NEIL BAMBER'S CUMBRIA CRIMINALITY: SEX OFFENDER'S FAILURE TO DISCLOSE BANK ACCOUNT LEADS TO JAIL TIME
Neil Bamber, a convicted sex offender residing in Emmanuel Court, Barrow, Cumbria, has been sentenced to prison after failing to adhere to strict court-mandated disclosure requirements.The case highlights ongoing concerns about compliance among sex offenders and the efforts of law enforcement to ensure public safety.
According to court proceedings, Bamber, aged 67, was previously ordered by Preston Crown Court to inform police of any financial changes within three days.
This directive was part of a broader set of restrictions imposed following his earlier conviction for attempting to engage in sexual communications with a minor and attempting to carry out sexual activity with a child.
In February 2021, Bamber received a 20-month suspended sentence, which was accompanied by a 10-year sexual harm prevention order (SHPO) and mandatory registration on the sex offenders register, including notification obligations.
Despite these legal obligations, authorities learned that Bamber had only declared a single bank account with Natwest.
However, further investigation revealed that he was also using an HSBC account registered to him, information that he had failed to disclose to police.
This discovery prompted a routine compliance check at his residence on April 11 of this year.
During the visit, officers presented Bamber with an opportunity to voluntarily disclose the additional bank account and sign a document confirming his understanding of the SHPO conditions.
Instead of cooperating, Bamber refused to reveal the account details, citing fears that doing so would result in the loss of his pension and savings, which he claimed had been accumulated over 40 years.
His non-compliance did not go unnoticed.
The court heard that Bamber had previously been sentenced in June of the previous year to a 16-week suspended sentence for waving at a child outside a school, an act that breached his existing order.
On that occasion, he admitted to failing in his duty to notify authorities about his financial details.
In the latest proceedings, prosecutor Keira Shaw emphasized the seriousness of Bamber’s continued non-compliance.
She pointed out that he had only ever declared one bank account, despite officers being aware of another.
The failure to disclose this account was viewed as a significant breach of his legal obligations.
During the sentencing hearing, Bamber’s legal representative, Tom Farr, argued that his client recognized the foolishness of not declaring the account.
Farr explained that Bamber was deeply concerned about the security of his savings and was paranoid about losing his pension.
He also highlighted Bamber’s role as the full-time carer for his wife, who suffers from dementia and Alzheimer’s disease, and noted that Bamber relied on government payments for her care.
Farr requested leniency, suggesting that activating the suspended sentence would be unjust and that Bamber posed a low risk of reoffending.
However, the presiding judge, Recorder Ayesha Siddiqi, dismissed these arguments.
She expressed concern over Bamber’s pattern of non-compliance and emphasized the importance of enforcing the law.
She stated, “It was concerning behaviour.
There was a long period of non-compliance here.
You had been asked on four occasions to complete a form to disclose your bank details.
You were then given the opportunity on the day you were arrested.
There is no reason why declaring your account would have resulted in the loss of your savings.
You were incapable or unwilling to comply with the requirements of the law.
You have a history of poor compliance with court orders.
Appropriate punishment can only be achieved by an immediate custodial sentence.” As a result, Bamber was sentenced to 42 weeks in prison.
The decision underscores the judiciary’s stance on the importance of strict adherence to court orders, especially among individuals with a history of non-compliance.
Following the sentencing, Detective Constable Dan Chadwick of Cumbria Constabulary commented on the case, stating, “Neil Bamber has been non-compliant since his initial conviction for attempting to incite a child into sexual activity.
This discovery of an undeclared bank account shows his continued level of non-compliance.
I am pleased with the result, and I hope it sends the message out to the public that Cumbria Police proactively manage sex offenders.” This case serves as a stark reminder of the ongoing efforts by law enforcement agencies in Cumbria to monitor and enforce compliance among sex offenders, aiming to protect the community from potential harm and ensure that legal restrictions are respected and upheld.
