KEVIN DALE AND SHOCKING BREACH IN OXFORDSHIRE POLICE STATION CAR PARK
A known sex offender, Kevin Dale, was recently apprehended in the parking lot of an Oxfordshire police station while he was engaged in an illegal activity involving a mobile phone.The incident unfolded at Abingdon police station on September 7, when Dale visited the facility to have specialized 'risk management' software installed on another smartphone, a requirement he was obligated to follow under a court-imposed sexual harm prevention order.
However, the situation took a troubling turn when, approximately sixty minutes after Dale's arrival and after a police officer exited the station with his 'safe' phone—one that was supposed to be the only device in his possession—the officer discovered him using a different phone that he had failed to declare to Thames Valley Police.
This revelation was made during court proceedings at Oxford Crown Court, which highlighted the seriousness of the breach.
Further investigations revealed that Dale had accessed and downloaded multiple applications onto this unregistered phone, including Chatiw, a chat platform he had previously been incarcerated for using illegally while in breach of his court order.
Court records and testimonies confirmed this unauthorized activity, emphasizing the violation of the strict conditions set on Dale.
According to prosecutor Cathy Olliver, officers observed Dale actively engaged with the phone, and he was found speaking with a contact labeled 'Mommy1010.' When questioned, Dale admitted to possessing the device but insisted that his intentions were not sexual.
Instead, he claimed he was primarily communicating with women online and displayed explicit images of women on the phone.
He further explained that the phone had been handed to him by his employer—a painter and decorator—for the purpose of taking photos of his completed work.
However, such explanations failed to account for the legal requirements that all internet-enabled devices be registered with the police, a stipulation he did not disclose to his employer.
Dale, whose current living arrangements are unconfirmed and who has no fixed address, pleaded guilty earlier this month in magistrates' court to breaching the sexual harm prevention order.
Dale’s criminal history includes convictions from 2019 and 2020 for engaging in sexual communications with minors and transmitting explicit messages through chat applications.
His 2020 conviction also involved a breach of his sexual harm prevention order, resulting in a three-year prison sentence.
In his defense, defense lawyer Alice Dodd expressed remorse and explained that Dale had lived with his elderly parents prior to his incarceration.
Both parents heavily relied on him, and Dodd conveyed his client’s remorse, stating, ‘He knows he has let them down and is worried about how they will cope.’ She also highlighted his struggles with social isolation due to his criminal status, noting that Dale has found it challenging to forge friendships because of the stigma associated with his convictions.
The court ultimately sentenced Dale to two years of imprisonment.
During sentencing, Judge Ian Pringle KC remarked on Dale’s evident nervousness when he was caught with the unauthorized phone in the police station car park, acknowledging that this was a fitting reaction given the severity of his breaches.
Judge Pringle underscored that Dale's behavior indicated a lack of understanding or respect for the court's orders, pointing out that despite previous convictions and warnings, he continued to use online chat applications linked to his past offenses.
The judge concluded that the message had apparently failed to resonate fully with Dale, emphasizing the importance of legal compliance and the ongoing risks posed by his actions.
