April 2018 Ex-school bus driver convicted of child sex offence moved in with mum and kids who knew nothing of his past A former school bus driver convicted of sexually assaulting an underage girl moved in with a mum and young children without them knowing about his past. Michael Eddy, 43, failed to tell police that he was living at her home in Denbigh and later failed to register himself as homeless when he lived rough. Eddy, who had a previous conviction for breaching the notification requirements, was jailed for a year at Mold Crown Court today. Prosecuting barrister Jade Tufail said that Eddy from Stockton on Tees, was convicted in 2011 of sexual activity with a girl aged less than 15. He was a school bus driver and sexually touched the girl over her clothing and tried to kiss her following an exchange of messages. At that stage he was ordered to register with the police as a sex offender and in January 2014 a separate sexual harm prevention order was sought by the police, Miss Tufail said. It was granted until January 2019 which meant that the sex register requirements remained in place. It was against that background in August of last year he met the woman from Denbigh. They formed a relationship and the first charge related to December when he went with her to stay with a relative of the woman in a house where young children were also present. Thereafter he wanted to move in with her and she agreed that he could stay but he failed to register this address with police – despite the presence of children in the house. Miss Tufail said it was not suggested that there had been any untoward activity during that period and his partner confirmed that he was never left alone with children. Eddy was bailed to his mother’s address in Stockton on Tees but failed to remain there and did not register with the police the fact that he was of no fixed abode. Eddy, who had previous convictions for 25 offences, had a previous breach of the sex register and in 2013 had been jailed for 12 months. Simon Killeen, defending, said he conceded that the court would be compelled to pass a prison sentence. His new partner did not know of the existence of the order which could be regarded as an aggravating feature. “What he wanted to do, however inappropriately, was to continue that relationship and have come company in his life,” Mr Killeen added. He had been bailed to his mother’s address in Stockton but when that was no longer available to him he lived rough for two days. When he explained the situation to his solicitors he was advised to hand himself in to police and he immediately did so, which was why he appeared for sentence in custody. Eddy had pleaded guilty at the earliest opportunity to three breaches of the sex register requirements. The judge, Mr Recorder Gregg Bull QC said: “I accept that your relationship was not in order to target any children in particular,” he said. But it was the second breach of an order and the requirements were draconian and were meant to protect children and the public and enable the police to keep track of sexual offenders, the judge said.