January 2011 Paedophile faces third prison sentence after taking pictures of children playing A “persistent and disturbing” paedophile who cycled around the area taking pictures of children has been jailed. Detectives found photo albums and pictures in the home of Philip Roberts of unknown children playing in their gardens and in the snow across Hull and the East Riding. The 40-year-old, of Great Thornton Street, Hull had previously been jailed for two years in 2007 for sexual assault, and again for 13 months last year for targeting a schoolboy he was “obsessed” with. He was caught by detectives who went to check up on him following his release from prison to make sure he was complying with his Sexual Offences Prevention Order (Sopo), which banned him from any contact or taking pictures of children. They discovered he had taken photographs of children between October 2009 and December last year. One picture showed a young boy without a top on playing on a trampoline, which Roberts had taken through his garden fence. Judge Jeremy Baker QC, sitting at Hull Crown Court, told Roberts he was a “danger” to children. Prosecutor Nick Adlington said: “He has cycled around as far afield as Hornsea, Withernsea and North Ferriby to take pictures of children and locations.” Roberts pleaded guilty to four counts of breaching his order and has been jailed for 12 months. October 2009 Paedophile targeted victim on jail release. A PAEDOPHILE who targeted his victim as soon as he was released from jail has been locked up again. Philip Roberts, 38, was jailed for two years for taking indecent photos and grooming a 10-year-old schoolboy he was “obsessed” with in 2007. On his release this year Roberts, of Durham Street, Hull, tracked down the boy and his younger brother, sending him letters and following him again. He also took photos of young children on his mobile phone in January. By committing the offences he was in breach of a Sexual Offences Prevention Order (Sopo). Judge Roger Thorn QC has jailed Roberts to 13 months imprisonment at Hull Crown Court. Roberts had previously targeted the 10-year-old boy over a three-year period. He had lured the boy to his flat under the guise of him being a trainspotter because his former flat overlooked a rail line. At one point he even travelled 10 miles to the child’s school everyday to watch him and applied to be a school crossing patrolman there. Roberts bought the boy a mobile phone and told him to hide it from his parents. Police later found videos in Roberts home, which had footage of the boy’s school and of a play area near his flat. Roberts has previous convictions for gross indecency with a child and indecent assault after assaulting a five-year-old boy on a ghost train fairground ride dating from 1997. And in 2001 he was cautioned for failing to notify police of a change of address as is required of a sex offender. Roberts pleaded guilty to breaching his Sopo and harassing his previous young victim. Sentencing Roberts, the Judge said: “Over the last 10 years you have accumulated a number of offences that show you have a wicked sexual interest in young boys.” Judge Roger Thorn QC has jailed Roberts to 13 months imprisonment at Hull Crown Court.