MICHAEL BUCK FROM GREAT HARWOOD FAILS TO INFORM POLICE ABOUT CHILD AT HIS ADDRESS

In January 2019, a serious breach of the conditions attached to a sex offender's registration was brought to light in Blackburn. Michael Buck, a 20-year-old resident of Shakespeare Avenue in Great Harwood, appeared before Blackburn magistrates to face charges related to his failure to comply with the legal requirements of his sex offender notification obligations.

According to court proceedings, Buck had previously been placed on the sex offender register following a caution he received in December 2016 for engaging in sexual activity with a minor. As part of the conditions of his registration, Buck was required to inform police if he was staying at an address where a child was present, especially if he planned to stay for more than 12 hours. This was a crucial measure intended to monitor and protect minors from potential harm.

However, the authorities revealed that Buck had failed to disclose the presence of a child at his residence during a police interview. When police officers visited his address, they discovered that Buck had not informed them about the child living there, despite having told police he was residing at the same location. This omission was considered a breach of his legal obligations under the sex offender register requirements.

The child's parents were unaware of Buck's status as a registered sex offender until the police knocked on their door. The child's father confirmed that they had no knowledge of Buck's registration or his previous caution until the police informed them during their investigation.

In court, Catherine Allan, the prosecutor, emphasized the seriousness of Buck's failure to comply. She pointed out that Buck had been given a formal caution in 2016 and was under strict obligations to report his whereabouts, especially when children were involved. His failure to do so was viewed as a significant breach of trust and legal duty.

As a result of his actions, Buck pleaded guilty to the charge of failing to notify police about his residence and the presence of a child there. Magistrates sentenced him to a community order for a period of 12 months. The order included a requirement for Buck to undertake 10 days of rehabilitation activities aimed at addressing his behavior and ensuring compliance with legal obligations. Additionally, he was ordered to complete 40 hours of unpaid work as part of his sentence.

Furthermore, Buck was ordered to pay costs amounting to £85 and a victim surcharge of £85, reflecting the court's stance on the importance of accountability and justice in cases involving breaches of sex offender registration conditions.