MICHAEL SQUIRES OFFENDER IN LEEDS TRICKS PARENTS AND PICKS UP SCHOOLCHILDREN
In August 2017, a convicted sex offender named Michael Squires exploited trust within the community in Leeds by picking up children from school after deceitfully convincing parents he was safe.Squires, 31, who has previous convictions for sexual activity with a child and possession of indecent images, was permitted to have unsupervised contact with minors after befriending women at a local social club.
Leeds Crown Court was told that Squires had been subject to a sexual offences prevention order since 2011, which prohibited him from having unsupervised contact with anyone under 16.
Prosecutor Paul Nicholson explained that Squires had managed to befriends women who believed he was trustworthy enough to collect their children from school.
The incident came to light when a police community support worker recognized Squires in a school playground on February 10 of that year.
CCTV footage confirmed Squires leaving the premises with a child and heading to a bus stop.
Both mothers of the children expressed shock upon learning about Squires’s criminal background.
One mother stated, “At no time did he tell me that he had been convicted of a sexual offence.” The other added, “I regarded him as a brother.
I cannot believe he has done this to me or my children.” Squires, residing at Holtdale Green, Adel, Leeds, pleaded guilty to breaching his sexual offences prevention order and was sentenced to 14 months in prison.
Judge Simon Phillips, QC, commented, “I regard this as deliberate offending.
While there is no direct physical harm to either of these children, an obvious risk of harm was created.
The children’s mothers have been affected by becoming aware of your background and understandably they have suffered anxiety and worry as a result of becoming aware of the situation.”
