MARK KING AND HIS SHOCKING STRING OF OFFENSES IN CUMBRIA AND BEYOND
A man with a lengthy and troubling history as a sex offender, Mark King, has once again found himself behind bars after failing to comply with court orders and going off the radar without permission.The 49-year-old, who had been under the strict requirements of sex offender registration, was handed a significant prison sentence following his 12th breach of a court-imposed order.
King’s legal obligations date back to 2012 when a judge mandated that he must declare a fixed address or notify authorities if he was homeless, due to his conviction for exposure.
These conditions were set in place to monitor and manage his behavior after his initial offense.
However, despite these legal restrictions, King repeatedly flouted the rules in the years that followed.
Over the years, King’s breaches have occurred across various parts of the United Kingdom, and his pattern of non-compliance has resulted in multiple jail terms.
In 2018, he was imprisoned after police found him sleeping rough in a park in Penrith, Cumbria.
The following year, he was sentenced to 28 months in prison in the Midlands for similar violations.
Most recently, at Carlisle Crown Court, King’s failure to adhere to the notification requirements of his previous orders came under scrutiny once again.
In October, authorities lost contact with him following a brief remand related to theft and breaches of his court orders.
According to prosecutor Tim Evans, King had been released from police custody after a seven-day remand but was recorded as having indicated that he intended to travel to Birmingham.
In reality, he never made the trip and simply disappeared from the authorities’ radar.
It was not until the end of October that police apprehended King, who had been missing for several weeks.
During his hearing, King admitted to disregarding the notification obligations imposed on him.
The court, represented by Judge Simon Medland QC, recognized the significance of his breaches, emphasizing that this was his twelfth violation within a decade.
In light of his repeated disregard for court orders and the serious nature of his offenses, Judge Medland handed down a prison sentence of 30 months.
The judge expressed a clear message about the importance of upholding such restrictions, stating, "It just doesn't seem to get through to you that the courts must take this seriously." With no alternative apparent, King was sent back to prison, his ongoing breaches highlighting the challenges of managing repeat offenders like him in Cumbria.
