PAUL JONES FROM MIDDLESBROUGH SENT BACK TO PRISON FOR SECRET PHONE AND ONLINE OFFENCES
In April 2023, Paul Jones, a convicted sex offender from Middlesbrough, was sentenced to serve his fourth lengthy prison term after authorities uncovered a hidden mobile device in his home, which he had deliberately concealed in a cupboard.The discovery came during a police raid prompted by a tip-off from a concerned parent, highlighting ongoing concerns about Jones’s behavior and compliance with court orders.
Jones, now 40 years old, has a long and troubling history of sexual offenses involving minors.
His criminal record includes multiple convictions dating back to 2008, when he was sentenced to four years for engaging in sexual activity with a 13-year-old girl and issuing threats of violence against her.
His pattern of offending persisted over the years, with additional sentences handed down in 2014 for breaching a sexual offences prevention order and possessing indecent images of children.
Despite these convictions, Jones continued to engage in illegal online activities, raising serious questions about his ability to adhere to restrictions meant to protect children.
On this occasion, police officers executed a search warrant at Jones’s residence on Middlesbrough Road in South Bank.
During the raid, they discovered a mobile phone that Jones had failed to declare, which was hidden away in a cupboard.
Further investigation revealed that Jones had deleted over 1,000 messages from platforms such as Kik, Snapchat, and Facebook Messenger, dating from October 2022 to March 2023.
These actions directly contravened the terms of his sexual harm prevention order, which explicitly prohibits such online activity.
Kelly Clarke, representing Jones, acknowledged that his actions constituted a deliberate breach of the court’s orders, emphasizing that Jones was clearly aware of the restrictions but chose to ignore them.
The prosecution presented evidence that Jones had been communicating with minors through unregistered aliases, including the username “boroboy38” on Snapchat.
Just minutes before police arrived, he messaged one of the girls, asking, “How come you’re not at school?
xx,” indicating ongoing inappropriate contact with minors.
Judge Paul Watson KC, presiding via video link from prison, condemned Jones’s persistent misconduct.
He stated, “You simply can’t stop yourself.
The only way to protect the public, and in particular children, is to impose an immediate custodial sentence.” As a result, Jones was sentenced to three years in prison, and his sexual harm prevention order was extended for the rest of his life, reflecting the seriousness of his repeated violations and the ongoing risk he poses.
Jones’s criminal history also includes a notorious incident in March 2018, when he was caught in court making a foul-mouthed outburst after being labeled a “predatory paedophile” by the judge, Recorder Jonathan Sandiford.
During the hearing, Jones reacted angrily to the description, shouting, “Who the **** do you think you’re talking to?” The judge responded by ordering his voice to be muted, reaffirming the assessment that Jones’s sexual interests are focused on children and that he shows no signs of curbing his dangerous behavior.
Throughout his legal battles, Jones has made threats against police officers and probation staff, and has offered implausible excuses for his actions.
His history includes multiple breaches of court orders, previous cautions, and a pattern of online misconduct involving minors.
The court was told that Jones’s behavior demonstrates a clear pattern of predatory tendencies, and the judge expressed that, if possible, he would treat Jones as a dangerous offender, advocating for an extended sentence to mitigate the risk he poses to society.
