MARTIN PHILLIP SIMMS OF SANDOWN JAILED FOR SHPO BREACHES IN ISLE OF WIGHT
A registered sex offender, Martin Phillip Simms, aged 42, of Park Mews in Sandown, has been sentenced to prison after breaching the conditions of his Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO).As part of the SHPO, Simms was prohibited from deleting his internet history, required to produce digital devices for police inspection upon request, and obligated to inform police of any new online usernames within three days of creation.
On September 2, this year, police, accompanied by probation officers, conducted an unannounced visit to his residence.
During the inspection, officers examined the internet history on his mobile phone and discovered that he had been using a teen chat room app on a different device.
Simms eventually admitted he possessed a second device, which he handed over for inspection.
When checked, the device did not contain the chat app, but Simms confessed he had deleted the app along with its internet history.
He also admitted that the username used for the app was not one he had registered with police, as required.
Further investigation revealed that the device held two other social media applications with different usernames which also had not been registered with police.
These apps were used for chatting with young people.
Simms faced three counts of breaching his Sexual Harm Prevention Order, to which he admitted guilt when he appeared at Isle of Wight Magistrates’ Court on September 3.
Today, at Newport Crown Court (Friday 15 October), Simms was sentenced to 18 months in prison.
It is noted that he is already serving a seven-year sentence, on licence, which is due to expire in 2024.
He will serve the remainder of that sentence in prison before beginning his new 18-month sentence for the breaches.
PC Keith Haywood from the Isle of Wight Offender Management Team commented: “We invest significant resources into the protection of the public and the management of sex offenders, and it’s a duty we take very seriously.
Officers will often make unannounced visits to offenders where they are subject to an intrusive investigative interview process.
This helps us understand their routines, interests and behaviours.
On this occasion, Simms was visibly uncomfortable with our presence, and it was clear from the examination of his phone that he had no intention of sticking to the conditions of his Sexual Harm Prevention Order.
These orders are put in place to protect the public, and ensure that individuals do not re-offend.
Where they choose to disregard them, they are rightly punished, and I am pleased that Simms is now behind bars.”
