MAN SENTENCED TO 15 MONTHS FOR SEX OFFENDER BREACHES
A convicted sex offender has been incarcerated after using Snapchat and WhatsApp on his mobile device.Paul Cummings, who was previously found guilty of attempting to meet a girl under 16 following grooming behavior in September 2020, has been subject to a sexual harm prevention order and a notification requirement.
Despite this, he violated the order and attempted to communicate sexually with a minor in November 2022.
During a court session at Newcastle Crown Court, two police officers visited Cummings' residence in South Shields on December 14 of the previous year and inspected his phone.
They discovered that he had used Snapchat the day before.
Prosecutor Gabrielle Wilks stated that WhatsApp had also been accessed on the same day.
She added that both apps seemed to have been deleted since they did not appear installed on the device.
When questioned about Snapchat usage the day before, Cummings admitted, saying, "I'm sorry I was only going to use it to pay for pictures of adults." The police seized his phone and found 18 items of deleted web browsing history, along with four aliases and an unreported Lloyds bank account.
Browsing history included visits to sites such as EE, BT, WWE, Lloyds Bank, and Hello magazine.
Cummings, residing in Woodhouse Court, South Shields, pleaded guilty to violating the notification order and breaching the sexual harm prevention order.
The court was told that he had previously breached the order five times.
Defence lawyer Laura Miller described Cummings as reckless and acknowledged his actions were foolish.
She added that he was anxious about potential prison time, having struggled with sleep over the issue, and was prepared to accept a custodial sentence.
Miller highlighted that Cummings was in stable accommodation, which he risked losing if incarcerated, and noted his cooperation with probation services.
She suggested that a suspended sentence could be appropriate.
Judge Tony Hawks addressed Cummings directly, emphasising his history as a registered sex offender due to offenses in 2000 and 2022, and his repeated breaches of court orders.
He remarked that Cummings now understood the requirements but nonetheless had a record of five breaches, including two prison sentences for similar violations.
The judge concluded that no alternative punishment was suitable and sentenced Cummings to 15 months in prison, citing the seriousness of his repeated violations and the need to protect the public.
