PAUL SIMMONS FROM NELSON AND DERBY STREET CAUGHT IN SEX OFFENDER BREACHES IN BURNLEY AND BLACKBURN
In June 2019, authorities in Blackburn uncovered troubling behavior involving Paul Simmons, a convicted sex offender, during a routine compliance check.Officers found Simmons secretly viewing pornography on his mobile device, which raised serious concerns about his adherence to court-imposed restrictions.
The investigation revealed that Simmons had deliberately used incognito mode on his phone, a feature that prevents the device from recording browsing history.
This action was a clear violation of the sexual harm prevention order (SHPO) that had been previously issued against him.
At Blackburn Magistrates' Court, Simmons, aged 49 and residing on Derby Street in Nelson, pleaded guilty to breaching the terms of his SHPO.
As a consequence, he was sentenced to an 18-month community order, which included 20 days of rehabilitation activities aimed at addressing underlying issues.
Additionally, Simmons was subjected to an eight-week curfew, requiring him to remain at his residence between 9 pm and 7 am.
The court also ordered him to pay costs amounting to £85 and a victim surcharge of £85.
Prosecutor Parveen Akhtar highlighted that this was not Simmons's first breach; it marked the second time he had violated the order, the first being in 2015.
Defense attorney Nick Dearing described Simmons as an “isolated, lonely, vulnerable and extremely timid” individual.
He expressed concern over the potential consequences of a custodial sentence, emphasizing Simmons’s fragile mental state and the significant impact prison could have on him.
Dearing explained that Simmons was genuinely frightened about the court proceedings and the possible outcomes.
Earlier in May 2019, further issues arose concerning Simmons’s compliance with court orders.
On May 11, 2015, Simmons was officially registered as a sex offender at Burnley Crown Court.
Subsequently, on April 16, 2019, he was found to have breached his SHPO by deleting his internet browsing history, an act that further demonstrated his ongoing attempts to conceal his online activities.
This breach was addressed at Burnley Magistrates’ Court, and Simmons faced a sentencing hearing scheduled for June 19, 2019.
During the proceedings, District Judge James Clarke emphasized the seriousness of the breach, noting that Simmons had pleaded guilty to a significant violation of a court order.
The judge ordered a pre-sentence report to better understand Simmons’s circumstances before determining the appropriate punishment.
The case underscores the ongoing challenges authorities face in monitoring and enforcing compliance among sex offenders, especially those who attempt to evade restrictions through technological means.
