MARK ALLEN LEEDS SEX OFFENDER BREACHES COURT ORDER BY DELETING INTERNET SEARCH HISTORY IN LEEDS
In August 2021, a serious breach of a court-mandated order occurred involving Mark Allen, a known sex offender residing in Leeds.Allen had previously been subjected to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) in 2017 following his conviction for producing indecent images of a child.
This court order was part of a broader set of restrictions placed upon him, including his registration on the sex offender register and regular visits by West Yorkshire Police protection officers to monitor his compliance.
On December 4 of the previous year, officers from the West Yorkshire Police protection unit visited Allen’s residence in Leeds to conduct a routine check.
During this visit, they examined his Samsung mobile phone as part of their investigation into his adherence to the court order.
Although no illegal images were discovered on the device, the police noted that Allen had taken steps to conceal his online activity by deleting his internet search history.
Further analysis of the phone revealed that between September 20 and November 19 of the previous year, Allen had deleted a total of 3,172 files.
The prosecution, led by Ayman Khokhar, clarified that none of these deleted files contained illegal content.
However, the deletion itself was a breach of the court’s restrictions, which aimed to prevent Allen from hiding potentially incriminating or inappropriate material.
Allen was interviewed by authorities on April 1 of this year, during which he admitted to deleting the files.
He explained that his motivation was to prevent the police from discovering the extent of his viewing habits, which included a significant amount of pornographic material.
His actions demonstrated an attempt to evade detection and conceal his online activities.
At Leeds Crown Court, Mark Allen, aged 48 and residing on Woodhouse Lane in East Ardsley, pleaded guilty to a charge of breaching his Sexual Harm Prevention Order.
His previous criminal record includes a conviction for sexual assault of a female under the age of 14, dating back to 1997.
The court took these factors into account when sentencing him.
Recorder Cox ordered Allen to complete five days of rehabilitation activities, emphasizing the importance of addressing his behavior and preventing future breaches.
This case highlights the ongoing challenges faced by authorities in monitoring and managing convicted sex offenders, especially those who attempt to circumvent restrictions through digital means.
