Wednesday, Pybus appeared via video link from HMP Durham at Durham Crown Court to face sentencing for two counts of breaching his sexual harm prevention order. He pleaded guilty to these offences. The court heard that in November 2019, Pybus was sentenced to five years in prison and was placed under a 10-year sexual harm prevention order, which explicitly banned him from unsupervised contact with minors.

During the sentencing hearing, Recorder Edward Legard described Pybus’s actions as employing “classic grooming techniques by giving sweets and dog treats in order to establish relationships.” Recognising the seriousness of his breaches, the judge sentenced Pybus to an additional 14 months in prison, emphasizing the importance of safeguarding children from individuals with a history of sexual offences.